The deranged wrath of Mafia Lord

**Ivery Clark POV** 

Alrigo stood before me like a shadow pulled straight from the depths of hell. Gone was the man who once smirked playfully, who teased with a predator's charm. Now, every inch of him screamed power, wrath, and unrestrained danger. A predator with a murderous aura deciding whether to kill. 

One wrong move would end in blood.

I nodded, gripping the fabric of my dress as if it could steady the quake in my heart. “Anything you ask,” I murmured, my voice cracking under the weight of the moment.

“Anything,” he repeated, as though savoring the taste of the word. Then, his fingers brushed the curve of my chin, lifting my face so I was forced to meet his gaze.

“You intrigue me, Ivery. Truly,” he said, his thumb tracing the edge of my jaw with a mockery of tenderness. “You plead for his life, but you’re no less entangled in this web of betrayal. Do you even realize how foolish you sound?”

I forced the lump in my throat down, locking my trembling hands at my sides. “Even if it’s foolish,” I said, my voice wavering but steady, “I’ll do what I have to. If it means protecting him… protecting Rowan, then so be it.”

Alrigo let out a sharp, hollow laugh, a sound so devoid of warmth that it made my knees weak. His hand fell away, but his piercing gaze stayed fixed on me like a hunter studying his prey. “And what will you do, exactly?”

His words sliced like a dagger, his smirk razor-sharp. “Go back to what you do best? Start whoring again? Isn't that what you are good at, Ivery.”

The words struck me like a blow to the chest, stealing the air from my lungs. I turned to glance at Rowan, muffled gasps of his confusion hit harder than ever. 

“Alrigo, please…” I whispered sharply, my throat tight. My eyes pleaded with him, tears brimming as shame tightened its grip around my heart.

It was my fault to fall for this ruthless mafia in the first place. 

Alrigo leaned in, lowering his voice to a whisper that only I could hear. His breath brushed my ear, soft and deceptive like the hiss of a viper. “Don’t what, bella?” he murmured mockingly. “Don’t tell the truth? Why stop now? You liked it, didn’t you? When you spread your legs to me. Every touch, every sigh. Your moans still ring in my ears. What a seductive actress… I almost fell for it.”

His words cut deeper than any weapon could, each syllable driving a fresh wave of pain through me. I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the storm of emotions welling up inside me—rage, humiliation, heartbreak. 

My eyes snapped open, glistening with unshed tears, and I glared up at him, unable to mask the hurt his cruelty unleashed.

“Stop,” I whispered, the word trembling on my lips. But I wasn’t even sure what I was asking him to stop—his words, his accusations, or this unbearable descent into darkness between us.

Alrigo’s expression flickered, just for a moment—a fleeting ghost of something almost human. But then it was gone, replaced by the cruel smirk that made him unrecognizable. 

And the ache in my chest tightened, because I wasn’t looking at the man I’d come to crave, to trust in spite of everything. 

I was looking at the merciless mafia lord, and the depth of his rage told me that trust had never been mutual.

“You say you’ll do anything, but alas….you’ve tested my patience already. I’m not a merciful man by nature, ma bella.” He glanced toward Rowan, the malice in his eyes as sharp as a dagger. “Shall I teach you what disobedience costs?”

“No!” I said quickly, a fresh wave of tears streaking down my cheeks. “Please, just—please give me a chance to prove myself. Please, I'll do anything.”

Alrigo stopped, his expression unreadable 
"You’re gambling on mercy you don’t deserve, Ivery. But fine, if that's what you want." 

Alrigo’s mocking smirk faded as his gaze shifted past me to Rowan, who sat restrained, his head bloodied and his expression defiant despite the dire circumstances. His cold, gray eyes gleamed with the promise of vengeance, and my heart plummeted to the floor.

“Take him,” Alrigo said, his voice as sharp and final as the snap of a noose. “Lock him in the dungeon.”

“No!” The cry tore from my throat before I could think, raw and desperate. I surged forward, trying to shield Rowan with my body, but Alrigo’s hand shot out, grabbing my arm in a grip like iron. He yanked me back with terrifying ease, spinning me to face him.

"Where the fuck are you going? Don’t test me, Ivery," he growled, his tone lethal, sending shivers racing down my spine. 

His eyes were dark, filled with unrestrained fury. “Do you take me for a fool? He tried to kill me. That’s not something I let go unpunished. He’ll be interrogated, we’ll see how useful he is." 

Alrigo leaned down, his lips brushing my ear again, his tone laced with mockery. “And now, his life depends on you, ma bella. On your performances." 

The breath left my lungs as his cruel decree settled over me. My hands trembled at my sides, my knees buckling, but I forced myself to stay upright. This wasn’t about me anymore. It was about Rowan.

“You said anything, didn’t you?” His smirk deepened, his next words a whisper laced with poison. “Then don’t disappoint me."

As Rowan was dragged away, his curses echoed in the air. “Ivery, don’t! You don’t owe him this—run!” His voice cracked with desperation, but the guards silenced him with a brutal shove.

I wanted to run. Every instinct screamed at me to fight, to claw my way out of the hell I had willingly stepped into. But I didn’t. I stayed rooted in place, my tears falling harder, my chest aching as Alrigo’s gaze turned to me one last time, colder than death itself.

Alrigo didn’t waste another second. He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the car, his grip unrelenting. “Let’s go.”

I stumbled, my feet barely keeping up with his long strides. "W-where are you taking me?" My voice cracked, the terror climbing up my throat.

He didn’t respond, not at first. Instead, he opened the car door with a calculated, calm aggression and shoved me inside. I landed awkwardly against the cold leather seat, my heart hammering.

His dark gaze flickered to mine, unreadable and yet brimming with something that sent a chill down my spine. “You’ll know soon enough,” he said curtly, his voice clipped.

Before I could protest further, he reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a long strip of black fabric. My stomach dropped.

“W-what are you doing?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Trust isn’t a game I play lightly, ma bella. I’ve had enough surprises for one day.” He leaned closer, and I flinched as he tied the fabric over my eyes, plunging me into darkness.

"Alrigo, please! I'm scared." I pleaded, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

He ignored me, his silence a weapon far sharper than his words. The engine roared to life, and I felt the car surge forward. I gripped the edge of the seat, my knuckles turning white, every turn of the car making my dread grow heavier.

The silence in the car was suffocating, except for his quiet breathing and the faint hum of the tires on the road. My mind raced with every possibility, each more horrific than the last. Where was he taking me? What was he going to do?

When the car finally stopped, I felt a rush of cool air as the door opened.