Devious (The Villain #1)

Chapter One

Roselyn

“ W ould you take my suitcase to my bedroom, please?” I ask the maid, Adia.

“Yes, Roselyn.” She bows, grabs my suitcase by the handle, and disappears from the kitchen.

I want to watch some television, so I trail to the living room, and the light automatically comes on.

I hear someone clear their throat, and I turn to look at him. Papa is perched on the expensive beige couch with his legs crossed, glaring at me.

He’s going to be so pissed I didn’t go see my fiancé in Vegas so we can start prepping for our wedding in the fall.

He was supposed to be spending another week in Philly for a gun trade, and I should have hidden at Nonno’s house until next week.

My throat feels drier than a desert, and my heart ping-pongs in my chest. Slowly, I walk backward in the direction toward my bedroom.

His dull blue eyes meet mine, and the corners of his mouth crinkle. “I’ve been looking for you. Why did I get a phone call from Nicolo informing me you didn’t show up to your flight?” His tone is laced with annoyance.

Nicolo is my new bodyguard and a pain in my ass. I paid him cash to keep his trap shut and lie to Papa about my whereabouts, and he simply can’t follow orders. It shouldn’t surprise me that the little money I gave him isn’t as much as Papa pays him.

My papa looks young for his age. He’s well into his fifties but looks like he’s in his early forties. He’s made of muscles that are tight in his dress shirt. Women are constantly throwing themselves at him.

I twirl a few threads of my hair around my finger. “Nero canceled the trip,” I say cryptically.

The vein on the side of his neck throbs. “Don’t lie to me. You canceled it because you don’t want to pick out a venue for your wedding. But you don’t have a choice,” he states. “This is the second engagement you’ve tried to get out of, and you will not ruin it.” He stalks up to me, and his pupils dilate. He grabs my arm, digging his nails into my skin. I’m sure it’s going to leave a bruise.

Anger surges in my bloodstream. Biting down on my plump lip, I try to escape from his grip. “Let me go, Papa! You’re hurting me!” I screech.

“Stay in your room, and don’t come out until I say so. I’m going to rebook your trip, and you will be leaving tonight.” He ushers me to my bedroom, kicks the oak door open, shoves me inside, and slams it in my face.

I know better than to disobey my papa. He’s an underboss for the Vitali famiglia and is known for his cruelty. Unfortunately, his cruelty doesn’t stop when he comes home from work. He is mean to me when I disobey him. He doesn’t necessarily beat me like most parents do in the mafia, but he used to call me all kinds of names. Now, he takes away anything he knows I love. If nothing else works, he’ll slap me.

Grinding my teeth, I lie on the fluffy mattress, propping a soft pillow under my head, and stare at the white ceiling fan as it rotates in slow motion.

Several minutes later, Papa and Nicolo barge into my room. The lines around Papa’s mouth deepen. Nicolo grips my purple suitcases decorated with Tokyo Ghoul stickers.

“Your flight is rebooked and leaves in two hours. When you get there, Nero is going to explain everything to you. He’s going to keep you there permanently .”

Nero is my fiancé and the underboss of the Las Vegas territory.

I try to keep a blank expression, but my face molds into a frown. “Why would I need to move right away? The wedding is four months away.” I sigh. “Papa, what’s going on?”

He crinkles his nose, leans down, and kisses my forehead. “No time to explain.”

Papa hardly ever shows me affection, and when he does, it’s his tell that he’s in danger.

Adrenaline buzzes through my bloodstream, and I swallow thickly. “Are the Feds after you? Or is your gambling addiction getting out of hand again?”

Throughout the years, strange men would stop by and collect money, and if he didn’t pay up, then they would beat him until he was black and blue. He’s always had a gambling problem since I can remember.

He shakes his head so hard I think it’s going to roll off his shoulders. “Let’s go. I need to get you to the airpo—”

The doorbell rings, and Papa’s eyes widen to the size of saucers. He stands still as a statue.

Papa’s bodyguard pops his head through the door. “Devious is here.”

“Very well. Send him to my study,” Papa tells him without taking his eyes off me. “Stay in your room, and do not come out until I say so.” He twists on the balls of his expensive loafers, leaving me in the room alone.

Why would the don of our famiglia be here, at this time of day? I need to know why Papa wants to ship me off to my fiancé so quickly.

I can get into a lot of trouble for trying to listen to my papa’s business with his don. Women are only involved with the mafia to bear children and to be used as business transactions. But I can’t help but wonder what type of trouble Papa’s in.

Once I tiptoe down the hallway, I stop at the cherrywood door. The smell of expensive cigars wafts in the air, and heavy footsteps scrape against the floor. I place my ear against the cold, thick door. It’s no use, the only thing I hear is muffled voices.

The door swings open, and my ass hits the marble floor. Standing up, I dust off my white dress decorated with pink flowers. One of Papa’s bodyguards glares at me.

My cheeks flush, and heat creeps up my nape. “I wasn’t doing anything,” I lie.

“Your presence is requested by your father.” He drags me into the office, ushering me to the chair in front of Papa’s desk. Papa’s face is redder than a tomato, and he rubs the back of his neck. There are four bodyguards, all wearing black, standing in each corner of the room, including Nicolo. Devious stands next to Papa with his hand tucked in his pocket. His lustful eyes rake over my face, then my breasts, then my legs. I’m used to men gawking at me as if I’m a piece of meat. But him, he’s more beautiful than the northern lights. His jawbone is wide and sharp like a razor blade, and a few locks of his inky hair cascade down his forehead. My God, the man can wear a suit. Speaking of which, his navy suit is made out of the finest threads and hugs his hard muscles. He chills every vertebra in my spine. I’ve heard ruthless stories about Devious and how he kills without remorse.

Shaking my head, I tear my gaze from the man everyone thinks of as a god, including myself.

“You wanted to see me?” I ask.

He clears his throat and smooths out his red tie. “Your engagement is off with Nero.”

I sigh and smile. “Thank you, Papa. Because I didn’t want to marry him. May I be excused?”

His shoulders slump. “No. You’re going to marry Devious to pay off the debt I accrued over the last three months.”

Classic Lex. Always using me as a pawn or trying to control me like an object. I won’t be putting up with his bullshit any longer.

My heart flutters in my chest, and my breathing is labored. My smile dissipates from my face.

Trying to put on a brave face, I push back my shoulders. “No, Papa.”

He pounds his large fist against the oak desk. “You don’t have a choice.”

I jump in my seat. “I said no . I’m not going to be used anymore. You used me as a pawn to marry Nero so you can switch territories. Now, you’re trying to use me again. When I’m going t—”

Devious pulls out a gun from his holster and aims it at Papa’s forehead. “Marry me or watch your father’s brain decorate this tacky-ass wall.” His tone is as calm as a night in October.

Fear wraps around me like a cocoon.

Devious doesn’t strike me as the type of guy to make idle threats. I don’t want Papa’s life to end because of me, and I wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt for the rest of my life. My hand trembles, and my heartbeat quickens.

I nod as tears trickle down my cheeks.

Devious places his Glock back into his holster, and a soldier I’ve never seen before stomps up to me, yanking me from the chair.

I try to snatch my arm away from his grip, but he is stronger than I am.

“Papa, please. No! No!”

Papa’s face crumples together, and his eyes bounce everywhere but at me.

I punch the soldier in the chin, and he doesn’t flinch.

The soldier continues dragging me out of the condo building like a rag doll. Two bodyguards stroll beside us.

I kick and scream on my way down to the lobby. Some people stop and stare, but others continue whatever they are doing. Once we’re outside, the soldier shoves me into the back seat, strapping a seat belt over my tiny frame. The other soldiers get into another SUV. I punch him in the face before Devious’s large palm engulfs my neck, not completely cutting off my airway.

Pain radiates all around my head as if I have a sinus infection.

He’s going to kill me.

My knees knock together, and my lungs burn as I dig my nails into his flesh, but he squeezes tighter.

“If you continue to throw a temper tantrum, I’ll go back to Lex and snap his neck. Behave.” His tone is casual, then he lets me go.

My chest hurts as I cough, and snot trickles down to my lips.

He grabs a handkerchief from his breast pocket and tosses it at me. Grabbing it, I wipe my face and throw it to the floorboard.

“Am I clear?”

“Y-yes,” I answer.

“Good girl.” He climbs into the seat next to me. “Take us to the penthouse,” Devious orders.

The driver pulls off onto the black asphalt. Tears sting my eyes, but I try my best not to let them fall. I rest my head on the window, and the buildings pass in a blur.

Twenty minutes later, we get out of the car and head into a private elevator, neither of us speaking to each other. But Devious’s azure eyes are on me, studying every inch of me as if he’s a predator ready to pounce on his prey.

I feel naked and exposed, even though I’m fully clothed.

The metal doors open, and we step inside the massive penthouse. Two soldiers check out each room, and once they’re done, they stand in front of Devious.

“It’s all clear,” one of them says.

“Go back to your standing post,” he orders.

They nod, then stand in front of the door.

I glance around at my new prison. The drapes match the color of the gray walls, and a love seat and a couch the color of burnt leaves are tucked away in the corner. The smell of Pine-Sol chokes the air, making my nostrils burn. The oak floors are so shiny I can see my reflection. This place doesn’t feel as if anyone lives here. There isn’t a homey touch to it. No pictures of famiglias hanging on the wall. We might as well live in a museum. This penthouse is cold, distant, like Devious.

Is his personality the same? I stare up at him, and his face is in its default pout, with lines around the corners of his mouth.

Devious shrugs off his navy suit jacket and places it on the coat rack. His bodyguard, with dark hair, stands by a statue, as if he’s an art piece himself. I stand next to him, and my eyes shift to the wide window wrapped around the whole penthouse. The view of the skyscrapers is beautiful, lighting up the city. Looking around again, I realize Devious is a billionaire. I knew he was one, but it didn’t sink in until now.

“Follow me,” he says. He leads me to his bedroom.

Our bedroom. Like the living room, everything is dark and gloomy.

This can’t be my home. This won’t be my home.

He unbuttons his expensive cuff links and rolls up the sleeves of his dress shirt. He folds his veiny arms across his hard chest.

He stalks up to me, and I pedal backward until my back brushes the cool wall. He places his hands above my head as his eyes burn holes into mine, and he bites his bottom lip.

“When I fuck you, I expect to see blood.”

Women are not allowed to lose their virginity before marriage, while the men are allowed to sleep with anyone they want. If I were to, then I would be killed.

My chest tightens, and my hands catch a bad case of the tingles.

“I know the law, Devious. Women are supposed to remain virgins until we’re married off.”

He taps his finger on my nose and walks to the drawer, taking his body heat with him. “Good. Because I would hate to kill someone as pretty as you.”

How can someone as beautiful as him be so cruel?

I flinch and gulp.

He yanks out a white T-shirt, tossing it at me. “Put this on and go to bed. You need to get up early and meet me at the dining room by eight.” Then he hurries out of the room, leaving me in the eerie silence.

I climb into bed and cry myself to sleep.