"I'm a savage, yeah. Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah. Sassy, moody, nasty, yeah. Acting stupid, what's happenin? Yeah," I sang with sass.

I just figured that this song really matched my personality.

Savage, classy, ratchet, sassy, moody, nasty, acting stupid.

Yep, that's me.

"Xena, I'm back!" I heard the devil say as the door opened.

As if I asked that.

"No shit sherlock," I snarled, rolling my eyes.

Enzo chuckled and shook his head.

"So, what'd you do while I was gone?" he asked, sitting beside me on the bed.

"Oh well, the usual, you know? Netflix, a bit of training, work out, oh and yeah, I tortured a spy as well," I replying, looking serious.

Enzo raised his brow.

"How the fuck do you expect me to do something if you cuffed me to bed?!" I snapped.

"Man, you're really moody, aren't you?" he asked, blinking.

I nodded. "Yep, that I am, and no one can handle my mood swings better than my dad so it's better if you let me go than to endure this."

He rolled his eyes. "Like hell I'll let you go," he muttered, wrapping his arms around me tightly.

I groaned.

I hate human contact.

If I wasn't cuffed, I would have broken his nose then and there.

"I met your dad today."

My eyes snapped up to him.

What?

I chuckled nervously. "You're lying...right?"

He shook his head.

Dad was here?! In Italy?!

"What'd he say?" I asked curiously.

"Oh well, just a little threats and blackmails, otherwise the talk went very smooth."

Threats and blackmails, eh? Typical dad.

Enzo cleared his throat. "Your dad knows Italian..," he trailed off.

"Ya, he does. So?"

"So, I was wondering, whether you did too."

"Nope. Except for Ciao and Si, I have no effing clue about Italian."

That was a big lie. I was extremely fluent in Italian. I wanted to keep it a secret so I could decipher the conversations between his men and him so I could pass it on to my mafia.

Enzo bought my lie and hummed.

"Xena, what do you think of me?" he suddenly asked after a few minutes.

What? That's random.

"I think that you're a sexist, dominating, cold-hearted asshole."

"Hey! I saved your life!"

"Oops, right. I think that you're a sexist, dominating, cold-hearted, life-saving asshole."

Enzo glared at me and I returned the favor.

We continued this staring contest until there was a knock on the door. Enzo blinked and I laughed in triumph.

Matteo was at the door.

Matteo...

I remember him.

He saw me and his eyes widened.

"You were dead!" he shrieked, taking a step back.

"Am I not?" I asked, scanning myself. I then looked back at him. "I am...only from the inside."

Matteo didn't find that amusing. "Enzo! She is alive! I thought I imagined feeling a pulse on her wrist!"

Enzo sighed. "I'm tired of explaining this. Yes, she is alive and fine. She pretended to be dead to escape me. She ran away from the hospital while I was bawling my eyes out."

After few minutes, he seemed to calm down. He took deep breaths.

"Why have you cuffed her?" he asked Enzo, looking at my bounds in confusion.

"She wants to escape, but she needs to recover first."

"You got her here by force?!" he yelled in shock.

"No, no," Enzo instantly denied, "Matteo, you were there that night. You saw Xena at the door. She came to me for help willingly."

"But-but her dad will kill us!" Matteo yelled.

Of course he will. But before that, he'd torture you; hear you scream for death itself.

"How's Serena, by the way? Did you find her?" I asked, still angry at him for what he did to her.

He grinned hearing that and nodded. "I found her. She's fine, but she's still resisting me."

Hearing that, I sighed. 3 years and Serena still hates Matteo.

"Please tell me that she's not held captive in your mansion," I said, fearing his answer.

Matteo gulped and that was enough to know his reply.

"She is a human being for gods sake!" I yelled, trying to break free from the cuff to slap Matteo.

"SHE IS NOT A BLOODY PET DOG TO BE CHAINED AND LOCKED UP! SHE NEEDS HER FREEDOM! SHE NEEDS LOVE FROM SOMEONE WHO IS NOT OBSESSED WITH HER! GIVE. HER. SPACE!"

Matteo and Enzo, both seemed surprised by my outburst.

"I love her!" Matteo yelled back.

"Then show her that! Show Serena that you love her! Caging her in your fucking mansion and chaining her to your bed like a fucking animal isn't gonna prove your point! This shows exerting dominance, and especially not love!"

He froze, pondering over my words.

"But-but if I let her go, if I let her out of my mansion, she will escape...," he said hesitantly.

I silently groaned. Obviously she will.

"At least take her out for dates," I tried persuading.

He shook his head. "I did, several times. But she always tries to find ways to escape."

How am I gonna convince this idiot to let her go?

"Fine...why don't you bring Serena here? Ysaline, Serena and I can, you know, chat and have fun."

Enzo raised his brow. "Ya? So you 3 girls can plot a scheme to murder Dante, Matteo, and me and then escape? Not at all."

I glared at him, and he glared back.

Matteo's eyebrows raised and it looked like he just remembered something.

"I forgot to tell you. The ball is taking place in a week. We just got the invitations," Matteo informed, removing 2 gold cards from his pocket and handing one to Enzo and the other to me.

The mafia ball. I had been to it at least 3 times with my parents. Funny how I don't remember seeing Enzo there.

I opened mine with my left hand, considering my right one was restrained, and read it.

⚜

This invitation is for: Xena King, American Mafia Princess.

Miss Xena,

We are very pleased to let you know that the 'Annual Mafia Ball' is taking place on 24th December, Friday. You have been cordially invited.

Host: Spanish Mafia (Alejandro and Gabriela Lopez)

Location: Madrid, 24th XXX street

Date and day: 24th December, Friday

Dress code:

Female~ Gown (Black, , blue, white, pink, red)

Male~ Suit (Black, blue, red, pink )

(Please note, having a plus one is not mandatory)

We are looking forward to having you there.

Sincere regards,

The IMC.

⚜

"Nice," I muttered, shutting the envelope.

24th December, in 2 days.

It was mandatory to take part in the ball.

Hold on.

"How did you guy get my invitation?" I asked Matteo, raising my brow.

"Ah, you know the mafia council knows the whereabouts of everyone. They knew you were in Italy with Enzo," Matteo replied with a shrug.

Of course.

Enzo sighed. "We have no choice but to go to the ball. It's mandatory," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"We need to shop for the clothes now," he continued with a groan.

I groaned as well. I hated shopping.

The only time I ever liked shopping was with Ysaline.

"You know what, why don't you choose a gown online? It'll be delivered by tomorrow," Enzo suggested.

"I don't buy ready-made gowns for the ball, Enzo. I customize it," I sassed and he raised a brow.

"As you wish. Let's go to the shop now," he said, fumbling with something in his pocket.

The key.

He unlocked my cuff and I sighed in relief, rubbing my right wrist to soothe the pain.

"Is Ysa coming too?" I asked hopefully.

"No, the ball is only for the mafia leaders and their heirs. Ysaline, Dante, Serena, and Matteo, could accompany us to Madrid if you wish."

I nodded eagerly and Enzo agreed.

"Take a bath, get dressed, and meet me down in five," he instructed making me roll my eyes.

"I thought you learnt your lesson. You ca-"

"I know, I know. I can't order you...you won't listen to me. Fine. Will you please take a bath, get dressed, and meet me down in five?" He cut me off. .

I nodded with a smile. He learns fast.

I skipped to the bathroom and took a refreshing shower. I wrapped a towel around myself and walked to the walk-in closet. I picked a white knotted crop-top and black, denim shorts, and changed into it.

Tying my hair into a neat bun, I walked out back into the room and waited for the asshole to unlock the door.

Even if I wanted, I couldn't escape while shopping. The only option left was to escape after the ball.

Finally, after what seemed an hour, Enzo unlocked the door.

"Shopping time!" he announced and I groaned.

Oh no.

●・○・●・○・●

"But I don't wanna!" I whined, stomping my foot.

"Xena," Enzo said sternly, "get. In."

"No!"

Well, what happened was that Enzo decided to drive to the shop by car. However, I wanted to take the metro.

Wondering why a mafia princess would choose a metro over the car?

Simple.

It makes me feel like a normal civilian, rather than a person who is the future leader of a criminal organization, Aka: mafia.

"Enzo, try to understand," I said with a groan, "Using the metro makes me feel happy!"

He sighed. "Fine, but don't try to escape."

I grumbled but nodded.

So, we walked to the metro station, which was just 10 minutes away from the mansion.

People who were present there looked at Enzo and me wide-eyed.

I mean, it's not everyday you see an Italian mafia leader and an American mafia princess walking through a metro station.

Everyone stepped aside to let Enzo and me get on the metro first.

I sat in the extreme right seat and Enzo sat in front of me, glaring daggers.

Obviously, he didn't like the idea of travelling through metro with normal people.

3 other people were present along with us; 2 women and 1 guy.

None of us said a single word through all this.

Finally, each one of those people left at their designated stations, leaving only Enzo and me behind.

Damn it.

I'm alone with him in this stupid metro.

Noticing this as well, Enzo smirked.

He stood up from his seat and sat beside me.

Ew. I hated this proximity.

"Xena," Enzo whispered huskily, slightly nipping on my ear.

He started leaning in closer, his eyes flickering down to my lips.

Oh, hell no!

I'm not gonna kiss him!

Before I could push him away, the metro doors slid open and footsteps were heard. Taking this as an opportunity, I pushed Enzo away from me.

He still had that stupid smirk on his face.

Clearing my throat, I raised my head to meet the person who just stepped in.

My eyes locked with the familiar green ones.

Oh, fuck.

Blaze.