by Fawn Bailey
Wings
A Dark Mafia Romance
Fawn Bailey
Copyright © 2018 by Fawn Bailey
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Cover by Cover It! Designs
Editing by Hot Tree Editing
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Acknowledgments
Also by Fawn Bailey
Writing as Isabella Starling
Foreword
Fawn Bailey is the dark romance pen name of USA Today best-selling author Isabella Starling.
Introduction
Two brothers. One woman. And a villain out to end it all. Discover the mafia world of Gilded Cage in this full-length dark romance novel. First book in a trilogy.
There's only one thing you need to know about Ophelia Sokolov. She was promised to me, not my brother. And I'll do anything in my power to make her mine. She's my future. My destiny. My f*cking property.
My name is Max Marino. My family owns this city. I kill because I have to. I f*ck because I can. And I will have Ophelia because I always have my way.
We were destined to be together. A bond that would tie our families together forever. But she fell for my younger brother... And Ryker never wanted me to have what had always meant to be mine. He took so much from me. Our parents. Our careers. But Ophelia is mine. And I'll kill to prove it...
Fawn Bailey is the pen name of USA Today bestselling author Isabella Starling. Wings is the first book in the Gilded Cage trilogy.
To those who like to peek through the bars.
Fawn
P.S. This prequel is inspired by “Everybody Hates Me” by The Chainsmokers.
Chapter 1
Ophelia
On the first night of my imprisonment, my captor gave me a gift.
It was a gorgeous, bright yellow canary that sang its little heart out in a gold, gilded cage.
I stared in wonder at the little creature, somehow expecting the worst. I didn't know Kain that well back then, and I was convinced he'd only given me the bird so he could snap its neck next.
But he didn't. He put it in my room, the cage the first thing I would see every morning, the bird never quieting down unless I put the cloth over the cage. I liked to hear him sing, but I never gave him a name - too afraid that, if I formed an attachment, my captor would do something to hurt the bird, and subsequently, me.
"Do you like the way it sings?" he asked me in that sweet, dark voice I would come to know so well. "I bet you do. But I bet you sing even prettier."
I was terrified, angry and ready to strike. But he didn't touch me the first night. Or the first week.
I was shown to a gorgeous room, one swathed in luxurious white and pink fabrics and painted a pretty shade of dove grey. The furniture was expensive, and the room was something every girl would dream of. But I knew it wasn't just a place to stay. For the foreseeable future, it would be my home, and my prison combined.
I slept restlessly, barely able to catch a wink of sleep. He was on my mind. The mysterious man who'd taken me, who'd killed my whole family, claiming he had revenge on his mind and hurting me in his heart. I knew his games wouldn't end there. I knew he would do his best to keep on making my life a living hell. But back then, I was strong and resilient, and so sure I was going to escape, I managed to convince myself the gorgeous room would only be my prison for a matter of hours or days until the Marinos rescued me.
I didn't even think I would end up under Kain's cruel hand for five years. Not back then, no. I didn't lose hope until months, years later.
The next morning I woke up late. There was breakfast waiting for me on a small table, oatmeal with berries and a heavy dollop of cream. I didn't know whether it was just a lucky guess, but it was my favorite breakfast, one I often had back at home.
I didn't want to eat it, but I was ravenous. I resisted for as long as I could, stalling before I spooned the yummy mixture into my mouth. It felt so good to eat again, like the last shred of normalcy I had left was in that little bowl of food. I ate until I was full, then pushed the bowl away and went to stand by the window.
I was wearing my bloodstained dress from the previous night, the blood now staining the pristine sheets of the bed as well. I waited. I didn't move from my spot by the window. I just anticipated he would come soon - my captor would collect me.
I wasn't wrong.
I felt his presence before I heard his voice. I turned around sharply, my hand lingering on the window frame as my eyes met his.
He was handsome in a young rogue kind of way. His hair was a touch too long but styled to perfection, and he was wearing a suit, just like the last time I saw him. Once again, it was a little too big, but at least it wasn't bloodstained this time around. A dark smile promising trouble lit up his face and he approached me slowly, like a lion stalking its prey. He already knew he'd won the game we were playing. There was nowhere for me to run.
"Sleep well, my little orphan?" he asked me, and I turned my face away, unable to hold the weight of his gaze. "I thought about you all night."
I didn't answer, perhaps the first sign of my inability to speak around him. He always managed to render me speechless.
"No matter," he replied as if speaking to himself. "This was your first and last night in this room, your training begins today. Aren't I nice for giving you something so beautiful last night?"
"No," I snapped. "Not very nice at all, since you're going to rip it away from me the first chance you get."
He grinned at me, coming close but not touching me as he spoke.
"Watch your words, Ophelia Sokolov. You might think I'm not going to hurt you because I let you live, but you're dead fucking wrong. I'm going to destroy you."
His words sent a shiver down my spine that I refused to acknowledge. Instead, I just stared back into his eyes with my soul screeching for revenge. This was the man who took everything away from me - my family, my future, my life as I knew it. Ryker and Max... Everything lost to the man standing in front of me.
"Shall we go?" he asked me next, gallantly extending his arm like a real gentleman. "I'd like to show you your new quarters, little orphan. Come with me."
I didn't move from my spot, silently pushing my chin up and defying him.
His eyes lit up with angry fire, and he grabbed my elbow.
"It wasn't negotiable, dolly," he said darkly. "You're coming with me, now."
He dragged me out of the room. I didn't fight it, knowing that he was stronger than me anyway. It seemed as if we were alone in the house, which made my heart beat faster. Maybe, if I timed it right, I could escape him.
"I know what you're thinking," he said with a bright smile. "My dolly already wants to run away from me, doesn't she?"
"No," I muttered, but he merely laughed in response.
"Just so you know, dolly," he
went on. "You're never getting away from me. The property is huge and even if you run for hours, you'll never reach the perimeter. No one lives around here, just us. And I'm going to make sure you stay right where you should. By my fucking side."
He dragged me down the beautiful marble staircase, through an opulently decorated room that looked like a ballroom, and down another set of stairs until we were in the basement. There was barely any light there, shadows enveloping the furniture that turned from rich golds and creams into dark grey and black. I knew bad things happened down here, and I knew Kain wanted me to be scared. And he'd succeeded - my heart was beating so frantically I thought it would tear straight through my chest.
"You're going to be staying down here," he said with a dark smile. "This will be your new home. You'll only be allowed upstairs if you're a good little girl. If you're not, I won't let you see sunlight until you're a better toy for me. Even if it takes weeks, or months."
I stared back, my mouth set in a thin line. I wasn't going to argue, but I wasn't going to submit either.
"Want to see your new room?" he asked, grinning. "Come with me, dolly."
He took my hand gently, which surprised me, then led me down the hallway until we reached a door that was huge and soundproof from the looks of it.
"It's right here," he said. "After you, dolly."
I opened the door with trembling fingers. The second my eyes settled on what was inside, I turned to him. He was only half a step behind me, and I bumped into his chest, my little fists useless against his brawn.
"You can't leave me here," I begged desperately. "I... I can't stay here."
"Why not?" he asked me, almost gently. "I tried so hard to make it nice and comfortable for you."
"You don't... Surely you don't expect me to sleep in that?"
With shaky fingers, I pointed towards the large silver cage standing front and center of the dark room. It had plenty of fluffy pillows and a fur blanket in there, but it was a cage. A fucking cage.
"I do," he nodded. "Don't worry, your bird will be brought downstairs too. You will now have something else in common."
"Please," I said desperately. "Don't make me do this. I don't want to sleep in a cage. I'm just eighteen..."
"I was twelve when your father killed my family," he spat out, grabbing my face between his long fingers and making me look at him. "How about that for a fact of the day, dolly?"
I closed my eyes firmly, but he shook my head, making me open them again.
"He made me watch," he growled. "Did you know that, dolly? Did you know your papa made me watch while he cut my mother's throat?"
"No," I whispered.
"Yes," he grunted. "Yes, and he did so much worse, too. You're never going to repay his debt, dolly. I'm going to keep you forever."
With those words, he pushed me into the dark room and closed the dorm behind. I ran to it, my eyes filling with panic. There was a small window on the door, but the glass seemed thick and impenetrable.
Kain was staring at me through the window, his dark eyes igniting with a fire that promised so much more.
He tapped the glass and I stared back at him as he laughed at me. He was getting a kick out of this, and I hated him for it. My palms touched the cool glass, but the second they did, he was gone, leaving me all alone in the room. A moment later, a light clicked on and I thanked my lucky stars for it. At least he hadn't left me in absolute darkness.
I walked away from the door, silently surveying the room I'd found myself in.
The floor and the walls were black, giving it a claustrophobic feeling that had me shivering in seconds. The cage wasn't too big, not big enough to stand up in. I'd have to crawl in there if I wanted to sleep. There was a small bathroom off to the side, and a little sitting area in the room with a selection of books. I didn't like reading, and I scoffed at the sight of them. All classics, too - things I wouldn’t have read back at home, if I did decide to pick up a book. I was more of a fan of smutty romance.
I opened the door of the cage cautiously, as if afraid something was going to jump out at me. The door moved smoothly as if somebody had oiled up the hinges, preparing the prison for my arrival.
I decided to take a shower, stripping off my stained dress and standing under the stream of cool water. The bathroom had grapefruit scented products in it, from shampoo to body wash and lotion. All of them with the same scent, which made me wonder why that was.
I didn't stop until the water turned ice cold, then wrapped myself in a thick white towel. It gave a pop of color to the otherwise dark room. I dried myself off and left my hair to dry naturally and my face bare. Then, I went back into the other room where the cage caught my attention yet again.
My fingers slipped over the steel, touching the cold metal and wandering whether Kain would be satisfied with merely locking me in my room, or if he'd lock me in the cage as well.
I let my towel fall to the ground, curious as I crawled inside the cage.
Despite its confines, it proved to be comfortable enough. It was small, but not unpleasant, and I held the bars between my fingers as I lay on the pillows, covered with the fur blanket. After a small moment's thought, I reached for the door and closed it shut while I was inside the cage. It wasn't much, but for some reason it made me feel safer. Whether I wanted to be safe from Kain was a question I didn't want to ask myself.
Chapter 2
Ophelia
I woke up because the bird was chirping.
I hadn't even noticed when it was brought in, and I wondered whether its small squeaks were a sign of fear. I pushed the fur blanket off my naked body and got out of the cage on my knees, slowly approaching the frightened little critter in his golden cage.
"It's okay," I told him softly. "You're going to be alright, little bird."
"Is he?"
I turned around, finding the door ajar and Kain standing in the frame. At first, I wanted to cover myself up, but I decided to embrace my nakedness. If he was uncomfortable, he could look away himself. I lifted my head up high.
He was smirking at me, probably all too pleased with himself that I hadn't even noticed my opportunity to escape. I cursed myself inwardly, deciding to be much more careful in the future. Any chance I got to get away from him was good enough for me.
"You tell me," I said defiantly. "Are you going to hurt it?"
"I don't hurt animals," he replied, and there was a sharp, angry tone to his voice.
I cocked my head to the side, somewhat surprised by his response.
"So it's only innocent girls?" I asked bitterly.
"You're not innocent!" he snarled back, the sudden animosity in his voice roaring to life. "You have sins hanging over you, dolly. Everyone can fucking see. Aren't you ashamed?"
I came right up to him until I was in his face, and I whispered, "No."
His hand came up, his fingers wrapping around my throat tightly. His arm brushed my tits and my nipples hardened painfully when they met his sleeves. For a second I was convinced he was going to lift me off the floor, but he just smirked at me when I whimpered instead.
"You're going to learn how things work around here soon enough," he promised me. "And once you learn the kind of punishment you just earned, you'll be a meek little bitch ready to do anything I tell you to."
"Don't bet on it," I managed to get out, and he laughed, letting go of me. "I'll never kneel for you."
"Oh, you'll do a lot more," he promised, a dark glint in his eyes. "In fact, why don't we get started now. You're ready for anything, aren't you, dolly?"
I swallowed thickly, refusing to give him an answer and looking to the side.
"No matter," he answered himself. "I'm going to make you take it anyway."
He made me get into a room that was equipped with stuff I didn't want to learn about. I was quickly coming to realize what kind of man he was, and what he wanted to do to me. Despite the mere one year difference between us, his past had turned dark before mine, and he had time to deal wi
th it. I guess this was how he'd learned to cope.
I was still naked, and he made me stand in front of a large X-like piece of furniture. I quickly realized what it was when he strapped me into place, my legs spread and my arms above my head. I was already shivering with fear, but he seemed as carefree as ever, humming a tune to himself as he walked around the awful dark room.
It was cold, and my skin was covered in goosebumps, my nipples hard as fuck under his watchful gaze.
I hated myself for it.
He dug around in a chest next to the X and brought out a tassel whip. I'd never seen one before, but once he laid it out, I realized what it was, and what he was going to do with it. I struggled against my restraints painfully, the first time I openly tried to get away. And yet, he just laughed at me as if I was a helpless little thing he was going to devour no matter what.
"You're not getting away," he told me. "Never."
"Watch me," I snapped, and he hit me with the whip so hard I yelped, red signs of pain spreading across my stomach.
"You watch your tongue," he told me sweetly. "Or I'm going to have to hit a lot harder. Now let me tell you what's going to happen here, alright dolly?"
I stayed quiet, holding in the whimpers and the cries as he pushed my chin up.
"I said," he started, his voice suddenly menacing. "Is that alright, dolly?"