My father sold me to the Mafia King-Chapter 173/Run, Julie, Run!

Chapter 173

Julie’s Point of View

I retreated instinctively, trying to escape Carlos’s piercing gaze, but I tripped over those damn heels and lost my balance completely. I felt the air being sucked out from under my feet; I was about to crash onto the floor when suddenly, Carlos’s powerful hand shot out toward my waist, yanking me toward him with a violence that saved me from the fall.

I felt his other hand wrap around my back to steady me, pressing me against his hard body until I could feel his heat seeping into me. "I’ve got you," he said in a triumphant tone. His hands were pulling me so close my breath faltered. I tried to regain my lost composure.

"Fine... let me go now," I murmured.

"I can’t," he replied, locking his eyes onto mine.

"Let me go, Carlos!" I snapped this time, trying to break free from his grip.

He pulled his hands away gently, as if savoring my reaction. "I’ve let you go."

I raised a trembling finger at him in warning. "Don’t you ever do that again."

He wasn’t deterred.

Instead, he took my raised finger and kissed it with a provocative tenderness. I snatched it back instantly while he said with a confident smirk, "I can’t promise you that." His persistence was irritating yet somehow appealing; my feelings were a mess. "Fine... I’m going to my room," I said, trying to escape.

But before I could take a single step, a husky voice shattered the silence of the hallway from behind me: "Carlos."

I spun my entire body around to see Robert walking toward us with steady, imposing strides.

The moment I saw him, memories of the office flooded back; I remembered his touch, how he coldly undid my buttons... I swear I nearly lost my balance again from sheer fluster.

Robert stood directly in front of us.

He fixed his sharp gaze on me for seconds that felt like he was piercing through my clothes and skin, then directed his stern look at Carlos. "Is there something important, Carlos, that brings you here so early?" he asked in a cold tone dripping with suspicion.

"You know, Robert, that I’ve started to miss you very much," Carlos said in a tone that held another layer of veiled defiance.

Then, with a bold movement, he turned his gaze toward me, repeating slowly, "Miss you... very much."

I averted my eyes immediately, the tension in the air becoming suffocating. "Excuse me... I’m going to my room," I whispered.

But Robert’s response came cutting like a blade: "You’re coming with me."

I looked at him in surprise. "To the office?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"No," he answered coldly.

"Where to?" I asked curiously.

"You’ll see," he replied, beginning to walk.

He walked ahead of me, and I followed with stumbling steps because of my high heels, until he suddenly turned and scanned me with a look I couldn’t decipher. "Are you staying in those clothes?" he asked.

"Should I change?" I asked, flustered.

"Yes."

I didn’t know where we were going or what I should wear. "Do you want me to wear something specific?"

"Something that doesn’t attract attention," he replied bluntly.

I felt the insult sting my heart; were the clothes I had chosen so carefully attracting attention in a bad way? I ignored the lump in my throat and went to my room.

I changed quickly, putting on classic black trousers and a long-sleeved red shirt, paired with matching red shoes. When I came out, Carlos was gone; Robert stood alone, his back imposing.

"I changed my clothes," I told him audibly.

He approached me until he was nearly touching my face. "Don’t ever wear clothes like those again," he said sternly.

"Why?" I asked stubbornly.

"They didn’t suit you," he replied, looking away.

His words hurt. Did I not even appeal to him in those clothes? Anger flared within me. "I’ll wear what I like."

He fixed his lethal gaze on my eyes and hissed, "You know the consequences of disobeying my orders."

My entire body trembled, a chill running through my limbs, but I resisted my fear. "Do you think I’m afraid of your punishment?"

"You will be," he said with terrifying certainty.

My entire body trembled, a chill running through my limbs, but I resisted my fear and spoke with even greater defiance, "Do you think I’m afraid of your punishment? I will wear those clothes again!"

In the blink of an eye, he approached me with predatory strides. I recoiled in terror until my back hit the cold, hard wall. He slammed his hand against the wall beside my head, trapping me with his massive frame. "Are you defying me even though you know I don’t like it?" he asked sharply, his eyes blaring with fire.

I tilted my head up toward him, my breath hitching. "I’m free to wear whatever I want."

He ground his teeth together, his voice thick with absolute possession. "You aren’t free... you are mine... I own you!"

My heart hammered wildly against my ribs; even though he was controlling me, and even though he was declaring to my face that I was stripped of my will, I found it insanely arousing. "You’ll see how I’ll wear whatever I want, and you won’t do a thing," I said, my voice shaking as I tried to sound firm.

He ran his finger with a provocative slowness over my neck, a numbness spreading through my entire body. "And you’ll see how I’ll tear them off your body, Julie," he whispered huskily.

I froze in my place. Did he really just say he’d tear them off my body? Was he serious or joking? I felt a surge of heat flush my face as I imagined it.

"Follow me," he commanded in an authoritative tone.

He started walking toward the door secured by a passcode. He pressed the keys quickly, and the heavy door swung open. "Where are we going?" I asked, scrambling after him.

"Shut up for a moment and stop asking so many questions," he barked.

I fell silent by force. We climbed the stairs until we reached the restaurant.

The place was buzzing with life, filled with people who looked obscenely wealthy. I saw the women’s eyes trailing Robert with lust, as if they were devouring him, and at that moment, I wanted to plunge a fork into every single one of their eyes! Damn you... eat your food and stop looking at him!

I wondered in bewilderment what we were doing in a restaurant. Why was he making me walk among people?

Wasn’t he afraid I would scream and expose him? I saw him heading toward the exit, and I stopped suddenly in shock. He turned when he realized I wasn’t following. "Are you going to move, or stand there forever?" he mocked.

I moved, unable to believe what was happening. Was I still asleep? The guards opened the door with respectful bows. "Please, sir... have a good day."

I stepped out and took a deep breath... Oh my God! The blue sky, the buildings, people walking in the streets, the birds, the trees... how I missed seeing these simple things!

It was the perfect moment. A voice inside me screamed frantically: "Run, Julie... run and escape from Robert right now!"