Bound to You

Prologue

The throbbing in her head intensified as the painful seconds passed while she regained her consciousness. Her world was still dark.

She frantically pulled at the heavy metal chains around her wrists and legs and they bruised her flesh. She was tied to a chair, sitting in the middle of a storage room. How many hours have gone by already? She heard the steps and the shouts outside, barely registering what was happening. Despite the pounding of her heart, she was taught to remain composed, to be...diplomatic above all.

The door creaked and several loud steps followed. "Well, your highness. Ain't you a beautiful thing?"

The familiar voice made her blood boil. Her throat was sore from going without water for so many hours. Her lips trembled as she spoke with authority, "Try all you want. My father will never compromise anything for his duty, Mr. Burrell." A moment of silence prevailed and she knew she said too much for her own sake.

The voice boomed with rage and the man heavily grabbed her hair and yanked her head back, "Yes, you're right...and It's a pity!" It hurt her and she bit back a wince. She abruptly felt the painful tip of a blade, running on her collarbone and she gasped, her tears wetting the blindfold as she resisted.

He released her, brutally pulled down the cloth around her eyes and he knelt before her, "Oh but I know what to do to have it all, Sierra darling." He stroked her jaw and she aggressively thrust her head against his face, her tiara scarring his forehead as it tumbled down her hair onto the floor, "Don't touch me, you filthy swine!"

Leroy Burrell couldn't believe she just did that. His hand trembled as he touched the blood trickling down his temple. He saw the fire burning in her eyes and for a second, he was scared. His men in the room, hurried by his side to lift him up and he shook them off, remembering that he was the one in control. "You will regret, little pest!"

He raised his hand high in the air and before he could strike her, the door banged opened. In a jiffy, he picked up his dagger and pressed it back against her throat as he clamped his hand over her mouth, cursing as the guards barged in. The guns were pointed in his direction as the lead bodyguard stepped forward, "Let her go, right now."

Sierra struggled. She wanted to warn them that they were not alone. Mason, her personal bodyguard, threatened her abductor again. Burrell instinctively applied pressure and she muffled a scream, feeling a few drops of blood running down her neck. She saw the anguish filling Mason's eyes as he instantly stepped back, afraid that the insane man might hurt her further.

Burrell only laughed and out of the darkness, his own men emerged, circling them, taking them by surprised. The door was closed again. They were now trapped and clearly outnumbered. He commanded, "Call Salvador now. I have a little compromise for him. Call him or I'll slit his daughter's pretty little neck."

The call was instantly made. It was put on loudspeaker. Her abductor spoke, "Now...now, your excellence. I have your little precious with me. I'll let her live if you promise to give me her hand in marriage."

There was a pause. She knew it was a difficult decision. She closed her eyes. She wouldn't blame her father if he refused. The situation was such. There was always a thin barrier between love and duty.

His answer surprised all of them though, "Let her go. We'll hold the ceremony. Guards, treat him with respect. Bring my daughter back to me. This is an order."

She was untied. Burrell was unharmed as he linked his arms to hers and forcefully walked them out, followed closely by his hired men.

Mason reached out to her, telling her how he would save her from this man's dirty hands when the man grabbed his shoulder and brutally pushed him in the room. He tumbled against his colleagues. Burrell spoke, looking at him with disdain, "You caused me enough trouble like that and I'll ensure you and your little friends won't anymore."

He pulled something from his pocket and tossed it the room, an invisible gas coming out as he just closed the door. He himself hasn't tested it and it'd be good to see what effect it rendered before experimenting further.

Sierra pulled away to reach for the door but the man violently shook her, hurting her wrist, "You are my consort now. Don't you dare go against your father's orders."

She frowned hard, knowing she'd prefer die than go through all this madness... than let her family endure this ordeal.