The Devil's Guardian Angel.

Chapter 8: True face of the Devil

Chapter 8: True Face of the Devil.

Nicholas glanced at his daughter Natasha feeling stunned. Never once had he expected his own daughter to speak up for the pauper yet here she was.

Even Antonio didn't expect her to side with him at this moment. He was planning on using this limited capital to rebuild his fallen empire from scratch and maybe have a chance to regain his freedom.

Truth of the matter was that he was never planning on relying on Natasha from the very beginning. Although it sounded cruel, he was only planning on using her till he could reclaim his freedom. He really had no idea why such a woman would insist on marrying him and although he felt guilty for doing this even though he knew she could easily see through his intentions, he was still at a loss when she actually took the initiative to help him.

Antonio's expression was one of joy yet hidden beneath it was a look of uncertainty. After careful appraisal and recollection, he was able to note the subtle shift in her demeanor.

He saw that she was calm, but there was an edge to her words from earlier that made him feel uneasy for some reason. Still, he kept his thoughts to himself since they didn't seem relevant at the moment.

Meanwhile Nelson hesitated, clearly torn between his protective instincts and his respect for his Granddaughters wishes. Although he didn't know why she, all of a sudden was willing to risk her partnership with him right out of the blue.

However, he eventually sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “Very well,” he conceded, his voice tinged with resignation. He turned to Antonio, his eyes filled with concern. “Just… be careful. I promised your grandfather I'd look after you so try not to over do it, understand?”

Antonio nodded, although he couldn’t quite shake the feeling that there was something more to Natasha’s words.

" Ok, I think that's good enough. If you get tired of wandering the halls, just ask a maid or help to direct you to your living quarters. " Nelson said

" Oh that won't be a problem grandpa, I'd be delighted to take Antonio there myself." Natasha suddenly spoke up. She walked up to Antonio and to his surprise suddenly hooked her arms around his. " I really want to take my time talking to him grandpa, Can I?."

_...Well Antonio must be tired having lived in such harsh environments.., But I guess it's ok since Natashas taking it up on herself to insist. Who knows it might just strengthen their bond_

Nelson thought , Although he was a bit skeptical about her sudden enthusiasm, but in the end he nodded before making his way out of the hall.

Nicholas glanced at Antonio one more time before reluctantly leaving as well.

The instant they departed, Antonio suddenly felt the air grow thick with tension. He turned to glance at Natasha who was sticking so close to him, expecting the same calm, understanding woman who had just spoken so gently.

But the moment the door closed behind Nelson, he felt as if his hand had been frozen in chilling Ice.

Natasha’s expression changed in an instant. The softness vanishing before he knew it, now replaced by a cold, calculating gaze that sent a chill down his spine.

“Going somewhere?” she asked, her voice suddenly icy as she took a step closer to him.

Antonio blinked, confused by the abrupt shift. “ Weren't we supposed to—”

Before he could finish, Natasha moved with surprising speed, tackling him down with a sweep of her feet and pinning him against the floor. The impact caused Antonio's back to ache a bit and his head felt lightheaded from the fall but Natasha didn't seem to care, instead her eyes remained locked on Antonio’s as she crouched atop him, her head bent down till their faces were only inches apart, Antonio felt her hot breath atop his cheeks and her alluring scent waft across his nostrils, her hands griping his arms while one of her legs was in-between his. If not for the sudden tension in the air, one would've mistaken their sudden postures for an ambiguous situation.

“Let me make one thing clear,” she hissed, her voice low and dangerous. “You can play your little games with my father. You can even pretend you’re doing this for yourself. But don’t for one damn second think you can walk away from me.....”

Antonio’s heart raced, both from the physical proximity and the sheer intensity of her words. “Natasha, what are you—”

“Don’t interrupt me,” she snapped, squeezing his biceps even tighter. “You think just because of a silly bet with my father, you'll be able to escape from our little agreement?, You actually think you have a choice here?. Let me remind you that you're legally bound to me whether you like it or not..."

Antonio’s mind reeled as he tried to process what was happening, he tried pushing her off only to find her grip and strength far stronger than he'd imagined. Although he was sure he could escape her hold, the meer strength she was showing right now was something he found difficult to believe.

_just how strong is this woman‽_ he wondered while staring into her devilish pupils, Now that they were so close to each other, he actually found himself amazed by her stunning beauty. Although he would've claimed to have seen a multitude of gorgeous women back in the peak of his glory, he had to admit, This devilish beauty atop him would've undoubtedly made it to the top most of his list.

Right now the Natasha he thought he knew had vanished, replaced by someone far more dangerous and unpredictable.

" Natasha, how about we talk this out first–"

" There's nothing to talk about! " She scolded, her voice sounding even more harsher than ever.

“You belong to me now, Antonio, Understand?” she continued, her voice now a menacing whisper. “No matter what happens with this little bet of yours, whether you win or lose, Be sure to remember that it won’t change the fact that you’re mine.”