A Beauty So Cruel Manuscript (2) Read online

  A Beauty So Cruel

  Beena Khan

  A Beena Khan Book

  Book 1 of Beauty & The Beast Series

  Genre: Mafia Dark Romance

  February 2021

  Trigger warnings:

  Abuse, bullying, language, violence.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. Copyright © 2021 Benish Khan.

  Cover design Ms Betty

  Cover Photographs Unsplash

  Editor Julia Firlotte

  Formatting Inamulhaq

  Reading Order

  RED SERIES

  Book #1: The Name of Red

  (Kabir & Red)

  A mysterious woman in that red dress seeking shelter came inside the restaurant he was busy working in—primarily the bar. So, he decided to leave her books anonymously with notes in them. He just didn’t expect to get caught so soon.

  Book #2: The Weight on Skin

  The wealthy playboy has gone rogue because of a woman. Eight months have gone, and Kabir still hasn’t moved on from the woman he still loves.

  Book #3: Color Me Red

  (Red's Standalone: Prequel)

  Red was always taught by her parents that she will meet 'the one'. Torn between two men, she must choose between right and wrong before each man takes a piece of her and never returns it.

  Book #4: The Whispers of Rifts

  (Aryan's Standalone)

  To the world, he’s the secret keeper, but no one knows his secrets. Aryan Singh is a bartender at the restaurant and bar of his best friend Kabir's. A homeless Aryan had met a girl, a college student named Aanaah.

  Book #5: The Scarlet Night

  (Wafa's standalone)

  Wafa, a poetess, was stalking her former fiancé. But one day, a stranger catches her red-handed. What she doesn't know is that he's the young, hot, billionaire CEO of the publishing house she works with.

  Book #6: Six Feet Apart (TBD)

  (Saagh's standalone)

  A reckless Saagh lives boxing. Exposed to violence as a child, it becomes his outlook. Wealthy, angry, and brooding Saagh meets a woman who wants to train with him. He's is reluctant to teach her but agrees.

  FORBIDDEN SERIES: SPIN OFF OF RED SERIES

  Book #1: The Flame Must Burn

  (Cyrah & Ryder)

  From a traditional Middle Eastern family, Cyrah is a young foreign-exchange student studying abroad in a summer program whose path crosses with the small-town's local biker from a different culture.

  Book #2: The Deepest Cut

  (Ismat & Dara)

  Dark and dangerous Dara is the brother of her father's sworn enemy. He's the vicious villain and handsome as sin.

  His brother is in jail because of her. Her sister will be his bride and pay the price.

  Book #3: Match Flame

  (Mina & Reza)

  Young Mina always wanted to marry for love. She thought leaving her father's cage would bring her freedom. But she didn't know she was entering another prison. An arrange marriage. She didn't expect that her future husband would be ten years older than her.

  Book #4: Bound by Flames (TBD)

  (Azmi’s Prequel)

  There was someone else in Azmi’s life. With his piercing dark gaze and handsome face, he enters her life. She fought her family to be with him, but she didn't know he was a monster. He won't ever let her leave him.

  In dedication to my mate …

  And to the survivors all around the world.

  Contents

  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

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Afterword

  Blurb…

  I was a beauty, a stray orphan until the beast took me as his hostage.

  Once upon a time...

  A Don by the name of Vlad Vitalli ruled New York. He's a mafia man. The leader of one of the five ruling families, La Cosa Nostra. He's a monster. A trained killer and a cold-blooded murderer. He's ruthless, cold, dangerous, and wants to kill me.

  I was the wrong person at the wrong time.

  Just an innocent at the masquerade ball. The mafia has rules: no witnesses left behind. To save my life, I made a deal with the beast. I handed myself to the cruelest man in the kingdom.

  For him, it was supposed to be an easy kill. I'm an orphan raised in poverty. Just as the Don Vlad was about to order the hit, I threw off my masquerade mask, revealing my face, and offered myself to him. One look and I was doomed. He took me as his hostage. His captive. He didn't know by taking me, Dahlia Hadid, he sealed his own fate.

  Welcome to New York's Underworld.

  1

  Chapter 1

  ONCE UPON A TIME…

  It was Valentine’s Day.

  More like Death’s Day.

  Vlad had a deal at the masquerade ball.

  It was safer since everyone’s face was hidden. No one could recognize him in his black and silver mask. He reached up a hand to rake it through his thick, black hair but then stopped when he realized it was polished and heavily made up. Holding in a sigh, he was annoyed now. He hated dressing up and was itching to loosen the tie around his neck that felt like a noose. He wanted to take off his suit jacket already, but he had to blend in and not stand out right now.

  Vlad sipped his scotch, surrounded by two of his men at the bar area. The laughter was loud, and voices chattered around him, rising above the light, background music. Each conversation tried to dominate the other, voices raised to be heard. His ears soaked in the laughter around him. Some people sat in groups of five or more while others danced and swayed on the dance floor like a moving mass around the venue.

  Just then a woman caught his eyes.

  She was young, perhaps in her early twenties. Something about her made him watch her. She was tall, maybe five feet-seven with a willowy frame. She wore a golden masquerade mask, hiding her face. The golden feathers accentuated her silky black hair that flowed behind her in thick, long curls.

  The beauty wore a long-sleeve velvet black dress that ended at her knees. His eyes narrowed in on her. The front of the dress had a slit up her thigh, exposing her nicely shaped athletic legs. She carried a matching small clutch in her hand. Her neckline plunged deep toward her ribs. It had gold sequins adorning it that glittered under the silver and golden lights above them.

  Something stirred inside of him, a beast hunting for its prey. Now, a sense of adrenaline rushed through him and his muscles tightened. He swore his pupils dilated.

  He hadn’t even seen her face yet. Vlad swallowed hard, keeping his gaze on her, and studied her curiously.

  The beauty didn’t seem to fit in with the filthy rich people around her. She seemed guarded, curious, and nervous like an innoc
ent gazelle.

  A man was with her, maybe her date. He wore a mask, and Vlad couldn’t recognize him. The tall man with slicked dark brown hair leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Then, he laid a possessive hand against her waist. The beauty flinched, even though she tried to hide it from the man who touched her.

  Then, the man walked away.

  Vlad waited.

  One beat, two beats, three beats.

  Then, she glanced in Vlad’s direction.

  He leaned against the bar and sipped quietly as someone made conversation with him, but he didn’t pay attention.

  The beauty in black stood still, unmoving. She didn’t approach him and neither did he make a move toward her. He wondered who would make the first move. Then, he thought, screw it. He might as well walk over.

  His cousin, Gabriele caught him looking.

  “What is that thing?” Gabriele eyed the beauty Vlad was staring at and whistled low.

  Vlad only turned to look at him amused. “Look away.”

  He carried his drink with him and slipped seamlessly through the crowd like smoke, catching the stares of many women around him. A sharp smell of drinks from the waiters around him wafted toward him. He sauntered casually over to the girl, liking how her eyes appraised him. Her gaze traveled from his expensive black suit before resting on his face again. She looked cautiously to the right as if fearing her date would return.

  A smirk broke out on his face.

  Time to play.

  Just then, he grabbed a drink from a waiter’s tray. He had to bring something to offer her at least.

  He stood a couple of feet away from her when her heavily made-up kohled eyes glanced up at him again. Her light perfume lingered in the air. It was sweet and not overdone. She fixed him with a sharp look that would’ve made anyone else shrivel but not him. It was as if she were trying to gauge him under his mask.

  Amber colored eyes.

  Hello beauty.

  Then, he spoke, “Your date ditched you?”

  He meant to tease her.

  Smooth. Really smooth Vlad.

  He was direct and he liked it that way. What was he supposed to say? Hi? In his world, there was no time for casual conversations. No point in getting to know her. He knew what he wanted. He hoped she did too. She seemed shy and more reserved now that he’d approached her. He was doubting that she would agree to fuck now.

  Her pink, full lips lifted in a smile.

  She’s mine.

  He knew it before she did.

  “I’m glad you came. I didn’t like him at all,” the beauty replied.

  Her voice was deep and raspy. He was surprised since there was no lightness about that voice. It belonged to a woman who was older, but she looked so young. He’d expected a soft, angelic voice, but her voice was nothing like one. It was nice though.

  He wondered how his name would sound when he buried himself inside her.

  He studied the dress on her. It was low, hugging her form. His eyes lingered on her curves before he brought them up again.

  Then, he offered the drink he held in his other hand.

  “Thank you,” she said before taking the drink.

  She tucked a tendril behind her ear in uneasiness. Was she nervous or did she know who he was? His face was hidden though.

  “You come here a lot?” he asked, casually.

  He didn’t really care. He had zero interest in making a conversation, but he wanted her to loosen up. She seemed too cold, too icy. He needed to try with this one.

  You’re an asshole Vlad.

  Good. Not that he cared. Assholes hurt less.

  “No,” she said, a small laugh slipping out of her. “It’s my first time.”

  “Who’s your date?” he asked.

  Small talk. He could do this. Was he supposed to ask her name? Usually, he did that only after he was done screwing their brains out.

  “Emilio Valentino.”

  His eyebrows shot up. He knew Emilio. He was sleazy and often visited one of his brothels. One of his best paying clients. He also knew the kind of sick shit he was into.

  Her eyes met his again. They were like two massive green pools. He liked looking into her eyes. There was something about her that piqued his curiosity.

  Maybe it was the fact that she was here, but she didn’t seem to belong.

  She didn’t fit in.

  Some women were comfortable and cheerful, and others tried to throw themselves at him. He wasn’t surprised, he knew his clothes were expensive and oozed of wealth.

  He was just about to ask her name, but then her date returned.

  Emilio didn’t recognize Vlad in his mask and looked at him warily.

  “Who are you?”

  There was obvious jealousy in his voice.

  Vlad didn’t answer.

  Emilio’s eyes darted from the girl to him, before he asked the girl, “You know him?”

  “No. She’s all yours,” Vlad said at last even though he didn’t mean it.

  Emilio’s eyes widened.

  Vlad tried not to give him a cold smile.

  “Oh. Don Vlad… I’m so sorry. I apologize I didn’t recognize you. Please forgive m-me,” Emilio stammered, flushing red now. His cheeks resembled a tomato now.

  Vlad only nodded.

  The amber-eyed girl looked on with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. He knew she wanted to ask him questions, but she stayed silent, perhaps because of her date.

  Then, Vlad walked away.

  He could feel the girl’s stare burning into his back, but he didn’t bother to look. He couldn’t cave in and see her face again. He shook off his thoughts of her and focused on the task he came here to do. There was enough mingling now, so he wouldn’t stand out so much.

  Throughout the night, his eyes came across the beauty multiple times, but he didn’t approach her.

  He had things to do.

  Vlad left with his men and headed to the car. He sat in the backseat in the parking lot while his men conducted the transition from the opposite party. He rarely ever came out. It wasn’t safe, so he kept himself hidden in the bulletproof car. He simply ordered, and his men obeyed, handling his deals.

  He only stepped out when necessary. Then, there were shouts in the background from his men.

  Just then, his phone rang, and he answered, “Hello?”

  It was Gabriele.

  “He’s making excuses on why he’s short.”

  That’s all he said. They couldn’t communicate messages on the phone. He knew their phones could always be tapped.

  “You already know,” Vlad replied simply.

  He knew Gabriele was smart. He knew the code.

  Then he hung up.

  Kill him. That was the message.

  That was the rule for betrayal.

  Taking in the surroundings, he had his window opened an inch, so he could hear the conversation.

  “Where’s Vlad? I want to talk to him,” he heard the dealer say.

  “No,” Gabriele said.

  “Leo, bring Vlad Vitalli,” the same dealer said.

  The sound of the heels caught his attention. As footsteps approached, the rhythm was hesitant, and then it stopped.

  He saw her first before she could see him.

  She stood in front of his window, across from him. She couldn’t see him. The back windows were tinted and black.

  He was momentarily surprised.

  It was the same girl he’d been speaking to earlier.

  The beauty.

  Green eyes.

  There was a silenced shot in the air.

  Then, he sighed when she screamed.

  Having a witness was always messy.

  2

  Chapter 2

  I wished I hadn’t screamed.

  I saw something I wasn’t supposed to see.

  A murder.

  There wasn’t much noise from the gunshot. Maybe they used a silencer. Then, realization hit me. These men were prepared to kill.


  I stared, wide-eyed at the large man that had been shot. Blood oozed out of his wound, wetting, and staining his navy-blue suit. Something made my insides turned. It was a clean shot, made to kill. He wasn’t just shot in the leg or arm. It was his heart, his freaking heart.

  I exhaled slowly and tucked tendrils of hair behind my ear that had come loose.

  I glanced up and four pairs of eyes stared right back at me.

  They had seen me, and now I couldn’t run.

  Just as I was about to turn, I was quickly cornered. Four men surrounded me, all pointing a black object at me.

  Guns.

  I thought of fighting back, but that was the quickest way to get myself killed.

  Stay, I warned myself.

  I was in danger. Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I struggled to get a hold of myself. My instincts told me again to run, but I feared if I ran, they would shoot me.

  I had been walking to catch a cab, escaping after my sleazy date tried to rub himself on me all night long. It was Valentine’s Day today, and I didn’t want to be miserable at home. I tried to avoid his touch, but he’d found different ways to place his hands on me. His touch was repulsive, and I couldn’t forget the last thing he said to me before I left.

  I’m going to fuck you bloody.

  I’d run from him, leaving him behind at the party, hoping to get away, but I hadn’t expected this.

  There was no one around that could help me.

  Even if I screamed, no one would hear me.

  We were in an isolated area of the parking lot that was deserted of people but full of cars. Valet parking was at the entrance, and this location was hidden from their view.

  All the guests were inside the ball.

  “What are you planning on doing?” I asked them.

  I held my hands in the air, in surrender to show them that I was harmless and unarmed.

  No reply came.

  I feared they were about to shoot me.