Demitri POV
I step closer, reaching out to her, my hands gentle as they cup her face. Her skin is cold under my touch, and her gaze shifts to mine, but there’s a hollow look in her eyes.
“Alissia,” I say softly, keeping my voice low, “look at me.”
My thumb strokes her cheek, and she blinks slowly, her eyes just barely focusing on mine. The fragile silence hangs between us, her expression lost and haunted. She’s not entirely here; her mind is still tangled in the chaos of that shot, still reliving the fear.
“It’s okay, Alissia,” I murmur, my hands staying firm, my voice steady. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
Blake narrows his eyes at me. “What exactly happened?”
I exhale, frustration and adrenaline making my words feel like lead. “Everything was going smoothly. Then I saw him. Volkov, with a gun. I was too slow. Axel saw it at the same moment, and he
LucasAs I sit with Alissia, bundled under the thick throw from the sofa, I can’t shake the growing tension in my gut. Demitri and Blake are at the table with blueprints sprawled out, finalizing plans for tonight’s hit. My patience is running thin—sitting this one out feels wrong, but leaving Alissia alone, or worse, trusting her safety to anyone else, isn’t an option.Alissia’s still, bundled tightly, her face pale and silent as if frozen in that moment at the casino. Since it happened, she hasn’t spoken a single word, and there’s a weight in the silence between us that eats at me, adding to the creeping guilt. She’d laughed it off when I’d warned her before, shrugging off my caution, but now… I know what she’ll decide once she processes everything. No one in their right mind would stay if they knew they were a target. And it feels like my fault—Demitri never had issues with Volkov before, and th
Lucaa POVThe minutes stretch out, an hour slipping by before Demitri finally reemerges, his face a mask of contained anger as he stalks to the table and sits down heavily.“Marco confirmed the links I suspected. Volkov, Ryan, and Kozlov are all tangled up together,” he says, his voice cold. “Turns out, the shot wasn’t intended for Alissia—it was for me, but Volkov is a shit shot. But Kozlov wanted her taken too. Volkov missed his mark, but if things had gone according to plan, I’d be out, and Marco would’ve delivered her to Kozlov.”A chill runs through me, and I tighten my jaw, feeling the weight of it settle in. “So it was her past coming back all along…none of us brought this to her.”Demitri’s glare darkens. “It goes deeper than that. Marco knew she was with us, but it’s no secret to anyone now. They know she’s involved with all three of us, and that makes her
Please note: This a dark romance story, it features dark content.Alissia POVI sit at my desk, staring blankly at the blinking cursor on my screen. It mocks me, as if it knows I have no idea where to start with my latest attempt. Dark romance. The genre I never thought I’d touch. But after bombing miserably in everything else—comedy, fantasy, sci-fi, even horror—I figured I’d give it a shot. How hard could it be to blend the raw, twisted emotions of a toxic relationship with an edge of danger? Apparently, harder than I thought.“Alissia, seriously?” Jenni’s voice cuts through my thoughts like a knife, sharp and teasing. “Dark romance now?”I swivel my chair to face her. She’s sprawled out on the couch in our tiny living room, legs draped over the armrest like she owns the place. Well, technically, we share the apartment, but she’s definitely made herself more comfortable. Her blonde hair is a mess of waves, and she’s wearing one of those oversized graphic tees with some sarcastic quo
Alissia POVHer smile fades, eyes narrowing as she studies me. “Yeah, sure you are.” She laughs again, but there’s a hint of unease in her tone. “Wait... I thought this was all a fucking joke! No, Alissia, no. And no. You can’t go meet these weird people you don’t know!”“I’ll be protected,” I say, trying to sound confident, although deep down, I have no idea how I’m going to protect myself.“How?” she snaps. “By telling them you’re giving them a pseudonym in your book? Sure, they won’t kill you then, will they?” She waves her arms around, exasperated. “Oh my God, I’m going to have to tell the police I gave you the idea when they find your mutilated body in the desert!”I roll my eyes. “You’re being dramatic. I’ll figure it out, Jen. For instance, I won’t use my real name—I’ll use the name that I publish under.”Jenni’s eyes widen. “This is crazy! Do you even know how to find these people? What are you going to do? Post on Facebook, ‘Recruiting a stalker, murderer, and Mafia Don for r
Alissia POVJake drops down onto the couch, his eyes narrowing at the piece of paper filled with lists. He picks it up, reading over it, and a small laugh escapes him. “What is all this?” He looks at me, shaking his head.“Oh, you know, just a list of random people who could kill us that Alissia wants to shadow for a week,” Jenni chimes in with a chuckle.Jake raises an eyebrow, turning his amused gaze back to me. “Right, okay. Sounds fun. Why am I here?”“For that reason, Jake. I need your help,” I say, my voice more serious than I intended. His eyes flicker with curiosity.“Help with what?” His expression turns cautious.“I need to find out how to get on the dark web and talk to people there,” I say, holding my breath, waiting for the laughter.And he doesn’t disappoint. He laughs so hard his head tilts back. But when he looks at me again and sees my expression hasn’t changed, his smile fades. “Shit, you’re being serious?”I nod. “Yeah, I am.”Jake stares at me like I’ve grown a sec
Alissia POVI sit back, staring at the screen, the cursor blinking at me, daring me to close the tab. I can’t move. What if someone actually replies? What if this post is the beginning of something that gets me hurt—or worse?My gut twists again, and I feel the weight of my reckless decision settling in. But despite the fear, there’s an undeniable thrill that rushes through me. This is exactly what I need to stand out, to write the story that could finally get me noticed.No turning back now.I watch the screen, my heart pounding in my chest as pings start echoing through the silence of the apartment. Ping. Ping. Ping. Notifications flood in, comments stacking up faster than I expected. My stomach twists, and a part of me is terrified to read them.Something tells me ninety-nine percent of these replies will be full of mockery, sarcasm, or worse—threats. Still, if I don’t read through them, how will I know if anyone serious is out there?Sighing, I click to open the post.The replies
This chapter contains dark contentDemitri’s POVI peer down at the mess that is scattered across the concrete floor. New guards are hard to find, ones who stick to the rules and live long enough are even harder to find. I consider it, sighing as I shake my head in disappointment. “Such a fucking waste. He was a good little guard,” I mutter, stepping over the mangled body parts, the smell in the air is like metal and rot. “Little guard?” Tony, my personal butcher, chuckles, wiping his blood-soaked hands on a rag that’s already stained. His usual smirk twists his face. “This guy had more meat on him than anyone you’ve ever brought me. You call that little?” He kicks part of the guard like it’s a slab of pork.I sigh again and nod, crouching down to pick up one of the hands. “True, but look at these hands.” I toss it to Tony, who catches it mid-air with a laugh. The fingers look like sausages, bloated and useless.“Fuck, could he even hold one of your guns with these sausages?” His wor
Demitri POVI pull out my burner phone, punch in her number from the file, and type a message.You want to shadow someone? Meet me tomorrow at 6 a.m. I’ll send the location. We’re practically neighbors, Alissia.I hit send, not entirely relaxing. This is going to be interesting.I send another message before she can respond.And delete that post before you end up in your own story.I lean back, waiting. A moment later, my phone vibrates.Who is this?I laugh under my breath. Bold.You don’t get to ask questions. Not until I know you’re not setting me up.Her reply comes almost instantly.So, I’m supposed to meet you without even knowing your name? You’re funny. It's fine, I know a hacker, I'm sure I can find out who you are.I smirk. She’s got some fire in her, I’ll give her that.Please go ahead, you can tell me all about how you failed when I see you tomorrow.Failed? Oh, you're sweet, you think I'm stupid, don't you?Didn’t your parents ever teach you it’s dangerous to talk to stra
Lucaa POVThe minutes stretch out, an hour slipping by before Demitri finally reemerges, his face a mask of contained anger as he stalks to the table and sits down heavily.“Marco confirmed the links I suspected. Volkov, Ryan, and Kozlov are all tangled up together,” he says, his voice cold. “Turns out, the shot wasn’t intended for Alissia—it was for me, but Volkov is a shit shot. But Kozlov wanted her taken too. Volkov missed his mark, but if things had gone according to plan, I’d be out, and Marco would’ve delivered her to Kozlov.”A chill runs through me, and I tighten my jaw, feeling the weight of it settle in. “So it was her past coming back all along…none of us brought this to her.”Demitri’s glare darkens. “It goes deeper than that. Marco knew she was with us, but it’s no secret to anyone now. They know she’s involved with all three of us, and that makes her
LucasAs I sit with Alissia, bundled under the thick throw from the sofa, I can’t shake the growing tension in my gut. Demitri and Blake are at the table with blueprints sprawled out, finalizing plans for tonight’s hit. My patience is running thin—sitting this one out feels wrong, but leaving Alissia alone, or worse, trusting her safety to anyone else, isn’t an option.Alissia’s still, bundled tightly, her face pale and silent as if frozen in that moment at the casino. Since it happened, she hasn’t spoken a single word, and there’s a weight in the silence between us that eats at me, adding to the creeping guilt. She’d laughed it off when I’d warned her before, shrugging off my caution, but now… I know what she’ll decide once she processes everything. No one in their right mind would stay if they knew they were a target. And it feels like my fault—Demitri never had issues with Volkov before, and th
Demitri POVI step closer, reaching out to her, my hands gentle as they cup her face. Her skin is cold under my touch, and her gaze shifts to mine, but there’s a hollow look in her eyes.“Alissia,” I say softly, keeping my voice low, “look at me.”My thumb strokes her cheek, and she blinks slowly, her eyes just barely focusing on mine. The fragile silence hangs between us, her expression lost and haunted. She’s not entirely here; her mind is still tangled in the chaos of that shot, still reliving the fear.“It’s okay, Alissia,” I murmur, my hands staying firm, my voice steady. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”Blake narrows his eyes at me. “What exactly happened?”I exhale, frustration and adrenaline making my words feel like lead. “Everything was going smoothly. Then I saw him. Volkov, with a gun. I was too slow. Axel saw it at the same moment, and he
DemitriEverything happened too fast. I barely had time to register Volkov’s face and the glint of his gun before my instincts kicked in. I turned, intent on taking the shot myself, but Axel moved at the same time, pulling Alissia with him. The force of it all threw us to the floor, a chaotic mess of bodies and momentum.Pain flares in my arm, a sharp, hot burn where the bullet grazed me. But I can’t afford to check the damage now. My focus sharpens on Alissia, on the fact that Axel’s quick thinking saved her from taking that hit. If he hadn’t reacted, if he hadn’t dragged her down when he did… My hands tighten around her protectively as I lift her off the floor, cradling her close as we make our way out of the building with Axel covering us.I keep her head shielded, pressing her face into my chest to keep her hidden from everyone. My grip tightens with every tremor I feel from her body. The way she clings to me, makes every
Alissia POVEverything before now felt like a warm-up compared to this—like child’s play. These men aren’t just dealers or associates. They exude a power that’s deep-rooted, the kind that demands respect and evokes fear in equal measure. Their conversations drift into my ears, dense with cryptic language and undertones of authority. Every word seems to carry a hidden weight, an implication that would take years in this world to fully understand.I’m trying to keep up, my mind racing to piece together fragments of meaning when I feel Demitri’s fingers graze my exposed thigh. It’s a simple, almost absentminded touch, yet it grounds me in an instant. His fingers trace gentle patterns on my skin, moving slowly along the inside of my thigh. His touch is possessive but soothing, a reminder that, to him, I’m not just an accessory in this world of shadows and deals.Across the table, one of the men, a tall, middle-aged fig
AlissiaI slowly come to as a gentle nudge stirs me from sleep, and I blink my eyes open to find Demitri’s face hovering above me. His eyes are warm but intent, and he leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.“You’ve got two hours to get ready,” he murmurs, his voice low and smooth.“Two hours?” I sit up, groggy and surprised. “That’s way more than I need,” I laugh, brushing my hair back. “I can be ready in half an hour.”Demitri’s mouth quirks up slightly, but his expression remains determined. “It would be enough time if you were getting ready on your own. But tonight, I have a team to help,” he says, voice firm but teasing. “Now, go on, shower, and throw something on for now. Meet me back out here when you’re done.” He kisses me again and walks out, leaving me both curious and a bit wary of what’s to come.I shuffle out of bed, stretch
Lucas POVBlake looks over at me from across the room, noticing my intense focus. He raises an eyebrow. “Going over the details of a new hit?” He walks over and leans in reading the screen.“Yeah. The guy’s paranoid as hell, but he’s got weak spots,” I reply, still scanning the screen. “Tomorrow, I’ll go by the place, do some on-the-ground recon. If it all goes to plan, I’ll be in and out before they know what happened.”He nods, his gaze drifting momentarily. “Be careful. With Volkov, things rarely go according to plan.”“Always am,” I say, though my mind flashes back to Alissia for a second. This job has no mercy for hesitation, for divided focus, and with her, things are becoming complicated.Blake glances at me, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You know, I could help with the tech side—security feeds, camera interference, the works. If this guy’s
LucasIn the quiet aftermath of telling her about my past, a weight still lingers in my chest. It’s like speaking the truth out loud made it even more real, dredging up old wounds I’d prefer to keep buried. But her presence, her warmth against me as I carry her toward the bathroom, brings a strange kind of comfort too. It’s twisted, really—how much I want her here and how much that want terrifies me.Setting her down gently, I move to the tub, filling it with warm water and adding a faintly scented oil I found in one of Demitri’s cabinets. Well hers now, as this is her room. She watches me, her eyes soft, and the sight of her looking so tired yet trusting does something to me I can’t explain. I step out of my own clothes and reach out, helping her into the bath and settling in behind her, wrapping her up against my chest. She relaxes, leaning into me, and for a moment, the fear eases.But as I let the silence stretch, my mind
Alissia POVFinally, the blindfold is loosened, and as my vision clears, I see Blake’s wicked grin hovering close, eyes gleaming with unmasked amusement. He leans in, his breath warm against my skin. Demitri moves one of the ear buds. “Ready to beg yet?” Blake questions.I narrow my eyes, refusing to give him that satisfaction. A defiant shake of my head is all he gets, though I can’t ignore the flush of heat surging through me, my body betraying my resolve.Demitri appears from behind, his hand slipping under my chin to tilt my head back as he leans in, voice a dark, tempting whisper. “You’re holding out well, kisa, but how much longer before that defiance crumbles?”His words wrap around me, insidious and coaxing, filling the space that silence left. It’s a twisted game they&rs