A Reckoning unleashed

Dominic’s gaze flicked over Sasha, chained and bloodied, his jaw tightening as rage simmered beneath his cold exterior. His dark, calculating eyes were locked onto Luca, whose smug smile wavered ever so slightly. Luca’s men shifted uneasily, glancing at each other, sensing the silent storm gathering in the air.

Dominic took a deliberate step forward, his entire frame radiating a quiet, controlled fury. The room was dead silent, except for the muffled sound of Sasha’s labored breathing as she sat restrained in the chair, her wrists bound, her face pale and drawn.

“What’s the matter, Dom?” Luca sneered, his bravado returning as he leaned back, folding his arms. “Upset I found your weakness?”

Dominic’s mouth twisted into a humorless smile, his eyes never leaving Luca. “You’ve made a grave mistake, Luca,” he said, his voice low, almost a whisper. “Touching what’s mine? I won’t forgive that.”

Luca scoffed, dismissing the threat with a wave of his hand. “You’ve gone soft, Dominic. Everyone sees it. This whole empire? It’s crumbling under your weakness.”

Dominic’s men tightened their grip on their weapons, tension rippling through the air like a current. But Dominic’s gaze didn’t waver, his expression unyielding as he stepped closer to Luca. “If you think for a second you can undermine me, you’ve underestimated me in ways you can’t imagine.”

Sasha watched, barely able to breathe as she took in Dominic’s unbreakable focus. Despite her terror, her bruises, and the sickening tension in the room, a fierce spark of hope flared within her. She hadn’t realized how much she had come to rely on Dominic, how deep her trust ran, even in a situation as dark as this.

Luca laughed, clearly unfazed. “Oh, please, spare me the theatrics. You’re outnumbered, outplayed. This has been in the works for a long time, Dominic. You think you’re invincible, but you’re just a man. A man who let himself get distracted.” He threw a disdainful glance at Sasha, smirking. “You let her make you weak.”

Without warning, Dominic’s fist shot out, catching Luca square in the jaw. The force of the punch sent him staggering back, clutching his face as blood trickled from his lip. A deadly silence fell over the room as everyone held their breath, waiting to see what would happen next.

Luca wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes blazing with anger as he straightened, but Dominic didn’t give him a chance to recover. He grabbed Luca by the collar, pulling him close, his voice a low, lethal whisper.

“You should have known better,” Dominic said, his tone like ice. “I don’t just take back what’s mine. I destroy anyone who tries to take it.”

With a sharp shove, he threw Luca to the floor, and Sasha felt a strange mix of fear and exhilaration watching Dominic, who was always so composed, unleash his wrath with such intensity.

But Luca wasn’t done yet. He scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting to his men, his voice filled with desperation. “What are you waiting for? Kill him!”

Luca’s men hesitated for a brief second, and that was all Dominic’s men needed. A chaotic flurry of gunfire erupted as both sides collided, the room filling with the deafening sounds of combat. Dominic’s focus was unshakable; he fought with a precise, lethal grace, taking down anyone who dared to stand in his way.

Through the haze of gunfire and shouts, Sasha struggled against her restraints, her wrists raw from her attempts to break free. Her heart thundered in her chest as she watched the scene unfold, desperation clawing at her. She couldn’t just sit here, helpless, while Dominic risked everything for her.

Finally, one of Dominic’s men reached her, his face tight with urgency as he began to unfasten the chains around her wrists. “Hold still, Miss Sasha,” he muttered, his hands working quickly.

The instant she was free, she stumbled forward, her legs weak, but she pushed through the pain. Her gaze zeroed in on Dominic, who was now locked in a brutal struggle with Luca in the center of the room, the two men grappling as they exchanged vicious blows.

Dominic’s expression was a mask of unrelenting fury, his jaw clenched as he threw Luca against the wall, pinning him there with one powerful arm. “You think you’re untouchable?” Dominic’s voice was deadly calm, the quiet menace more terrifying than any shout. “You’re nothing but a parasite.”

Luca struggled, but Dominic’s grip was ironclad. He leaned in, his voice low enough for only Luca to hear, yet the threat was clear. “Consider this your last mistake.”

With a swift, brutal movement, Dominic struck him, his fist connecting with such force that Luca crumpled to the ground, motionless. For a moment, the entire room went silent as the dust settled, the air thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder and sweat.

Sasha’s gaze met Dominic’s from across the room, and the intensity in his eyes stole her breath. In that single look, she could see everything he’d kept hidden—the raw anger, the unyielding protectiveness, the desperation that he had been hiding beneath his calm exterior.

He strode toward her, his face softening just slightly as he reached out to steady her. “Are you all right?” he asked, his voice gentle, a stark contrast to the violence they had just escaped.

Sasha nodded, her throat tight with emotion as she met his gaze. “I—I didn’t think you’d come,” she whispered, the words slipping out before she could stop herself. “I thought…”

Dominic’s hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over her skin in a tender, grounding touch. “I would have burned this entire place to the ground if it meant getting you back,” he murmured, his voice low and fierce. “No one touches what’s mine.”

A shiver ran through her at his words, the intensity of his possessiveness both thrilling and terrifying. Despite everything, a part of her wanted to believe him, wanted to give in to the wild, reckless emotions that simmered between them.

But she couldn’t ignore the chaos that still swirled around them, the danger that was far from over. She took a shaky breath, pulling away slightly, though his hand lingered on her arm, reluctant to let her go.

“We have to get out of here,” she said, glancing around at the fallen men and the wreckage of the room. “Luca’s men… they’ll come looking for him. They’ll want revenge.”

Dominic’s expression hardened. “Let them come,” he said, his voice unyielding. “I’ll deal with them.”

But Sasha shook her head, a sense of urgency propelling her forward. “We don’t have time for that. We need to leave now.”

Reluctantly, Dominic nodded, his grip on her hand tightening as he led her toward the exit, his men falling in behind them to cover their escape. They moved quickly through the winding corridors, the tension palpable as they navigated the darkened hallways of the mansion.

They burst out into the cool night air, the vast estate grounds stretching out before them. Dominic’s men scattered to secure the perimeter, while Dominic held Sasha close, his arm protectively around her waist as they made their way toward a waiting car.

As they drove away, the weight of everything that had happened settled heavily on Sasha’s shoulders. She leaned her head back against the seat, exhaustion overtaking her as the adrenaline began to fade. But Dominic’s hand remained steady on her knee, his touch grounding her, a reminder that she wasn’t alone.

They drove in silence, the hum of the engine a soothing backdrop to the chaotic whirlwind of her thoughts. She glanced at Dominic, his profile sharp in the dim light, his expression unreadable. She had so many questions, so many things she wanted to say, but the words felt tangled up in her throat.

Finally, Dominic broke the silence, his voice soft but firm. “Sasha, what Luca did to you… I’ll make sure he pays for it.”

She looked at him, her heart twisting with a mix of gratitude and confusion. “Why did you come for me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “After everything… I didn’t think…”

Dominic’s gaze softened as he turned to her, his hand reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Because you’re more important to me than any empire, than any deal,” he said, his words raw and vulnerable in a way she hadn’t expected. “Losing you… that’s a price I can’t afford.”

Sasha’s breath hitched at the intensity of his confession, her heart racing as she searched his face. For the first time, she saw a glimpse of the man beneath the armor, the one who was willing to risk everything for her.

But as she met his gaze, a new fear crept in, one she hadn’t anticipated. She was falling for him, dangerously, recklessly—and she didn’t know if she could survive the impact.

Dominic’s hand lingered on her cheek, his thumb brushing gently over her skin, and she felt herself leaning into his touch, her defenses crumbling. But before she could speak, his phone buzzed, shattering the quiet moment.

He glanced at the screen, his expression hardening. “We have more to deal with,” he said, his voice shifting back to the calculating tone she knew all too well. “But I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

Sasha nodded, her heart still racing as she leaned back, the tension between them simmering beneath the surface, an unspoken promise hanging in the air.

As the car sped through the night, Sasha couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something far more dangerous—and far more consuming—than she had ever anticipated.