Beneath the surface

The early morning light cast a pale glow over the city as Sasha lay beside Dominic, her head resting on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. The events of the night before lingered in her mind—the weight of Dominic’s past, the terrible revelation about his father’s betrayal, and Luca’s ominous threats. She had promised Dominic she wouldn’t leave him, but a gnawing doubt had settled deep within her. Would she be strong enough to face the demons from his past, or was she only adding to the risk he already faced?

Dominic stirred, his arm instinctively pulling her closer. “You’re up early,” he murmured, his voice husky from sleep.

Sasha smiled softly, tracing patterns along his chest. “Couldn’t sleep. Just… thinking.” Her tone was light, but she felt the tension in his body, sensed his hesitancy.

He tilted her chin up, his gaze searching her face. “What are you thinking about?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

She hesitated, uncertain how to voice the tangle of emotions churning inside her. “About us. About everything we’re up against.”

A shadow crossed his eyes, and he shifted, sitting up as he raked a hand through his hair. “I know it’s a lot,” he admitted, his tone raw with vulnerability. “If you want to leave, I’d understand.”

Her heart clenched, and she reached out, her fingers brushing his arm. “No, Dom. I want to be here. I want to face this with you.” She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I just don’t know if I’m strong enough.”

He turned to her, his gaze intense. “You’re stronger than you think, Sasha. Stronger than anyone I’ve ever known.” He took her hands, his voice breaking. “You’re the only good thing in my life. The only person who sees me for who I am and still… still wants to stay.”

Her chest tightened at the pain in his words, and she pressed a hand to his cheek, feeling the rough stubble beneath her palm. “I see you, Dominic. And I’m not going anywhere.”

For a brief moment, the vulnerability in his gaze softened, replaced by a flicker of hope. But it faded quickly as his thoughts seemed to drift back to darker memories. “I don’t deserve you, Sasha,” he murmured, his voice barely audible.

A wave of sadness washed over her as she saw the brokenness he tried so hard to hide, the guilt and pain he carried with him, and the fear that one day, he might lose her. She leaned closer, her forehead resting against his, trying to bridge the distance between them. But she sensed he was already pulling back, distancing himself in a way that made her heart ache.

Dominic stood abruptly, moving to the window, his silhouette outlined against the morning light. “There’s something you need to know, Sasha,” he said, his tone guarded. “Something I haven’t told you.”

She sat up, her heart pounding as she watched him. “What is it?”

He took a deep breath, as if gathering the courage to face whatever he was about to reveal. “My father… he didn’t just abandon us. He left me with a choice. A choice that changed everything.”

Her brow furrowed as she listened, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. “What choice?”

Dominic’s gaze remained fixed on the city below, his voice distant. “He offered me a chance to leave the family business, to live a life free from the shadows. But I… I turned him down.” He paused, the weight of his confession heavy in the air. “I thought I could build something better, something that would prove I wasn’t like him. But instead, I became everything I promised myself I wouldn’t.”

Sasha’s heart broke as she listened to the regret in his voice, the pain of choices that had haunted him for years. She rose and crossed the room, wrapping her arms around him from behind, resting her cheek against his back. “You’re not him, Dominic. You never were.”

He placed his hands over hers, but his grip was gentle, as if he feared holding on too tightly. “I’m afraid it’s too late to change, Sasha. I’m afraid I’ll lose you to this life, that I’ll ruin everything good in my path.”

She felt a tear slip down her cheek, her own fears echoing in his words. “We’ve both made choices we can’t undo. But we’re here now, together. That has to mean something.”

He turned to face her, his eyes dark with emotion. “It does, Sasha. It means everything.”

The vulnerability in his gaze stole her breath, and for a moment, she allowed herself to believe that they could overcome the shadows of his past. But just as quickly, reality intruded as his phone buzzed on the nearby table, shattering the fragile moment between them.

Dominic’s expression darkened as he checked the message, his jaw tightening. “Luca,” he muttered, his tone cold. “He’s making a move.”

A chill ran through her as she saw the anger flash in his eyes, a reminder of the war they were fighting, the enemies lurking around every corner. “What does he want?”

Dominic’s mouth pressed into a grim line. “He’s making threats. He knows we’re vulnerable, that I’m… distracted.” He looked at her, pain flickering in his gaze. “He’s going to keep coming, Sasha. He won’t stop until he has everything.”

She reached out, her hand finding his. “Then we’ll face him together.”

He pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her as if he feared she might slip away. She could feel the tension in his body, the weight of the battle he was fighting, not only against Luca and his father but within himself. And in that moment, she realized just how deeply she was entangled in his world, how much her own heart was bound to his.

They stayed like that for a while, lost in each other’s presence, until Dominic finally pulled back, his gaze filled with a determination she hadn’t seen before. “I need to go. There are people I have to meet, plans I need to set in motion.”

A pang of sadness hit her, knowing he was slipping back into the shadows, leaving her behind to face the uncertainties alone. “Be careful,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek. “I’ll come back to you, Sasha. I promise.”

She forced a smile, though her heart ached as she watched him go, fearing that each time he left, he drifted further away, deeper into a darkness she might never be able to pull him back from.

After he left, the emptiness of the penthouse felt suffocating, a stark reminder of the chasm between them. Sasha wandered through the rooms, her thoughts heavy, until her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.

“Meet me at the park. Alone. There’s something you need to know about Dominic.”

Her heart pounded as she read the message, unease creeping through her. The logical part of her knew she should ignore it, that it was likely a trap. But another part, a part driven by her desire to protect Dominic, urged her to go.

After a moment’s hesitation, she grabbed her coat and headed out, her resolve firm. If there was a chance she could help Dominic, she had to take it.

When she arrived at the park, the morning mist clung to the air, adding an eerie quality to the deserted paths. She scanned the area, her nerves on edge, until a familiar figure stepped out from the shadows.

It was Luca.

Sasha froze, fear flashing through her as he approached, his gaze predatory, a cruel smile curving his lips. “I’m glad you came,” he said, his voice smooth and mocking.

“What do you want, Luca?” she demanded, forcing herself to remain calm.

He laughed, circling her slowly. “You’re braver than I thought, coming here alone. But bravery won’t save you, Sasha. You see, I’m here to do you a favor.”

Her fists clenched, her heart pounding as she tried to read his intentions. “A favor? Don’t kid yourself, Luca.”

“Oh, it’s true,” he sneered, his voice laced with malice. “You’re in love with Dominic, aren’t you? But there’s so much you don’t know about him, so many things he’s kept hidden.”

Sasha’s stomach twisted, but she forced herself to keep her composure. “You don’t know anything about us.”

His smile widened, his gaze cruel. “Oh, but I do. You see, he’s never told you why his father left, has he? Or what he did to keep his empire intact.”

Her breath caught as she saw the glint of satisfaction in his eyes, her mind spinning with the implications of his words. “What are you talking about?”

Luca leaned closer, his voice a whisper. “Dominic made a choice that cost him everything he loved. He let his own brother fall to keep his empire from crumbling. He sacrificed family for power.”

The words hit her like a blow, her mind reeling as she tried to process them. She didn’t want to believe him, didn’t want to let Luca’s poison seep into her thoughts, but the doubt lingered, gnawing at her.

Luca straightened, watching her with a cruel satisfaction. “You’ll never be safe with him, Sasha. You’re just another sacrifice waiting to happen.”

As he disappeared into the mist, Sasha stood there, shaken, her heart heavy with the weight of his words. She wanted to brush it off as a lie, to believe that Dominic would never hide something so terrible from her. But as she walked back to the penthouse, her mind couldn’t shake the shadow of doubt that Luca had planted.

And for the first time, Sasha wondered if she truly knew the man she loved.