Broken promises

The morning sunlight filtered through the high windows of Dominic’s penthouse, casting long shadows across the floor. Sasha stood in the middle of the vast living room, feeling dwarfed by its emptiness. She had barely slept, haunted by Alistair’s revelation, and the painful reminder that danger was never far from Dominic—or from her. She hadn’t yet shared her thoughts with Dominic, but she could feel a shift between them, a silent weight hanging in the air.

Dominic entered the room, his expression shadowed, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he spoke. “We need to prepare,” he said, voice steady but lacking his usual warmth. He glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck. “There are places to go, people to talk to. This… alliance my father’s built with Luca, it’s been under my nose, right where I never thought to look.”

Sasha moved closer, her voice soft. “Dom, I can’t imagine how hard it is to hear that he’s alive—and worse, working against you. But you’re not alone in this.”

He met her eyes, his mask of composure slipping just a little. “You say that, Sasha, but you don’t understand. If you did, you’d leave.”

The words hit her harder than she expected. For a moment, she felt as if he was pushing her away, as if he was putting distance between them just when she was trying to close it.

“Is that what you want?” she whispered, struggling to keep her voice steady.

Dominic’s gaze softened, and he reached for her hand, his touch gentle yet conflicted. “I don’t want you caught in the middle of this war, Sasha. My life has always been dangerous—my past, my family… it’s all built on secrets and betrayals. And my father…” His voice trailed off, pain flashing in his eyes.

“But I chose this, Dominic,” she replied, lifting her chin. “I’m here because I want to be.”

He released her hand, stepping back as he rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t know if I can protect you this time,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “And if I lose you because of him… because of any of this…” He shook his head, as if the thought alone was too much to bear.

Sasha swallowed, her heart breaking for him, for everything he’d endured alone. She wanted to reach out, to hold him, to offer him a piece of her own strength, but a part of her sensed he needed space to process the weight of his family’s betrayal.

Just then, the elevator chimed, and Alistair stepped out, his gaze sweeping over them. “Dom, we need to talk,” he said, casting a quick glance at Sasha before focusing on Dominic. “There’s news. It’s about your father.”

Dominic stiffened, his expression hardening as he followed Alistair to the opposite side of the room, leaving Sasha standing in silence. She watched the two men converse in low tones, the tension between them palpable.

Moments later, Dominic’s voice rose, frustration lacing his words. “You’re telling me he’s been hiding right here, in the city? And no one thought to tell me?”

Alistair kept his tone measured. “It was kept quiet for a reason. He knew exactly how to stay under the radar, using Luca as his shield. He wanted you distracted, weakened, until he was ready.”

Dominic’s fists clenched, his anger rolling off him in waves. Sasha’s heart ached, knowing how deeply this betrayal cut. She took a step forward, intending to comfort him, but he turned, his expression distant.

“I need to go,” he said abruptly, avoiding her gaze. “Alistair and I have to track down some contacts, see what else we can uncover.”

Sasha’s stomach twisted as she watched him head toward the elevator, his back rigid, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. She felt him slipping further away, as if each step was pulling him deeper into the shadows of his past. But she forced herself to remain calm, knowing that pushing him now might only drive him away.

When the elevator doors closed, leaving her alone, the silence of the penthouse pressed down on her like a weight. She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over the city, her reflection faintly visible in the glass.

Dominic’s pain was now her own, woven into the fabric of their relationship. She could feel the love between them—the passion, the connection that went deeper than words—but she couldn’t shake the feeling that his father’s reappearance was a wound that might never fully heal.

Lost in thought, Sasha felt her phone vibrate. She glanced down at the screen and saw an unknown number. Hesitantly, she picked up.

“Sasha?” a deep voice came through, one that sent a chill down her spine. “It’s Luca.”

Her blood ran cold. “How did you get this number?” she demanded, her voice laced with anger.

A dark chuckle echoed on the line. “I have my ways. I just wanted to remind you that this… fairy tale you’re living with Dominic? It won’t last. I know all his secrets, all his weaknesses. And if you stay by his side, you’ll suffer the consequences.”

Sasha’s hands trembled, but she held her ground, refusing to let Luca’s threats get under her skin. “You don’t scare me,” she replied, her voice steady. “You’re nothing but a shadow.”

“Bold words, Sasha,” he murmured. “But you have no idea what’s coming. Dominic is my business, and you’re just… collateral damage.”

The line went dead, and Sasha stood there, staring at her phone, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination. She knew Luca’s words were meant to intimidate her, to shake her resolve. But they had the opposite effect.

If anything, she was more determined than ever to stand by Dominic’s side, no matter what lay ahead.

The hours passed slowly, the silence of the penthouse growing more oppressive as the afternoon turned to evening. She had hoped Dominic would return, that he’d walk through the door and let her hold him, share his burdens with her. But he remained gone, lost in the darkness of his own battles.

As the clock ticked past midnight, Sasha finally heard the elevator ding. She straightened, relief flooding her as Dominic stepped into the room, looking exhausted, his shirt rumpled, the weight of the world in his eyes.

“Dom,” she whispered, moving toward him, her hands reaching out to cup his face. He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch, his guard slipping as he allowed himself to be vulnerable with her, if only for a moment.

“I’m sorry I left like that,” he murmured, his voice rough. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

She stroked his cheek, her gaze soft. “You don’t have to carry all of this alone. I’m here, Dominic. I want to help you, to be there for you.”

He opened his eyes, and she saw the raw pain, the guilt, the vulnerability he tried so hard to hide. “I don’t deserve you, Sasha. Not with everything that’s happened. Not with what my father has done.”

“None of this is your fault,” she replied, her voice fierce. “Your father made his own choices, and so did Luca. You are not them, Dominic.”

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, his breath warm against her neck as he whispered, “You make me want to be better, Sasha. You make me believe I can change.”

They stood together in the quiet, holding each other as the city lights cast shadows across the room. For a brief moment, the weight of their problems faded, replaced by the warmth of their embrace, the comfort of knowing they weren’t alone in this fight.

But deep down, Sasha knew that this peace was fragile, a temporary reprieve from the storm raging around them. And as Dominic pulled back, his gaze dark and intense, she could see the shadows lingering in his eyes—the ghosts of his past that threatened to consume them both.

“Promise me,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “Promise me that you’ll stay, no matter what.”

She took his hand, squeezing it tightly. “I’m not going anywhere.”

But even as she spoke the words, a lingering sense of dread settled over her heart, an unshakeable feeling that the worst was yet to come.