Into the Lion’s Den

Sasha stood frozen in place as Dominic’s hands slid down her arms, his touch claiming her, making it clear that she was his possession now. Every instinct inside her screamed to pull away, to run, but there was nowhere to go. She had made her choice, and there was no turning back.

Dominic’s breath was hot against her neck, his lips brushing the sensitive skin just below her ear. She shuddered, not from desire, but from the overwhelming sense of being trapped. He was dangerous, a predator circling its prey, and now she was bound to him by more than just a piece of paper.

He turned her around slowly, his fingers firm on her waist. The intensity in his dark eyes locked her in place as he examined her, as if he was sizing up his new prize. His expression softened for a moment, but it wasn’t kindness she saw—it was control, power.

“You’re scared,” he murmured, his voice low and gravelly, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Good.”

Sasha’s breath hitched. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words stuck in her throat. What could she say? She was terrified, but she couldn’t let him know just how much. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had the upper hand, even though it was painfully obvious that he did.

She straightened her spine and forced herself to meet his gaze, her chin lifted in defiance. “You don’t scare me, Dominic.”

His smirk widened, and his hand came up to cup her chin, tilting her face up to his. “Liar,” he whispered, before pressing his lips to hers in a searing kiss. It wasn’t gentle. It was demanding, dominating, as if he was making sure she knew exactly who was in control.

Sasha’s mind raced, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to push him away, to scream at him, but her body betrayed her. The kiss, though forceful, stirred something deep inside her—something she hated to admit was there. It wasn’t attraction, but the raw, primal pull of a man who held so much power over her that her instincts couldn’t fight it.

Dominic finally pulled away, leaving her breathless. His thumb brushed over her swollen lips, and his eyes darkened with a possessive gleam.

“I told you, Sasha. You’re mine now. You’ll get used to it,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, her mind scrambling for a way out of this situation. But the cold, hard reality was that there was no escape. Not for her. Not for Jason. She was Dominic’s, for better or worse. And from the way he looked at her, she knew it was going to be for worse.

Dominic stepped back, his gaze raking over her one last time before he turned toward the door. “Get some rest,” he ordered, his tone dismissive. “We leave for Italy in the morning.”

Italy. Another part of the deal she hadn’t fully processed. Dominic had business there, and she was expected to play the role of his dutiful wife, to attend meetings, to be seen by the elite. It was all part of the plan—his plan. But for Sasha, it was just another layer of the prison she was trapped in.

Without another word, he left the room, the heavy door clicking shut behind him. As soon as he was gone, Sasha collapsed onto the edge of the bed, her hands trembling. The adrenaline that had been coursing through her veins slowly drained away, leaving her exhausted and empty.

This wasn’t how her life was supposed to be. She had always imagined something different—something real. Love. Family. A man who cared for her, who loved her for who she was, not for what she could give him. But those dreams seemed so far away now, almost like they belonged to someone else.

Sasha buried her face in her hands, tears stinging her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She couldn’t afford to be weak, not here. Dominic had made it clear from the beginning that his world had no room for weakness. If she wanted to survive, she would have to learn how to navigate his world without losing herself in the process.

The next morning came far too soon. Sasha barely slept, her mind spinning with everything that had happened and what was to come. By the time she rose from the bed, her body felt heavy, as though the weight of the decision she had made was slowly crushing her.

Iris appeared again, as punctual and expressionless as ever, to prepare Sasha for the journey. The flight to Italy would take them away from the city, away from what little familiarity Sasha had left. She felt like she was stepping deeper into the lion’s den, with no way out.

The ride to the private airstrip was silent. Dominic sat beside her in the back of the sleek, black SUV, his attention focused on his phone, conducting business as if nothing had changed. As if she was just another deal he had closed. The cold detachment made her stomach twist with unease.

When they arrived at the airstrip, the luxury jet was already waiting for them. Sasha couldn’t help but feel a pang of disbelief as she took in the sight of it. She had never even been on a plane before, let alone a private jet, but this was her new reality now—luxury at the cost of her freedom.

They boarded the jet, and within minutes, they were airborne. The interior of the plane was as lavish as she had expected, with plush leather seats, gleaming wood paneling, and a fully stocked bar. But the opulence did nothing to ease the tension in her chest.

Dominic sat across from her, his eyes scanning documents while a glass of scotch sat untouched at his side. Every now and then, he would glance up at her, but he said nothing. It was as though he had already moved on from the intensity of the night before, while she was still reeling from it.

As the hours passed, Sasha’s mind wandered. She thought about Jason, wondering if he was safe, if the debt had truly been erased. She wanted to believe that Dominic had kept his word, but in his world, trust was a dangerous thing to give.

Eventually, she couldn’t take the silence any longer. “Why Italy?” she asked, her voice breaking the quiet hum of the jet’s engines.

Dominic looked up from his papers, his dark eyes locking onto hers. “Business,” he replied simply.

Sasha frowned. “What kind of business?”

His lips quirked into a half-smile, but there was no warmth in it. “The kind that doesn’t concern you.”

Her frustration flared. “I’m your wife now, aren’t I? Doesn’t that mean I should know what’s going on?”

Dominic leaned back in his seat, studying her with an amused expression. “You’re my wife on paper, Sasha. That doesn’t mean you need to know everything.”

His words stung, even though she had expected them. Of course he wouldn’t treat her like an equal. In his mind, she was just a pawn in his game, a means to an end.

“What if I don’t want to be kept in the dark?” she pressed, her voice more forceful than she had intended.

Dominic’s amusement faded, replaced by a harder edge. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he stared her down. “You don’t get to make demands, Sasha. Not in my world. The sooner you understand that, the better.”

His words hit her like a slap, but she held her ground. “I’m not some possession you can control.”

Dominic’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, she thought he might lash out. But then he let out a low chuckle, though there was no humor in it. “You don’t understand, do you? You think you still have choices.”

He stood up, crossing the small space between them in two strides. He towered over her, his presence suffocating. “You gave up your choices the moment you signed that contract,” he said, his voice cold and unyielding. “You belong to me now.”

Sasha’s heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to back down. She had already given up too much—her freedom, her future. But she wouldn’t let him take her spirit. She couldn’t.

“You may own my life,” she said quietly, meeting his gaze with defiance. “But you’ll never own me.”

For a moment, the tension between them crackled like electricity, and she could see the flash of something dangerous in Dominic’s eyes. But instead of reacting in anger, he simply smiled, though it was a dark, predatory smile.

“We’ll see about that,” he murmured, before turning away and walking back to his seat.

Sasha sank back into her chair, her heart still racing. She had won this round, but she knew it was only the beginning. Dominic Knight was a man used to getting what he wanted, and he wasn’t about to let her defiance go unchallenged.

But no matter what happened next, Sasha knew one thing for sure: she wasn’t going to give in without a fight.

The jet began its descent into Italy, the sprawling vineyards and rolling hills visible through the windows. As they touched down, Sasha’s mind buzzed with anticipation and dread. She had no idea what awaited her in this foreign land, but one thing was certain: her life was about to change again, in ways she couldn’t yet imagine.

And Dominic, with his unreadable expressions and chilling control, was at the center of it all.

As they stepped off the jet into the Italian sun, the scent of the sea wafted through the air, mingling with the faint aroma of citrus groves. Sasha squinted against the bright light, trying to take in the vastness of the estate that loomed ahead. It was another testament to Dominic’s immense wealth, its sprawling vineyards stretching as far as the eye could see, the mansion perched on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean.

A sleek black car waited for them, and Dominic wasted no time ushering her inside. The drive to the estate was silent, but Sasha could feel the tension radiating off him. Something about this trip wasn’t just business—it was personal, and she could sense it in every glance he cast out the window, in the tightness of his jaw.

As they pulled up to the grand estate, a sense of unease settled over her. This place was beautiful, but it felt like another gilded cage, another place where Dominic’s control extended over her life. The moment they stepped inside, staff swarmed around them, greeting Dominic with reverence, their eyes barely acknowledging her. She was just an accessory, after all—a new piece in his perfect world.

Dominic led her up the wide marble staircase to the bedroom that would be hers during their stay. The room was even more opulent than the one back at his main estate, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the sea. But despite its beauty, Sasha couldn’t shake the feeling of isolation. This was his world, and she was a stranger in it.

As she stood by the window, watching the waves crash against the cliffs below, Dominic came up behind her. His reflection appeared beside hers in the glass, tall and imposing, his eyes dark and unreadable.

“Tomorrow,” he said, his voice cutting through the silence, “there’s a gala. You’ll attend with me.”

Sasha turned to face him, her pulse quickening. “Another one of your business events?”

Dominic’s gaze flickered, a shadow crossing his face. “Something like that.”

His cryptic response only heightened her anxiety, but she knew better than to push him for answers. Instead, she nodded, accepting her role once again. The sooner she played along, the sooner she could figure out how to survive in this world—and how to protect herself from the man who held her fate in his hands.

Dominic’s eyes lingered on her for a moment, as if he was waiting for something—for a sign of submission, of defeat. But Sasha refused to give him that satisfaction. She stood tall, meeting his gaze with quiet defiance.

“You’ll learn to embrace this life, Sasha,” he said softly, his voice dripping with a dangerous edge. “Sooner or later, you’ll realize there’s no escaping me.”

With that, he turned and left the room, the door closing behind him with a soft click. Sasha’s breath caught in her throat, and she sank down onto the edge of the bed, her mind swirling with a mix of fear and frustration.

She might be trapped, but she wasn’t broken. Not yet.

Tomorrow, she would face the gala, the people in Dominic’s world, and whatever dark dealings were hidden beneath the surface. And no matter what happened, she would find a way to maintain her strength. She had no other choice.

For now, all she could do was prepare herself for the battle ahead—a battle not just for her freedom, but for her soul.