The Contract

Sasha Lane sat in the dimly lit bar, the kind of place where shadows were thicker than the air, nursing a drink she hadn’t touched in an hour. The amber liquid swirled in her glass, but her mind wasn’t on the whiskey. It was on the man sitting across from her. Dominic Knight—billionaire, CEO, and rumored mafia kingpin. He had the kind of face that could make women weak, all sharp angles and dark, dangerous eyes. But Sasha was different. She wasn’t here for pleasure. She was here because she had no choice.

“You understand the terms, Ms. Lane?” His voice was low, like velvet, but there was something dangerous lurking underneath it. The kind of danger that made a chill run down her spine.

Sasha met his gaze, refusing to be intimidated. “I understand you’re blackmailing me into marriage.”

Dominic’s lips curved into a smirk. “Blackmail is such an ugly word. Think of it as… an arrangement. You marry me, your brother’s debts disappear. Simple.”

Simple. As if anything about this man was simple. Her younger brother, Jason, had fallen in with the wrong crowd, and now the mafia had their claws in him deep. Sasha had spent every penny trying to get him out, but Dominic Knight was the final nail in her coffin. She had tried everything—legal avenues, under-the-table deals, even begging—but nothing worked. Dominic held all the cards. And now, he wanted her.

She didn’t know why a man like Dominic would want her specifically, but she wasn’t naïve. There was more to this than he was letting on.

“What do you get out of this?” she asked, eyes narrowing. “I know this isn’t just about my brother’s debts.”

Dominic leaned forward, the shadows playing across his face like a predator stalking its prey. “I get you, Sasha. I get your loyalty, your body, and most importantly—an heir.”

Sasha’s breath caught in her throat. She had expected something dark, but this? This was another level. “An heir?”

Dominic’s eyes gleamed with something primal, something that sent heat spiraling through her even though she hated herself for it. “I need a wife, someone who can give me a child. An heir to my empire. And you… you are perfect.”

Perfect. She’d heard that word before, from men who thought they could mold her into what they wanted, but Dominic wasn’t just a man. He was a wolf, she could sense it in the way he looked at her, the way his presence filled the room.

“And if I say no?” she challenged, though the words felt weak on her tongue. She already knew the answer.

Dominic’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Then your brother dies. Simple.”

Simple. There it was again. Cold, efficient, final. Dominic Knight wasn’t the type to make empty threats. She had heard the rumors about him—how he controlled the city from behind the scenes, how his enemies disappeared without a trace. And the rumors about what he really was, though no one dared to say it out loud. A werewolf. An alpha.

But the worst part? As much as she hated him, as much as she wanted to despise everything he represented, there was a part of her that was drawn to him. A part of her that wanted to know what it would feel like to be claimed by a man like Dominic Knight.

Sasha took a slow breath, trying to steady her racing pulse. “And if I agree? What happens then?”

Dominic’s gaze darkened, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down her spine. “Then you belong to me.”

Two weeks later, Sasha stood in front of a floor-length mirror, staring at the white dress she had sworn she would never wear. It clung to her body in all the right places, highlighting curves she didn’t even know she had. But the reflection staring back at her didn’t feel like her. It felt like someone else—someone trapped.

The knock on the door made her jump, and before she could respond, Dominic walked in. His presence filled the room, making it feel smaller, more suffocating. He wore a black suit, tailored to perfection, and for a moment, Sasha was struck by how devastatingly handsome he was. But then she remembered why she was here, and the warmth that had started to bloom in her chest turned to ice.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice soft but commanding.

Sasha turned to face him fully, crossing her arms over her chest. “Isn’t it bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony?”

Dominic’s lips twitched into that same half-smile that infuriated her. “I don’t believe in luck. Only power. And now, I hold all the power, Sasha. You’d do well to remember that.”

Anger flared in her chest, but she bit it back. This wasn’t the time to pick a fight. She had made her choice, and now she had to live with it. “I remember.”

Dominic’s gaze swept over her, lingering on the neckline of her dress before he stepped closer. “Good.” He reached out, his fingers brushing against her bare shoulder, and Sasha had to fight the urge to shudder. There was something electric about his touch, something that made her both terrified and exhilarated.

“You don’t have to do this,” she said, her voice softer than she intended. “There are other women. Women who would kill to be in my place.”

Dominic’s eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, something flickered there—something almost human. “But I don’t want them. I want you.”

Before she could respond, Dominic’s lips were on hers, claiming her in a way that left no room for protest. His kiss was possessive, demanding, and Sasha found herself sinking into it, despite the voice in her head screaming at her to stop. There was no denying the chemistry between them, the raw heat that ignited every time he touched her.

But this wasn’t love. This was power. Control.

When Dominic finally pulled away, his breath was warm against her lips, and his hand rested on the small of her back, holding her close. “You’re mine now, Sasha,” he whispered, his voice sending shivers down her spine. “Remember that.”

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. This was just the beginning. A contract, a marriage, a life she hadn’t chosen. But one thing was certain—Dominic Knight was a man who didn’t take no for an answer. And now, she was bound to him, whether she liked it or not.

As Dominic walked out of the room, leaving her alone with her reflection, Sasha took a deep breath. She had made her choice. But the real question was, could she survive Dominic Knight’s world? Could she survive him?

She wasn’t sure. But one thing was certain—this was no fairy tale. This was a nightmare, and she was walking straight into the lion’s den. Or, more accurately, the wolf’s.

And there was no way out.