The hours leading up to her meeting with Luca were the longest of Sasha’s life. She tried to keep herself busy, but nothing could quiet the storm of thoughts and emotions swirling in her mind. She missed Dominic, his touch, his warmth, the way he could make her feel secure even when her world was in chaos. But now, with Luca’s words echoing in her head, every memory of Dominic was tinged with doubt and betrayal.
By nightfall, Sasha had changed three times, unable to decide what felt right. She finally settled on a black trench coat over dark jeans and a sweater, hoping the nondescript outfit would blend into the shadows of the city. Luca had chosen a secluded spot, a rundown warehouse by the docks, and as she stepped out of her car, she felt an eerie chill in the air. The silence of the deserted area, the faint sound of water lapping against the dock—it all felt like the setting for a scene she wasn’t sure she wanted to play. “Sasha.” Luca’s voice cut through the darkness as he emerged from the shadows, a smug grin on his face. “Right on time.” She steeled herself, crossing her arms tightly. “Enough games, Luca. You said you had something to show me. Get to the point.” He chuckled, clearly amused by her hostility. “Always so impatient. Fine, follow me.” He led her deeper into the warehouse, his footsteps echoing against the concrete floors. They passed rows of rusted machinery and abandoned crates, the remnants of a forgotten past. The place reeked of secrets, of lives touched and discarded without thought. Sasha’s nerves prickled with each step, but she forced herself to focus on the reason she was here. Finally, Luca stopped in front of an old office door. He pulled out a set of keys, unlocked it, and gestured for her to enter. Sasha stepped inside cautiously, her heart pounding as she took in the dimly lit room. On a large desk at the center sat a manila envelope and a sleek black laptop, both positioned as though waiting for her arrival. “Everything you need to know is in that envelope,” Luca said, his voice low. “But this”—he motioned to the laptop—“is the part I think you’ll find the most interesting.” She looked at him, a mix of curiosity and dread swirling in her chest. “What’s on it?” “Evidence,” he replied simply, his smirk widening. “The truth Dominic has kept hidden from you. Go ahead, Sasha. Open it.” With a shaky hand, she reached for the laptop, flipping it open. The screen flickered to life, revealing a series of video files, each labeled with a date and location. Sasha’s stomach churned as she clicked on the first one, and the footage began to play. The video was grainy, taken from a security camera in what appeared to be an underground parking garage. She watched as Dominic’s figure appeared on the screen, flanked by two men she didn’t recognize. They were talking to another man—a face she vaguely recognized from the news, a known figure in the criminal underworld. Their conversation was muted, but it was clear from their body language that this was not a friendly meeting. As the video progressed, she saw Dominic hand over a briefcase, his expression cold and calculating. The man accepted it, nodding before disappearing into the shadows. Sasha’s hands shook as she hit pause. She turned to Luca, her voice barely above a whisper. “What is this?” “Dominic’s dealings,” Luca said smoothly. “Your boyfriend isn’t just a ruthless businessman, Sasha. He’s been working with some of the most dangerous people in the city. That man in the video? He’s responsible for trafficking, extortion, and a dozen other crimes. And Dominic has been funding him.” Her heart hammered in her chest as she struggled to process the information. “Why? Why would Dominic be involved with people like this?” Luca shrugged, feigning innocence. “Power, influence, control. He’ll do whatever it takes to stay on top, even if it means aligning himself with the worst of society.” She clenched her fists, anger rising within her. “This… this doesn’t make sense. He’s always said he wanted to protect his family, to keep his empire safe. Why would he risk everything to work with these people?” “Maybe that’s a question you should ask him,” Luca replied, his tone dripping with satisfaction. “But I think you already know the answer, don’t you? Dominic will always choose power over people. Even over you.” Sasha swallowed hard, her mind racing with memories of the man she thought she knew. She wanted to deny it, to believe that there was some other explanation, but the evidence was right there in front of her. And deep down, she knew that Dominic was capable of things she’d never imagined. “I think we’re done here,” she said, her voice tight. She gathered the envelope, her fingers trembling as she held it close. “I don’t need any more of your so-called help, Luca.” He chuckled, leaning back against the desk. “Suit yourself. But remember, Sasha, Dominic is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The more you learn, the darker it’ll get. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With a final, steely glare, she turned and left the warehouse, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and anger. She’d come seeking answers, but now she felt as if she’d stumbled into a nightmare. The Dominic she loved had hidden so much from her, and she was no longer certain she could trust anything he said. Back at her apartment, Sasha sat at her dining table, the envelope Luca had given her lying open before her. The documents inside painted a grim picture—financial records linking Dominic to shell companies, payments made to notorious criminals, even wire transfers to offshore accounts. She felt numb as she read through each piece of evidence, her mind struggling to reconcile the man she loved with the monster these documents depicted. Just as she was about to shut the folder, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her heart racing when she saw Dominic’s name. She hesitated, unsure if she could even face him after everything she’d discovered. But part of her needed answers, needed to hear his side of the story. With a deep breath, she answered the call. “Sasha,” Dominic’s voice was tense, filled with a desperation she’d never heard before. “We need to talk. Please, just hear me out.” Her voice was cold, her emotions tightly controlled. “You want to talk? Fine. But this time, Dominic, no more lies.” There was a pause on the other end of the line before he spoke. “Meet me at the penthouse. I’ll explain everything.” Against her better judgment, she agreed, ending the call and grabbing her coat. She knew that walking into his world again meant facing the darkness head-on, but if there was even a chance of finding the truth, she had to take it. When she arrived at the penthouse, Dominic was waiting for her, his expression unreadable. He looked tired, worn, as if the weight of his secrets had finally caught up to him. “Sasha,” he said, his voice soft as he closed the distance between them. “Thank you for coming.” She held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Don’t thank me. Just tell me the truth. All of it.” He took a deep breath, his gaze steady as he began. “Yes, I’ve made deals with dangerous people. Yes, I’ve done things I’m not proud of. But every decision I made was to protect what I built, to secure a future for us.” She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. “You keep saying that, but you were hiding these things from me, Dominic. Do you have any idea what it feels like to find out that the person you love is a stranger?” Dominic’s face fell, a flash of regret crossing his eyes. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to be part of that world. I thought… if I could shield you from it, you’d be safe.” Sasha’s voice wavered, her heart breaking as she spoke. “But I’m not safe, Dominic. Not from the lies, not from the darkness. You brought it all to me the moment you let me into your life.” He reached out, his hand brushing her cheek as he searched her eyes. “Sasha, I love you. I’ll do anything to prove that, to make this right. Just tell me what you need.” She took a shaky breath, feeling torn between her love for him and the fear he’d instilled in her. “I need the truth, Dominic. And I need to know if you’re willing to walk away from this life.” His expression hardened, a flicker of pain in his eyes. “You’re asking me to give up everything I’ve worked for.” “I’m asking you to choose, Dominic. Between the power, the darkness—and me.” A silence settled between them, thick with tension as he weighed her words. For a brief, agonizing moment, she saw the conflict in his gaze, the war between the man he wanted to be and the man he’d become. Finally, he nodded, his voice barely a whisper. “If it means keeping you… I’ll walk away.” Sasha’s heart clenched as she took his hand, searching his eyes for any hint of deception. “You have to mean it, Dominic. No more secrets. No more lies.” He nodded, a flicker of determination crossing his face. “I mean it, Sasha. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you by my side.” For the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to hope. But as they embraced, a nagging fear lingered in the back of her mind. She knew that escaping the shadows of Dominic’s world wouldn’t be easy, and that the secrets they’d unearthed might come back to haunt them both. And somewhere, watching from afar, Luca waited, a knowing smile on his face.The air was thick with tension as Sasha and Dominic sat across from each other in the penthouse, their earlier embrace fading into a distant memory. She held his hand, but the warmth was marred by the storm raging in her heart. Dominic’s promise to leave his world behind meant everything, yet the looming reality of his past felt like a weight neither of them could shake.“You understand what this means, Dominic?” Sasha whispered, her eyes searching his. “Walking away… it’s not just leaving. It’s making enemies.”Dominic’s jaw tightened, his hand instinctively curling around hers. “I know. But I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. They can take the empire, the money—I don’t care about that if it means losing you.”The intensity in his gaze was fierce, almost desperate, as if he was holding onto her like a lifeline. And for the first time, she realized just how deeply Dominic had buried himself in this life he was now vowing to abandon. A twinge of fear echoed through her, but she
Sasha’s pulse hammered as she took in the scene, her hand still tightly entwined with Dominic’s. Luca stood in front of them, the gleaming muzzle of his gun pointed unwaveringly in their direction. His smile was a chilling contrast to the tension thickening the air around them, his gaze fixed on Dominic with a lethal calmness.“Well, Dominic,” Luca said, his voice echoing through the empty warehouse district. “I warned you. Running was never going to be an option.”Dominic shifted, angling his body to shield Sasha, his voice steady as he replied, “I’m done with this, Luca. You can have everything—money, connections. Just leave us out of it.”Luca laughed, his tone mocking. “It’s not about the money, Dominic. You know that. This is about loyalty. Respect. And you of all people should know that betrayal is something I don’t forgive.”Sasha felt the grip on her hand tighten, and she could feel the tension radiating through Dominic’s body. She knew he was running through every possible op
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 simpl
Sasha Lane hadn’t always been this tough. There was a time when she believed in happy endings and good guys, but that was before life knocked her down and made sure she stayed there.She grew up in the rough parts of the city, in a cramped apartment that smelled of cigarettes and desperation. Her father walked out before she could remember his face, leaving her mother alone with two children and a mountain of bills. Jason was her baby brother, just four years younger, but it always felt like she was raising him. Her mother, worn out by life, numbed herself with alcohol, drifting further away until one night, she simply didn’t wake up.Sasha was seventeen when she found her mother’s cold body in their dingy apartment. From that day on, it was just her and Jason against the world. She worked three jobs, pushed herself through law school, and scraped together everything she had to give him a better life than the one they had growing up. But the world has a funny way of destroying your be
The day of the wedding came too quickly, as if time itself conspired to rush Sasha toward her fate. She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the delicate lace of her dress. It clung to her body like a second skin, emphasizing every curve she would rather hide. Her dark hair was swept back into an elegant updo, and the makeup, done by an artist Dominic had hired, made her look more like a stranger than herself. Everything about this day felt wrong, like she was playing a part in someone else’s life. But this was her reality now—a contract bride to Dominic Knight.Her hands trembled as she smoothed the fabric of her dress, the weight of the situation crushing down on her. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to run, to get out before it was too late, but there was nowhere to go. Dominic owned everything—her brother’s freedom, her future, and now, her.A sharp knock echoed through the suite, pulling her from her thoughts. Sasha’s heart skipped a beat. Was it time already?The doo
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 w
The morning sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains of Sasha’s room, casting a golden hue on the polished marble floors. Despite the warmth of the Italian sun, a chill had settled deep in Sasha’s bones. The impending gala, where she would have to wear the mask of Dominic’s obedient wife, loomed over her like a storm cloud. The uncertainty of what this event would reveal gnawed at her, and she had no doubt that something darker simmered beneath the surface of this business affair.She stood by the grand mirror in her room, gazing at her reflection. Iris, with her usual brisk efficiency, had already laid out the gown for the evening—a striking, deep crimson dress, fitted and designed to draw attention. Everything about it screamed elegance, yet all Sasha could see was how it turned her into a perfect doll, a showpiece for Dominic to parade.Her thoughts drifted to the night before. Dominic’s words—“You’ll learn to embrace this life”—echoed in her mind, sending a shiver down her spi
Sasha’s heart pounded as she watched Dominic disappear into a side room with Luca and the others. She had never seen him look like this before—tense, on edge, his usual mask of control cracking around the edges. It unnerved her more than she cared to admit. Whatever conversation was happening behind those closed doors wasn’t just business, it was personal. And dangerous.She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. This was her chance. She could either stand here, waiting like an obedient trophy wife, or she could seize this moment to learn more about the world she had been thrust into.Her eyes scanned the ballroom. The guests continued to mingle, sipping champagne and exchanging polite pleasantries, but she knew better than to be fooled by the surface-level elegance. Underneath the glitz and glamor, there were power plays happening all around her. She could feel it in the air—danger lurking beneath every whispered conversation, every knowing glance.Sasha straightened her p