The next few days passed in a blur of exhaustion, tension, and uncertainty. Dante’s mansion became a maze I had to navigate, filled with men who looked at me like I didn’t belong. Maybe I didn’t. Every room felt colder than the last, the walls closing in on me as if reminding me there was no escape. Each morning, I woke up waiting for the next test, the next task that would push me closer to the edge.And each day, I survived. Barely.The assignment with Moretti had left me shaken, but it wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was realizing how easily I’d been pulled into Dante’s world. How quickly I was becoming a part of something I swore I could never accept. The fear that once controlled me now felt different—less panicked and more calculated. It wasn’t just fear of death anymore; it was fear of what I was becoming.I sat in the small room they had given me, staring at the blank walls. The only sound came from the ticking of the old clock on the desk, and every tick felt like it wa
The room felt too small, the air too thick, and the weight of the gun in my hand felt like it might crush me. My finger hovered over the trigger, my heart racing so fast I could hear it in my ears. Alexei stood a few feet away, his eyes flicking between me and the gun, disbelief etched into his features.“You don’t have it in you,” he sneered, his voice low and mocking, like he was daring me to prove him wrong.I tightened my grip, my knuckles turning white. Sweat dripped down the back of my neck, my breath coming in shallow gasps. His words echoed in my mind. Maybe he was right. I wasn’t a killer. Not really. I’d killed a man before, but that had been different. That had been self-defense, survival in the heat of the moment.This? This was cold, deliberate. Planned.Alexei took a step closer, his posture relaxed, almost mocking. “You don’t even know why you’re here, do you? You’re just Dante’s pawn, doing his dirty work. He’s testing you, you know that? He wants to see if you’ll brea
I got out of the car, my legs still shaky as I made my way to the front entrance. The mansion loomed before me, cold and imposing, just like the man who ruled it. My heart pounded in my chest as I walked inside, every step feeling heavier than the last.When I reached Dante’s office, I paused outside the door, my hand hovering over the handle. I didn’t know what was waiting for me on the other side, but I knew I couldn’t hesitate any longer. I had to face him, face the consequences of my failure.I took a deep breath and pushed the door open.Dante was sitting behind his desk, his eyes already on me as I stepped inside. His expression was unreadable, but I could feel the weight of his disappointment, even from across the room.I stood there, unsure of what to say, unsure of what he wanted from me. My heart raced as I waited for him to speak, the silence stretching between us like a chasm.Finally, he leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving mine. “So,” he said, his voice calm
Morning came too quickly, the thin light filtering through the curtains making everything feel sharper, more real. I hadn’t slept much, if at all. My mind had been racing all night, haunted by the images of Alexei, by Viktor’s words, by the cold emptiness in Dante’s eyes when I failed him.I pushed myself out of bed, the weight of what was to come settling in my chest like a stone. Viktor’s warning echoed in my head—*tomorrow will be harder than today.* I didn’t know how much more I could take, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to keep moving. Had to keep proving myself, even if I wasn’t sure what I was proving anymore.I dressed quickly, the clothes Dante had provided me feeling stiff and foreign on my skin. Everything in this world felt wrong, like I was wearing a mask, pretending to be someone I wasn’t. Someone who could survive here.There was a knock at the door, and I tensed, knowing what it meant. It was time.I opened the door to find Viktor waiting, his expression as unreadab
I stared down at the man, my mind spinning, my heart racing. The world seemed to close in on me, suffocating me with the weight of the decision I was about to make. I could feel the pressure of Viktor’s gaze, of Dante’s expectations, crushing me.There was no way out.The man whimpered again, his body shaking with fear. My finger hovered over the trigger, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. I was shaking all over, my mind screaming at me to stop, but my body wouldn’t listen.I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out everything around me.Then I pulled the trigger.The sound was deafening, echoing off the walls of the warehouse. I didn’t open my eyes right away, didn’t want to see what I had done. My hands were trembling so badly I could barely hold the gun anymore.When I finally opened my eyes, the man was lying still, blood pooling around him. The sight of it made my stomach lurch, and I stumbled back, dropping the gun to the floor.Viktor didn’t say anything at first. He ju
I could still feel Dante’s presence long after he left the room, his cold words echoing in my mind. *“You belong to this world.”* Those words gripped me, dug their claws deep into my chest, pulling at me, twisting me into something I didn’t recognize anymore.The envelope sat on the table, its presence looming like a shadow over everything else in the room. I couldn’t stop staring at it, as though if I looked hard enough, I might somehow find a way to unravel this entire mess. But I couldn’t. I was in too deep.There was no escape.I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands gripping the sides of the mattress, my heart pounding in my chest. The silence was suffocating. My mind raced, replaying the events of the day— blood pooling on the floor, the way Viktor had looked at me after, the moment I pulled the trigger.I had done it. I had crossed that line. And now there was no turning back.The room felt too small, the walls closing in on me with every breath. I stood up, pacing back and fort
I couldn’t sleep that night. Not after Dante’s words, not with the weight of the new assignment sitting on my shoulders like an anchor. The unopened file sat on the small table beside me, mocking me. The man inside that folder—whoever he was—had no idea his fate was already sealed. And somehow, I had been chosen to carry it out.I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to gather my thoughts. My mind refused to settle, bouncing from one fear to the next. What if I failed again? What if this time there wasn’t anyone to step in and clean up my mess? And what if, deep down, I wasn’t the person Dante thought I could become?The night dragged on in silence, and eventually, the darkness outside gave way to the gray light of dawn. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. There was no use delaying it any longer. I had to know what was inside that file, what Dante expected of me.With trembling hands, I reached for the folder, the cold manila paper feeling heavier than it should. I took a deep breath
“Yes, you do,” Haines said quickly, his eyes pleading. “Everyone has a choice. Whatever they’ve told you… you don’t have to do this.”I could feel the panic rising in my chest, my hand shaking as I hovered over the gun. He was right. I didn’t have to do this. But if I didn’t, Dante would know. And then I’d be the one lying on the floor, just like Alexei.My vision blurred with tears as I took a shaky breath. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice cracking.I reached for the gun, my hand trembling as I pulled it out. Haines’ eyes widened in terror, and he took a step back, his hands raised in surrender.“Please,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Don’t.”Time seemed to slow, the air thick with tension, every second stretching into eternity.But I couldn’t do it.I couldn’t pull the trigger.I dropped the gun to the floor, the sound echoing in the quiet house. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the ground, my body shaking with sobs I couldn’t hold back anymore.Haines stood there, stunne
I could feel the weight of their eyes on me, heavy and assessing, like physical pressure against my skin. Each gaze carried different intentions—some curious, others suspicious, a few openly hostile—but all shared the same underlying quality: calculation. Nothing and no one was viewed without first determining value, usefulness, or threat level. I was being cataloged, dissected, my worth measured in ways I couldn't fully comprehend. Their scrutiny raised goosebumps along my arms despite the warmth of the crowded room, a primitive response to predatory attention that no amount of composure could fully suppress.Watching. Calculating. Assessing my worth. These weren't casual observations born of idle curiosity. These were deliberate evaluations made by men who had built empires on their ability to read people, to identify weaknesses and strengths with a single glance. I could almost feel them stripping away layers of pretense, searching for the truth beneath the carefully constructed fa
We approached the entrance, where two men in dark suits stood with the perfect stillness of those trained to become part of the scenery until needed. Their eyes flicked to Dante, recognition immediate, respect or fear—perhaps both—evident in the subtle inclination of their heads. Then their gaze shifted to me, assessing, cataloging, memorizing. In their world, unknown elements were threats until proven otherwise, and I was very much an unknown.The doors opened before us, revealing a foyer of marble and crystal, of art worth more than most people would see in a lifetime. The space was designed to overwhelm, to remind visitors of their place in the hierarchy before they even reached the main gathering. It was psychological warfare disguised as decoration, and even knowing its purpose didn't diminish its effectiveness.The moment we entered, I felt it. The shift in the air. The subtle change in atmospheric pressure that came not from weather but from power—from the awareness of predator
The car rolled to a stop, the hum of the engine fading into silence. The transition from movement to stillness was jarring, marking the end of whatever sanctuary the journey had provided. Through the tinted windows, I could see the blurred outlines of other vehicles, sleek and black like ours, their polished surfaces reflecting the golden glow emanating from the mansion. Each one carried someone who could destroy lives with a single command, who navigated this world of shadows and power with the ease of those born to it.For a long moment, I didn't move. My fingers remained clasped tightly in my lap, the knuckles white with tension despite my attempts to appear composed. I drew in a slow, measured breath, trying to steady the rapid beating of my heart, to quiet the voice in my head screaming that I wasn't ready for this—that I would never be ready for this.Beyond the tinted glass, the world I wasn't ready for awaited me. A realm of predators and prey, of calculated moves and devastat
Dante didn't move for a long moment after his last words, simply standing there, sipping his whiskey with a patience that was both calculated and unnerving. The amber liquid caught the light as he tilted the crystal tumbler, his dark eyes never leaving mine, gauging my reaction with that perpetual air of amusement that seemed permanently etched into his features. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken threats and promises, the weight of it pressing against my chest until I could barely breathe.Then—without a word—he extended his arm toward me. A silent command.I stared at it. At him. My heart hammered against my ribs with such force I was certain he could hear it, the pounding rhythm betraying the calm façade I fought desperately to maintain. But I kept my expression unreadable, years of practice allowing me to hide the storm building inside me behind a mask of indifference. My fingers trembled slightly at my sides, and I curled them into fists to still the motion bef
The moment I stepped into the hallway, I saw her. A maid stood just outside, waiting. Her eyes, when they met mine, held none of the pity or concern one might expect. There was only a cool assessment, an evaluation that seemed to penetrate beyond the expensive dress and careful makeup.Her posture was perfectly composed, hands folded neatly in front of her. She didn't look at me like a girl about to enter a world of wolves. There was no sympathy in her gaze, no silent communication of solidarity or concern. Instead, she regarded me with a detached respect that was somehow more unsettling than any pity could have been.She looked at me like I was already one of them. Like the transformation was complete, the metamorphosis from ordinary girl to Dante's creation already accomplished. Her eyes held the recognition of a fellow predator, not the wariness reserved for prey. I didn't know whether to feel flattered or horrified by what she saw in me.Without a word, she turned, beginning to wa
I ran my hands down the sides of my dress, smoothing out the material, feeling the weight of what it meant. The velvet was cool beneath my fingertips, luxurious and heavy—much like the burden I was about to bear. Every stitch, every fold of fabric represented another layer of the facade I was forced to wear. The dress hugged my figure perfectly, a testament to Dante's attention to detail, even in his methods of control. Nothing in his world was left to chance, especially not my appearance on a night like this.Marco's words from earlier echoed in my mind, cutting through the silence of the room like shards of glass. His warnings had been delivered in that clipped, matter-of-fact tone he always used—the voice of someone who had seen too much and survived only by learning the rules quickly."You're not going there to speak. You're going there to listen."His dark eyes had been intense, boring into mine with an urgency that made my skin prickle. There had been no kindness in his instruct
My footsteps echoed in the empty hallway as the maid escorted me back to my room. Each step felt like it weighed a hundred pounds, my exhaustion creeping through my veins like a slow poison. The training session had been particularly brutal today, leaving every muscle in my body screaming in protest. The marble floor beneath my feet seemed to stretch endlessly ahead, its polished surface reflecting the soft golden light from the crystal chandeliers hanging above.As the maid opened the door to my room, my gaze swept over the large space, my eyes immediately locking onto the elaborate display of dresses laid out on the bed. A selection of gowns—rich in color, fabric, and style—stretched across the fabric, each one seemingly more beautiful than the last. The intricate lacework, the velvet, and satin gleamed under the soft light coming from the crystal chandelier above me. A feeling of unease twisted in my stomach, an unsettling reminder of the event I was expected t
The sun climbed higher in the sky as we continued, casting shorter shadows across the training ground. Time seemed to stretch and contract, measured only by the count of bullets spent, the mechanical action of reloading when the magazine emptied.By the time Antonio finally lowered my arm, my muscles ached, my hands numb from the repeated recoil. My ears rang slightly despite the protection we wore. The wooden target was riddled with bullet holes, some closer to the center than others, a visual record of my progress over the hours we'd spent here.I had improved.But I didn't feel victorious. There was no satisfaction in becoming better at dealing death, even if it was only to a wooden board. The ease with which I now handled the weapon was disturbing—a reminder of how quickly one could adapt to violence, how the unthinkable could become routine with enough repetition.I lowered the gun, staring at it in my hands. The cold metal still felt foreign, unwelcome. No matter how many times
The cold concrete floor sent a chill up my spine as I shifted my stance, barely managing to stay upright. My breath came in ragged gasps, my muscles screaming in protest, but Antonio didn’t relent. He never did.“Again,” he commanded, his voice sharp, unwavering.I swallowed hard, adjusting my footing. The bruises littering my body throbbed with every movement, a painful reminder of how many times I had already been knocked down. My arms felt like lead, my legs unsteady, but I wasn’t about to give up. Not in front of him.Antonio circled me like a predator assessing its prey. His dark eyes were calculating, unwavering in their scrutiny. “You’re too slow,” he remarked. “Too predictable.”I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to stay focused. I had to block. I had to react faster. I had to stop ending up on the ground. He lunged, his fist cutting through the air, aimed straight for my face. Instinctively, I raised my arms in a weak attempt to shield myself, but he was faster. His