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23- The Price of Defiance
Last Updated:
2025-02-05 22:37:24
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Ruined By Mafia 24- Darkness Closes In
The night deepened, wrapping the forest in shadows as we moved through the trees, the air cold and biting. My breath came in ragged gasps, the exhaustion settling into my bones. Every muscle in my body screamed for rest, but we couldn’t stop. Not with Marco so close. Not with every step we took feeling like it might be our last.Haines stumbled behind me, his footsteps heavy and uneven. I slowed down, turning to look at him. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear. He was barely holding on.“We have to keep moving,” I whispered urgently, grabbing his arm to steady him.“I—I can’t,” he gasped, doubling over and clutching his knees. “I can’t keep up… I’m not built for this.”I clenched my jaw, knowing he was right. His breathing was labored, each inhale sounding more desperate than the last. I could see the exhaustion etched into every line of his face. He wasn’t used to runni
Last Updated : 2025-02-06Ruined By Mafia 24- Darkness Closes In
We made our way to the cabin, slipping inside through the broken door. The interior was dark and musty, the air thick with the smell of damp wood. It was small, just one room with an old, broken-down fireplace and a single window that had long since been shattered.Haines collapsed onto the floor, his body trembling with exhaustion. I leaned against the wall, my legs shaking as I tried to steady my breathing. The weight of everything we had been through pressed down on me, heavy and suffocating. My mind was a whirlwind of fear and exhaustion, but for the first time in what felt like hours, we had a moment to catch our breath.The cabin was silent except for the sound of Haines’ ragged breathing. He was on the verge of collapse, and I couldn’t blame him. We were both pushed far beyond our limits.I glanced toward the broken window, my eyes scanning the forest beyond for any signs of movement. Marco was still out there, hunting us, and I knew he wouldn
Last Updated : 2025-02-07Ruined By Mafia 25- The Unknown Threat
The figure stood at the far end of the ravine, shrouded in darkness. My heart thudded in my chest, my breath catching as I squinted, trying to make out who—or what—was standing there. The figure didn’t move, just stood there, watching us. My pulse quickened. It wasn’t Marco. I would’ve recognized his sharp, calculated presence anywhere. But something about this person felt even more dangerous, like they were waiting for the right moment to strike.Haines took a step back, his hand gripping my arm. “Who is that?” he whispered, his voice trembling with fear.“I don’t know,” I said, my voice barely a whisper, but I knew one thing for certain: this wasn’t a good sign. Whoever they were, they weren’t here to help us.The figure moved forward slowly, their steps deliberate and measured. As they stepped out of the shadows, the faint moonlight illuminated their face. It was a man, tall and broad-shouldered, with a calm, almost casual expression on his face. His eyes, though—there was somethi
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The tension between them was palpable, and I could feel the man’s indecision in the way he shifted his weight. He wasn’t sure what to do, and that gave me just enough time.With a burst of adrenaline, I twisted beneath him, bringing my knee up and slamming it into his side. He grunted in pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to slip free.I scrambled to my feet, backing away from both men, my heart pounding in my chest.Marco watched me for a moment, then turned his attention back to the man. “You should leave while you can.”The man sneered, clearly unhappy with the turn of events, but he knew he was outmatched. He gave me one last look—cold and full of promise—before he turned and disappeared into the shadows.I stood there, panting, my body trembling with fear and exhaustion as I watched him go. Marco remained where he was, his expression still unreadable.Finally, he turned to me, his voice low.
Last Updated : 2025-02-09Ruined By Mafia 27- Into the Unknown
I ran, the forest blurring around me, branches tearing at my skin, and every breath a sharp, jagged reminder that I couldn’t stop. Marco’s footsteps crashed through the trees behind me, relentless and unforgiving. I had no sense of direction anymore—only the pounding rhythm of my heartbeat and the desperate drive to stay ahead of him.The cold air stung my lungs as I pushed harder, my legs burning with exhaustion. I could barely hear anything over the blood rushing in my ears, but Marco’s voice cut through it all.“Elena!” he shouted, his voice laced with fury. “You think you can outrun me? You’re only making this worse!”The rage in his voice sent a chill down my spine, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Haines had run, and I could only hope he was far enough away now. He wasn’t built for this, but maybe… just maybe he had gotten out. And if Marco was chasing me, it meant he wasn’t
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We ran, the forest closing in around us, the branches tearing at my skin, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Every step was a desperate attempt to stay ahead, to keep moving. Marco’s footsteps weren’t far behind, and even though his voice had faded into the distance, I could still feel him closing in.Haines stumbled next to me, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He wasn’t built for this. He’d always been someone who thrived in quiet spaces, far from danger, and now, here we were, running for our lives. I wanted to shout at him to keep going, to push through the exhaustion, but I could feel his strength fading. We couldn’t last much longer.“Elena…” Haines wheezed, grabbing my arm for support. “I—I can’t keep up.”I glanced at him, the moonlight catching the lines of fear etched into his face. His legs were trembling, his chest heaving. I knew if we kept pushing him, he’d coll
Last Updated : 2025-02-11Ruined By Mafia 29- Bound by Shadows
(Elena’s POV)The car rumbled beneath me, the engine’s hum a steady reminder of my imprisonment. Dante’s hand remained a cold iron vise around my wrist, his grip unrelenting. I stared at his hand, the way his fingers pressed into my skin, feeling the subtle strength he always managed to radiate, even when he wasn’t trying.I was trapped, and he knew it. He reveled in it.The silence in the car was suffocating, the tension like a heavy fog that I couldn’t escape. The only sound was the soft hum of the tires against the road, and I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.“Elena,” Dante’s voice broke the stillness, low and menacing, yet smooth as velvet. He dragged out my name like it was a delicate secret meant to be savored. “You made things very difficult for me.”I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath. His words were like a noose tightening around my neck, each one a
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I stood there for a moment, my mind spinning, my body trembling. Everything had happened so fast. I had been so close to freedom, so close to escaping Dante’s grasp. But now, I was back in the same place I had fought so desperately to leave. The weight of Dante’s words pressed down on me, suffocating any hope I had left.My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the bed, the soft mattress doing nothing to ease the tight knot in my chest. The room was cold despite the luxurious surroundings, and no matter how warm the blankets felt beneath my fingers, I couldn’t shake the chill that had settled into my bones.Dante’s voice echoed in my mind: *“You belong to me. Don’t ever forget that.”* It wasn’t just a warning; it was a promise. A dark, twisted promise that no matter what I did, no matter how far I ran, I would never be free of him.My hands trembled as I pressed them to my face, trying to hold back the wa
Last Updated : 2025-02-13
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Ruined By Mafia 59- Thrown into the Fire
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
Ruined By Mafia 58- Thrown into the Fire
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
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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
Ruined By Mafia 56- Dressing for Power
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
Ruined By Mafia 55- Dressing for Power
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
Ruined By Mafia 54- Preparing for the Event
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
Ruined By Mafia 53- The Training
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
Ruined By Mafia 52- The Training
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
