Dallion had just wrapped up a tense meeting with one of the magistrates from two towns over about a pending case on one of their Mafia who had a pending case. He had made sure the magistrate had understood him clearly and there was no way the old magistrate was going to act against him.
He leaned back in his black luxury sedan, the vehicle slicing through the night with its tinted windows concealing him from the world outside. Rain pounded mercilessly against the car, not the gentle, soothing kind, but like a strong and a fierce downpour that seemed to fall straight from the depths of hell. The slick, wet streets reflected the streetlights like shattered glass. In the front seat, his driver wore a black leather jacket, collar raised high to protect his neck from the biting cold. His eyes, hidden behind dark aviators, flicked from side to side as he navigated through the rain-soaked streets. Every raindrop that hit the windshield was wiped away with mechanical precision, but the storm seemed relentless, never giving them a moment’s peace. Dallion’s icy-blue eyes watched the city pass by through the slightly cracked window, the world distorted by the rain. His mind wasn’t in the meeting that he'd just concluded, nor the threats that had been exchanged. It was on something else. Someone else. A smile tugged at his lips—a cruel, knowing smile—as the image of jade-green eyes and a defiant smirk appeared in his thoughts. She had an umbrella that day, standing out in the rain like she wasn’t afraid of a thing. The memory of that figure stirred something dark and unfamiliar in him. That he didn’t seem to like it even a bit. As they turned off the main road and approached the entrance to his sprawling estate, the car's tires crunched over the wet gravel. The electric gates slid open as if the storm couldn’t touch them. Inside the compound, men in black suits moved in silence, their faces unreadable, their eyes following Dallion's car with unflinching respect. The car came to a stop under the covered entrance of the mansion. Before the car door could fully open, one of the guards in a black trench coat had his umbrella ready, shielding Dallion from the rain. Dallion stepped out, his Italian leather shoes clicking against the wet pavement. His sharp suit remained dry, thanks to the efficient guard. He didn’t even spare the man a glance. "How's the weather treating you, Raven?" Dallion asked, his voice a deep, calm rumble as he walked towards the front steps. The guard stiffened slightly but responded without hesitation. "It's cold, boss." "Is that all?" Dallion’s eyes narrowed, but his voice remained neutral. He glanced back at his car. "You didn’t check the horses." Raven’s pulse quickened, knowing full well Dallion wasn't talking about any real horses. His ‘horses’ referred to the precious fleet of cars they maintained, each one of the cars was as valuable as a life in Dallion's twisted world. And Dallion had a way of making sure everyone paid the price for negligence. "Apologies, boss. I’ll handle it immediately," Raven said, bowing his head. Dallion gave a brief nod before walking up the marble steps into the mansion, where his butler, Nickison, waited at the door. His coat was taken swiftly, and as he entered, a familiar figure emerged from the grand staircase. Rose, his younger step-sister, stood at the top of the stairs, her black dress a sharp contrast to her fair skin and platinum blonde hair tied in high twin pigtails. She was seventeen but she was already vicious enough to make grown men shiver. Her smile was a weapon she wielded effortlessly. “Did everything go well, big brother?” Rose asked sweetly, her voice dripping with false innocence. Dallion didn’t bother with pleasantries. “You look ridiculous with that hair. Cut it off before I have someone do it for you.” Rose’s smile faltered for only a second before she composed herself, the venom slowly seeping into her eyes. “You’re always so charming. It wouldn’t kill you to say something nice to me, you know.” Nickison, who was standing nearby, swallowed nervously, he did not want to be part of this exchange. He knew better than to get caught in the middle of their sibling rivalry—one that often ended with someone especially the bystanders like him and the maids in the hospital. Or worse killed. Dallion tilted his head slightly, his expression devoid of any warmth. “You being nice? When was that, Nickison? I don’t remember such a day.” Nickison, caught off guard, stiffened. “I… I’m not sure, sir.” Rose’s glare shifted towards Nickison, but he quickly bowed his head, pretending not to notice. Dallion smirked, enjoying the tension. “You’re such a child, Rose,” Dallion muttered, stepping forward. “Grow up before you become a liability.” Her eyes narrowed, but before she could retort, she smirked—a dangerous glint in her eyes. “By the way, Grace’s been snooping around in the attic. With that little mouse of yours.” Dallion stopped dead in his tracks, his entire demeanor shifting into something darker. A slow, menacing smile spread across Rose’s face as she watched the flicker of anger in her brother’s cold eyes. Nickison froze, knowing this was about to turn ugly. “Grace wouldn’t dare,” Dallion said, his voice low, dangerous. Rose shrugged, walking past him with an exaggerated sway in her hips. “Why don’t you ask her yourself? I’m sure she’d love to explain what your little mouse has been up to.” With that, Rose disappeared down the hall, leaving Dallion standing in the grand foyer, his mind ticking. Nickison, ever the observant butler, could see the tension mounting in Dallion’s frame. “Nickison,” Dallion said, his voice eerily calm. “Yes, sir?” Nickison asked, already dreading the answer, this wasn't right in any way. “Find Grace. Now.”Nickison gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down in his throat at his master's question. What was he going to reply? "Answer quickly, Nickison. Don't keep me waiting here," Dallion spoke to him intimidatingly. His voice still in an even tone, never raised until now. The few years he had worked for this man in this very mansion as the butler, Nickison had not once heard him raise his voice. But maybe if he had, it would be less dangerous than the smiling expression now directed at him, sending chills through his bones. Nickison bowed deeply, hoping his master wouldn’t cut his neck off for this simple mistake. "Master Dallion, Lady Grace had the girl out of the room when I was asked to supervise the kitchen," he explained. As simple as the matter was, a lot of powerful people like Dallion didn’t leave room for mistakes. He held his breath, waiting to hear the young master of the Cross empire mansion say something.
Sherryl Rain stood in the rain, her eyelashes dripping with the water that slid from her wet hair to her forehead, then down to her eyes. If she hadn't been sure before, now there was no doubt: the man who had bought her off the black market was a devil. Dallion was cold and evil, with no trace of humanity in his soul. It wasn't just the darkness that surrounded them—the rain blurred her vision, making it hard to tell weeds from plants. When she crouched down, pulling out weeds by mistake, she realized she had also yanked out some of the good plants, which Dallion had already planned to punish her for further. But, just as Dallion had said, the rain finally let up, leaving only the cold wind to lash against her, making her shiver in the drenched dress that clung to her body, heavy and cumbersome from all the water it had absorbed. Now able to see the garden more clearly, she glanced down at the ruined plants and grimaced internally. Kill me now, she thought. Hiding the good ones
Sherry was staring at Dallion, listening to his serious words about the plants in front of them. The topic had shifted from the weeds to the plants she had mistakenly pulled out. There was a certain earnestness in his voice, as if he had planted them himself. Narcissist, she thought. This was her punishment, but here he was, crouching next to her, though in far better condition. Her drenched clothes clung to her body, heavy with moisture, and she felt like she was freezing in the middle of winter. She glanced at his muddy hands, which were busy replanting the uprooted plant. "Did you get it?" he asked, flicking his hand across her forehead, sending specks of mud onto her nose. "Stop daydreaming and staring at me. I know I’m handsome." Narcissist man, Sherry thought again, only to see Dallion narrow his eyes as if he had heard her. Could he read her mind? She gulped when his intense gaze didn’t leave her face. "I apologize for my rudeness," she said, ducking her head, wishing his
The butler, Nickison was outside running his errands, trying to avoid the looming wrath of his boss, Dallion Cross, as he had failed to follow orders of watching over the room he'd locked Sherry in. When he reached the garage, he overheard the staff speaking loudly—a rare occurrence, as they usually spoke in hushed tones. The butler’s eyes widened at the mention of five hundred thousand dollars. He had heard that this girl was bought for a thousands of dollars, a rumor spread by the housekeeper who had, in turn, heard it from the security team. But five hundred thousand? Was this girl really worth that much? Was she made of diamonds? Nickison thought to himself, glancing at the girl who looked like she hadn't showered in days. The shock mirrored on the faces of the house staff before he composed himself and stepped into the garage, resuming his role of checking the new kitchen products that were brought . "Making a mess where cars are cleane
Sherry didn't object, but neither did she make a move for a good ten seconds. Seeing Dallion with his legs parted as he sat at the edge of the king-sized bed, she wondered what to do. "I can do it myself, Dallion. You don't have to," she said, her tone careful. If there was one thing she had learned during her punishment, it was that the rain didn’t matter when you were in it, but after, when the wind blew through drenched clothes, that was the true punishment. It made her shiver violently. The storm clouds still hung outside, ominous and dark. She couldn’t afford another round in the rain, and who knew what worse torment Dallion had in store for her if she defied him? The thought alone made her feel like she was walking on glass, afraid of each step. "Rubbish. I don’t want you catching a cold. Sit." His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument, while he waited with a towel in his hand. And whose fault was it? He had lef
It seemed like an open warning to her that this was what was going to happen if she ever tried to escape. Sherryl didn’t know if it was a mafia thing, but why did he want to keep her here? Was she just part of his amusement, something to toy with while he enjoyed threatening and terrifying her? He could have chosen any other captive, but, to her misfortune or maybe fortune, this man had bought her—not for a small price, but for thousands of dollars. When the door to the room was knocked upon, Dallion didn’t even bother looking up as he said, “Come inside, Nickison.” It seemed like he could tell who it was just by the sound of the knock or the timing. The butler entered, pushing a trolley of food. “Leave it here. Dismissed,” Dallion’s words were brief, and the butler didn’t stay a second longer than necessary. He stepped out, closing the door behind him. Sherryl eyed the food. It looked mouth-watering, and the smell was magnificent, making her stomach ru
It appeared that they were not only sharing the same bed but also the same blanket. Sherry gingerly lifted the covers and got inside the bed, making sure she stayed as far as she could from him. If she were to move further to her left, she would only fall flat on the sleek marble floor, cold and unforgiving. She had slept on this bed before, so she remembered how soft it was, but with Dallion next to her, she doubted she would be able to sleep soundly. Taking a quick glance at him, she noticed the glasses perched on his nose, something she hadn’t seen before. Did mafia bosses like him need glasses? How odd, Sherry thought to herself. Seeing that he was no longer talking to her and had immersed himself in reading, the man seemed somewhat calmer—his usual cold, intense aura replaced with something that seemed... reasonable. For now, at least. The dim lighting from the lamp on his nights
Sherry hurriedly dashed to the bathroom again, hoping she had escaped Dallion's watchful eye. She wondered if he had been awake the whole time. But then, his voice cut through her thoughts, “I give you a bed that’s custom-made, unrivaled in these parts of Bone lake city, and you say it was just okay?” Sherry quietly thanked her stars that he wasn’t speaking of what she feared. Maybe he had been asleep at the time. “A comfortable bed doesn’t assure anyone a good sleep. Sometimes a hard floor with freedom brings more satisfaction than the confinement of any room, no matter how luxurious the bed.” Sherry wasn’t trying to provoke him, but he had told her to speak freely what was on her mind the night before. Taking a small risk, she spoke a little bolder than usual this morning. Dallion’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he observed her defiance. This little mouse was still trying to run, unaware that her fate was already sealed. He’d let her believe there was hope, for now. But soon, s
Was she supposed to nod and smile, pretending to share his twisted sense of humor? Or should she keep quiet, blending into the car seat as if she were part of its upholstery? "Women who’ve tasted these lips don’t let go that easily," Dallion mused suddenly, his voice shifting to something almost playful. "They keep coming back. Even if I insult them, they can't resist. Masochists, wouldn’t you agree?" Sherry blinked, her mind scrambling for an answer. How was she supposed to comment on his past entanglements? But she could understand why women, even those with a semblance of self-respect, might flock to him. It wasn’t just his sharp jawline or commanding presence—it was the arrogance he wore like armor, daring anyone to challenge him. "Tell me, Sherry," Dallion’s tone turned curious, almost teasing. "What do you think people say about me? Through your eyes." He leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs casually, though his gaze pinned her like a hawk sizing up its prey. "It do
Sherryl stilled her heart, trying to push down the swell of emotions that threatened to rise. She didn’t want to show him how much his actions perplexed her. The seconds stretched endlessly, and her thoughts tangled, trying to make sense of why Dallion had just gifted her something as significant as a family heirloom—a pendant that once belonged to his mother. Yet here he was, standing right in front of her, his expression as unreadable as ever, his sharp crimson gaze boring into her soul. It wasn’t fear anymore. Or at least, that’s what Sherryl told herself. Maybe at first, she had been terrified of this mafia lord, after all, he had stabbed the auctioneer who sold her in the black market with the precision and grace of someone unbothered by consequence. The sheer memory sent a shiver down her spine. Yet tonight, in this secluded attic, he had her thinking, questioning his motives. Why her? Why this? Sherryl recalled the
Sheryl had thought the mark Dallion was talking about was either a tattoo with the Cross empire's emblem but she was wrong, after giving the locket to her, she was about to ask him another question when she felt a sudden pain in her arm.Sherryl flinched at the sudden pain of the cold metal brushing her skin, a sharp blade grazing against her hand as if it were testing her limits. The nick wasn’t deep but just enough to sting, drawing a thin line of crimson that dripped slowly. Dallion released her hand, his dark, brooding eyes watching her reaction with the intensity of a predator. She yanked her hand away, clutching it against her chest, but her gaze dropped instinctively to the shallow cut he had made. "Why did you do that?" she asked breathlessly, her voice barely above a whisper, her shock painted vividly on her face. Was he so cold-blooded that he decided to use her as his personal toy to torment, a pawn in his twisted game?
The Cross Empire Sherryl’s curiosity got the better of her, despite the fear curling in her stomach. "What is it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Dallion leaned closer, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "The eternal vow. A bond that ties your very existence to mine. A mark that cannot be undone, binding you to me forever. Body, mind, and soul." Dallion, instead of giving her a direct answer, raised his hand, placing a finger on his lips in a motion to silence her. "It's a secret, little mouse. One that's not to be spoken of," he said with a teasing smirk that didn’t quite reach his cold, calculating eyes. Then, with the same intensity, he added, "Tell me, Sherryl. What do you think you’ll receive today?" Sherryl Rain fought the urge to roll her eyes but instead replied with cautious neutrality, “How would I know, Master Dallion?”
Sherryl’s heart sank like a stone. The word collar clawed at her dignity, and she stiffened, her voice breaking slightly as she replied, "I am not an animal, Dallion." "Then the mark it is," he declared without hesitation. Her widening eyes didn’t faze him. "What? No!" she stepped back, her pulse quickening. But with every step she took, Dallion's gaze grew colder, cutting through her resistance like frost slicing through fragile glass. "Do not test me, Sherryl Rain," he said, his voice dropping to a deadly calm. "I’ve told you before, I don’t tolerate defiance. If we were in someone else’s home tonight, you'd be in far worse trouble. Not all men are as... considerate as I am." The weight of his words pressed down on her. Her stomach churned, but her mind couldn’t resist the urge to retort. "Then don’t take me to t
"Good evening, Mr. Dallion," greeted the man, his tone formal but laced with an undercurrent of tension. He inclined his head slightly, his well-groomed blonde hair shifting momentarily before settling back into place. "Evening, Jerry Locks," Dallion replied, his casual smile betraying nothing. Sherryl instinctively shifted closer to Dallion, her movements subtle but unmistakable, like a bird seeking shelter from a brewing storm. "Is this your so-called captive?" Jerry Locks asked, his lips curving into a thin, polite smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "You should be careful about parading her around without a proper tag. It sends the wrong message, like she’s available for... anyone’s attention." Sherryl stiffened at his words, her gut twisting with disgust. She tried to mask her emotions, but the slight curl of her lips betrayed her thoughts. It didn’t matter, though. Jerry Locks noticed. He was the man Dallion'
As Dallion finished his drink, Alexander's remarks continued to play in his mind, “Changing a captive's mindset after what they endure is no easy task.” His voice carried the weight of experience, as someone deeply familiar with the workings of underground organizations. Though the Cross empire didn’t house its operations near the City, but in the shadows of Bone lake and it's neighbors, Alexander as one of the four strong Mafias, ensured he knew every breath and whisper that echoed through the cities. Dallion inclined his head slightly, understanding the layers of Alexander's words. The torment inflicted to captives in those places didn’t just break bodies—it shattered wills, molding captives into submissive beings who clung to their captors for survival. The fear of rebellion, fueled by the knowledge of inevitable punishment, kept them compliant. Anyone who entered those gates rarely emerged unchanged. The few who resisted either
Sherry stood silently behind Dallion, her head tilted slightly downward, avoiding the scrutinizing gazes of the mafia elites. Her presence, while unnoticed by some, still drew lingering whispers among those who couldn’t understand why the Cross Empire’s most feared don had brought along someone so out of place. Meanwhile, Dallion entertained a small group of sycophants, his sharp tongue delivering sarcastic barbs that left no room for retorts. "Mr. Cross, you should consider visiting our new penthouse. Father had it refurbished just last month. Would you be interested in an exclusive tour?" proposed one of the women, her voice laced with obvious admiration. "Why not? Perhaps the next business meeting could be hosted there," Dallion replied smoothly, his smirk disarming yet dripping with mockery. He cast a questioning glance at the others. "What do you all think?" A murmur of agreement ripple
"I have no idea what you’re talking about, Master Dallion,” Sherry replied, her voice steady, while her heart beat against her chest like a warning bell. She fought to keep her pulse hidden from his sharp eyes, knowing well how closely he was observing her. Dallion’s smile remained unmoved, a wicked glint dancing in his eyes that made her wary of his intentions. He took a step forward, closer than she liked, murmuring, “Shall we retrace the moment that made those cheeks of yours go crimson? You're quite the little mouse, aren’t you? Oh, excuse me, my bad. Big mouse,” he added, his tone mockingly apologetic. “I'm a kind master, after all. Who else would tailor a name specifically for their captive, hmm?” “Could you please avoid calling me that?” She gave a slight frown, finding his words unnervingly odd yet infuriating. She knew he was playing with her, trying to get under her skin. “But didn’t you protest when I called y