Rain fell softly over Milan, turning the narrow cobblestone streets into mirrors of silver and gold beneath the streetlights.
Elena Rossi pulled her coat tighter around herself as she hurried down the quiet alley, her boots echoing faintly against the wet stones. The museum had closed hours ago, and the last tram had already passed. Normally she would have taken a taxi home, but tonight she needed the walk. Her mind had been restless all evening.
The restoration project had been difficult—centuries-old paint flaking beneath her careful touch, fragile history begging to be preserved. She loved work like that. Loved the feeling of breathing life back into something forgotten.
But tonight something felt… wrong.The air was too quiet. Elena slowed her steps, glancing behind her. Nothing. Just the dim glow of lamps and the distant hum of the city. She exhaled softly, scolding herself.
You're being paranoid.
Then she heard it. A sharp sound it belongs to a man's voice it was low and sounded angry. It came from the alley just ahead.
Elena hesitated. She should leave, she knew she should but curiosity, that stubborn trait she had never been able to control, pulled her a few steps closer. Just one glance, she told herself. Just to see.She carefully stepped toward the corner of the alley and peered around it.
And immediately wished she hadn't. Three men stood beneath a flickering streetlight. Two of them were holding another man down on his knees. The third man stood in front of him. He was Tall, still,dangerously calm.he looked like he came straight out of a dark romance fantasy novel.
Even from a distance, Elena could feel something about him—something cold and powerful that seemed to silence the air around him.
The man on his knees was begging. "No… please… I swear I didn't betray you…" His voice trembled with terror.
The tall man said nothing he simply looked down at him. Then he slowly raised a gun.
Elena's breath caught in her throat.
Oh God…she should run. She needed to run.
But her feet refused to move.
The kneeling man began crying now."I have a family—please—" The gun fired.The sound exploded through the alley like thunder.
Elena gasped, stumbling backward in horror. Her elbow struck a metal trash can behind her, It crashed loudly against the wall.
The noise echoed through the alley.Silence followed. A terrible silence.
Slowly… very slowly…the tall man turned his head and looked directly at her.
Even in the dim light, Elena could see his eyes.
Dark eyes like the night itself, they were beautiful, cold and utterly merciless. The sharpness in them could cut through any lies.
He studied her for a long moment.Then he spoke calmly to the men beside him.
"Bring her to me."
Elena's heart stopped.
No.
Her body finally obeyed the command her mind had been screaming. She turned and ran because her life depends on it. Her boots splashed wildly through the rain as panic flooded her veins. Behind her she heard footsteps. Fast and heavy and it was getting closer.
A hand grabbed her arm and slammed her against the cold brick wall.
Elena cried out, fear exploding through her chest as two men pinned her in place.
The tall man from the alley approached slowly.
Dark hair slicked back. Sharp cheekbones. A straight, aristocratic nose. An expensive black coat untouched by the rain.
Power radiated from him.
The kind of power that made other men step aside without thinking.
He stopped in front of her.
Elena forced herself to meet his gaze, though every instinct screamed at her to look away.
He was the type of man mothers warned their daughters to stay away from
For a moment he simply watched her. His gaze was piercing, studying her, calculating, as if deciding whether if he should kill her or keep her.
Then he spoke, his voice was low, smooth,and refined like aged wine laced with poison. But it somehow felt more dangerous than shouting.
"You saw something you weren't meant to see."
Her throat tightened. "I—I didn't mean to…" she stammered, her voice trembling.
His expression didn't change.The rain continued falling between them. Steady and cold, it made her shiver. Then he said the words that would shatter her life forever. "Which means…" His dark eyes locked onto hers. "From tonight onward…"
A pause
"You belong to me."