The chaos from earlier was still fresh in Elijah's mind, but the adrenaline pumping through his veins kept his focus sharp. He didn't dare slow down. Each step felt like a race against time—against fate itself. The loud crack of gunfire still echoed in his ears, even as the night air wrapped around him, cold and unforgiving.
But Dominic's words kept replaying in his mind, over and over: "I'm not letting you go." The possessiveness in those words hit him hard. Was it just about control? Or something more? Elijah couldn't make sense of it, not with everything spiraling out of control around him.
His heart pounded, both from the exertion of running and the confusion gnawing at him. He wasn't supposed to care. He wasn't supposed to feel this way. Dominic was dangerous, a mafia lord—a monster wrapped in a human shell. Elijah had seen it all firsthand. Yet, for some reason, he couldn't deny the pull Dominic had on him.
He'd tried to escape, tried to distance himself, but it was as if fate had other plans. Every time he thought he was free, something pulled him back. And now, he was running—running away from Dominic, from everything—but he didn't feel free. He felt trapped. A puppet caught in the strings of a game he didn't understand.
The streets were empty, bathed in the cold, dim glow of streetlights. Elijah ducked into a nearby alley, hiding in the shadows, hoping he was far enough from the chaos. He had to think—had to come up with a plan. But he couldn't stop thinking about Dominic.
Why couldn't he just let go?
The harsh reality of their situation hit him harder than he expected. Matteo was still out there, hunting him down. The man had no intentions of letting Elijah go either, but for very different reasons. While Dominic's obsession was rooted in something deeper, darker, Matteo's motives were more calculated, more dangerous. He wanted Elijah to betray Dominic, to rip apart the very thing that held the mafia lord together.
Elijah ran a shaky hand through his hair, trying to clear his thoughts. The truth was, he didn't know who he could trust anymore. Everyone had an agenda. But Dominic—despite his brutality, his controlling nature—had been there for him in ways Elijah hadn't expected.
Elijah had seen the softer side of him, the part that didn't want to let go. And for all the anger and frustration that came with it, there was also something else. Something he couldn't ignore. It made him wonder: was Dominic the villain in this story, or was he just a man trying to protect the one thing he truly cared about?
Before Elijah could process his thoughts any further, a noise from behind him snapped him back to reality. His breath caught in his throat as he turned to find a shadow looming at the end of the alley.
"Elijah."
The voice was cold, commanding—yet it made his heart skip a beat. Matteo.
He was here.
Elijah froze, his chest tightening. He didn't want to face Matteo—not now, not when things were already so complicated. But Matteo wasn't asking for permission. He was coming toward him, each step measured, deliberate.
"Elijah," Matteo repeated, his eyes glinting in the dim light. "You didn't think you could run from me, did you?"
Elijah took a step back, panic setting in. "Stay away from me."
"Oh, I think you'll want to hear what I have to say," Matteo said, a smile curling at the corners of his lips. "You see, I've been watching you. All of this, everything happening between you and Dominic—it's just a game, Elijah. And you're the prize."
Elijah's heart raced. "I'm not some pawn in your game, Matteo."
"Oh, but you are," Matteo said, stepping closer. "You always have been. Dominic thinks he's protecting you, but you're really just a piece on a chessboard. And guess what? I want that piece."
A chill ran down Elijah's spine. "What do you want from me?" he demanded.
Matteo's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "I want to see you take control of your own fate, Elijah. You're smarter than you think. You don't need to be his puppet. You can make your own choices. You can choose me."
Elijah stared at Matteo, disbelief and anger mixing in his chest. "You think I'd join you? After everything you've done?"
"You don't have to join me," Matteo replied, his tone casual. "But I can offer you something that Dominic can't—freedom. The choice is yours. Make the right one."
Elijah was about to retort when the sound of a car engine revving broke through the tension in the air. A black SUV skidded to a halt at the mouth of the alley, and Elijah's heart leapt in his chest. He didn't need to see who was behind the wheel—he knew. It was Dominic.
The door of the SUV flung open, and Dominic stepped out, his eyes locked on Matteo with a look of pure rage. "Get the hell away from him, Matteo," Dominic growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Matteo's smile remained as he raised his hands in mock surrender. "Careful, Dominic. You wouldn't want to make this more complicated than it already is."
"You don't have the right to be here," Dominic spat, his voice rising. "This is between me and him. Leave. Now."
Matteo tilted his head, his expression darkening. "It's too late for that. The game has already begun."
Before Dominic could react, Matteo turned and strode away, disappearing into the night as if he hadn't just thrown a challenge at their feet.
Dominic's eyes stayed fixed on the spot where Matteo had stood, his chest heaving with restrained anger. Then, finally, he turned to Elijah. "Are you okay?"
Elijah couldn't find the words. The emotions swirling inside him—anger, confusion, fear—were too much to process.
"I don't know anymore, Dominic," Elijah whispered, his voice thick. "I don't know what's real anymore."
Dominic reached for him, his hand gently gripping Elijah's wrist, pulling him closer. "I know this is all a mess. But I'm not letting you go. You belong with me, Eli. No matter what happens."
Elijah's breath caught in his throat. "I don't know if I can believe that."
Dominic's eyes softened, but there was no mistaking the intensity in his gaze. "Then you'll learn. And when you do, I'll be here."
As the night stretched on, Elijah's mind swirled with questions, but one thing was clear: the battle for his heart had only just begun. And he wasn't sure if he was ready for it.
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