Forced Into His Dark World

The evening breeze brushed past Elena’s face as she followed her sister, Rachele, into the club. The music inside was deafening—the kind that made the floor vibrate beneath their feet—and dim, flickering bulbs switched colors at random, casting shadows that danced with the crowd.

Elena stood near the entrance—her arms folded tightly across her chest—as her eyes darted from one face to the next, scanning every corner of the room.

“Rachele, I don’t think we should be here.” She said as she leaned closer to her sister, raising her voice to compete with the blaring music.

Rachele stopped mid-step, turning to her younger sister with an incredulous look. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her tone dripping with annoyance.

Elena hesitated, glancing around nervously. “I mean… it just doesn’t feel right. I don’t know. Maybe we should just go home.”

Rachele rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “Are you always going to act like this? Like a baby?” she said, her voice sharp but not loud enough to draw attention. “Come on, Elena. You’re not a kid anymore.”

“I’m not acting like a baby,” Elena shot back, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just don’t think—”

“You never think!” Rachele interrupted, throwing her hands up. “All you do is worry. You’re always scared of something. God do you ever stop?” She let out a frustrated sigh and added, “You know what? I get that you’re younger. But can’t you at least be bold for once in your life? Just this one time?”

Elena opened her mouth to protest, starting with, “But Father said—”

“Oh, for God’s sake, don’t start with the ‘Father said’ nonsense!” Rachele cut her off, shaking her head. “You’re going to spend your entire life being his little pet aren’t you? Acting like the obedient daughter isn’t going to win you any medals Elena. It’s boring. You’re boring.”

Elena’s cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment, but before she could respond, Rachele turned on her heel. “Look, you can go home if you want,” she said over her shoulder, her figure already disappearing into the crowd. “But I won’t let you ruin my night just because you can’t handle a little fun.”

Elena stood there, watching as her sister vanished into the sea of dancing bodies, her words still ringing in her ears.

* * * * * * * *

ELENA

The second Rachele disappeared into the crowd, my stomach twisted in a way that made me want to double over. The dancing bodies, the flashing lights, the bass thumping so loudly I could feel it in my chest—it was all too much. I just couldn’t understand why Rachele always treated me like I was some kind of enemy. I was her sister for God’s sake.

Dad loved us both equally and had never favored me over her. But no matter what I did, it always felt like she saw me as a threat.

The discomfort in my stomach became unbearable, so ignoring Rachele—who was probably twirling herself into someone’s arms by now—I turned around and headed for the exit.

The smell of sweat, alcohol, and something I didn’t want to think about grew stronger the closer I got to the door. My pace quickened, desperate to get out of this suffocating place.

Finally, I reached the glass doors, but just as I was pushing them open, I bumped hard into someone. My head snapped up but the lighting was so dim that I could barely make out his face. All I could see was a tall, broad figure looming over me.

“Sorry,” I mumbled quickly, brushing past him. I didn’t have time to waste.

I pushed through the doors and stepped into the cool evening air, taking a deep breath. But before I could make it to the curb, an arm grabbed me—not roughly, but firm enough to make me stop and turn around.

My heart skipped a beat as I came face-to-face with two men dressed in black tuxedos. They were huge—their shoulders broad and intimidating, and both their expressions were blank but serious.

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

One of them stepped forward, his voice gravelly and low. “When you apologize, you should do it properly.”

I blinked, stunned. “What?” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “I didn’t bump into you.”

The man tilted his head, clearly unimpressed. “No,” he said slowly, as if I were too stupid to understand, “you bumped into our boss.”

I froze. Who were these people? And why were they acting like this was some kind of international incident?

I took a cautious step back—trying to keep some distance between us—and my hand slipped into my bag, fingers brushing against the small canister of pepper spray I always carried around with me just incase. “Look,” I said carefully, “I already said sorry to him. I didn’t even see his face, and I didn’t think it was a big deal either. So why are you making it one?”

The other man then stepped closer, his expression unreadable. “Our boss doesn’t appreciate half-hearted apologies.”

I matched his step with one of my own, retreating just enough to keep the space between us. The sky behind them was a deep orange—the last bits of sunlight giving way to night, and the stars were already peeking through.

I suddenly felt a pressing need to get out of here before it got completely dark.

“Well,” I said, trying to keep my tone steady but firm, “you can tell your boss that I said sorry. Again. And that I meant it.”

“We don’t think he’ll find that good enough.” The man closest to me said as he narrowed his eyes.

My patience snapped. “I don’t care what your boss finds good enough,” I shot back. “I don’t even know who he is. I bumped into him. I apologized. End of story.”

Without waiting for another response, I turned sharply on my heel and marched toward my car. My heart pounded, adrenaline surging through me as I climbed inside and slammed the door shut. My hands were shaking as I started the engine, but I didn’t care. I peeled out of the parking lot as fast as I could, leaving the club—and Rachele—behind.

She could dance the night away for all I cared. I wasn’t going back.

* * * * * * * *

Dominic Moretti sat on the broad leather sofa in the VIP section of the club, his sharp eyes fixed on his capos walking back towards him. Around him, beautiful women with perfectly curved bodies swayed to the rhythm of the music, their movements deliberate as they tried to catch his attention. But Dominic didn’t even glance at them. His jaw was clenched and his mind was clearly elsewhere.

As his capos came closer, his voice cut through the noise like a blade. “Where is she?” he demanded, his tone low but carrying a weight that almost made them stop in their tracks.

Fabrizio stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Boss… she refused to come.”

Dominic’s eyes darkened instantly. “She what?” His voice rose slightly, just enough to make the women dancing around him falter for a moment. “She refused? Who the hell does she think she is?”

“Boss,” Giulio interjected, his tone careful, “you need to calm down.” He sat on the sofa across from Dominic, leaning forward slightly, but Dominic wasn’t having it.

“Calm down?” Dominic snapped, his voice louder now. “You let some disrespectful girl walk away after she bumped into me and you’re telling me to ‘calm down?’”

The girl dancing on Dominic’s lap tensed, but she didn’t dare move until Dominic shoved her off him with a rough push. She let out a quiet sigh but quickly stood up, stepping to the side.

Dominic then pulled out a thick wad of cash from the suitcase beside him and tossed it at the girl. “Take it and go,” he barked. He grabbed another wad and threw it toward the other women dancing near his capos. “Get out of my sight. All of you.”

The women hesitated for a moment before scrambling to gather the cash, slipping away quickly without a word.

Alessio, standing to Dominic’s left, spoke up once the women were gone. “Boss, you’re the one who told us not to lay a finger on her, else we would’ve dragged her to you whether she liked it or not.”

Dominic’s face twitched, a flicker of regret crossing his features. “And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” he snapped, running a hand through his dark hair. “You should’ve dragged her here anyway! Does she have any idea who the hell I am?” His voice echoed.

Fabrizio stepped in again, his tone cautious but submissive. “Boss, I doubt she knows who you are. If she did then she wouldn’t have acted so foolishly.”

Dominic let out a sharp breath, his lips curling into a faint smirk. “Of course, she doesn’t know,” he muttered. “I saw her face. But I’m pretty sure she didn’t see mine.”

Giulio tilted his head, his expression curious. “So what’s the plan now boss?”

Dominic’s eyes flicked between his three most trusted men. He then leaned back against the sofa, a sly smile forming on his lips. “It’s a small world,” he said, his voice calm but laced with a cold edge. “I’ll definitely cross paths with that arrogant little girl again. And when I do…” He paused, letting the weight of his words hang in the air. “She’ll pay for her disrespecting me.”