I saw a man, a young man, his sharp gaze locking onto mine.
I spun to run, but before I could take a step, his hand gripped my arm, yanking me back. “Not so fast, young lady,” he smirked.
The man’s grip tightened on my arm as I stared at the lifeless body on the floor. Blood pooled beneath Alexus Winfield, staining the once-pristine carpet. My chest heaved, my mind struggling to process what had just happened.
Then it hit me, all at once. The gunshot. The blood. The murderer standing right in front of me.
I opened my mouth and screamed. “Help! Somebody help! Call the police!”
The man didn’t flinch. Instead, he laughed—a low, cold sound that sent chills down my spine.
“Go ahead and scream,” he said. “No one’s coming to save you. Not after that explosion. Everyone’s too busy running for their lives. You’re stuck with me.”
His words made my stomach churn, but I forced myself to stand tall. “What do you want? Are you going to kill me too?”
“Kill you?” He raised an eyebrow, amused. “Why would I kill my alibi?”
“Alibi?” I repeated, my voice trembling. “No. You’re not going to use me as your alibi. You just killed a man, and I want no part of this!”
He chuckled again, his grip unwavering. “You think you have a choice? You saw everything. Do you really think I’m going to let you walk out of here and ruin my perfect crime?”
“Perfect crime?” I scoffed, glaring at him despite my fear. “There’s no such thing. The police will find you. I’ll make sure of it. I’ll testify against you.”
His eyes darkened, the amusement fading. “Then I guess I have no choice but to take you with me,” he said flatly. “You’re not going anywhere until I’m done.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” I said, my voice sharper now. “Do you have any idea who I am? I’m the—”
I stopped myself just in time, the words catching in my throat. My identity. If he knew who I was, he could use it against me. I clenched my fists, swallowing hard, and said nothing more.
The man tilted his head, watching me closely. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”
I ignored his taunt, my voice steadier now. “Why are you doing this? Why did you kill him? Who even are you?”
He smirked, his eyes flicking briefly to Alexus’s lifeless body. “He deserved to die. Do you know how many people lost their lives because of him? Because of his healthcare scams?”
“That doesn’t justify murder!” I snapped. “What you did is illegal!”
The man laughed again, shaking his head. “Illegal?” he echoed, his tone mocking. “There’s no legal in this field.”
I stared at him, my confusion mounting. “What does that even mean?”
He shrugged, the smirk still on his face. Then he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“Ever heard of a mafia?”
My blood ran cold.
I blinked, stunned. “Mafia?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
The man’s smirk deepened, but he said nothing.
I’d heard of mafias before, of course. Stories, rumors—people talked about them in hushed tones, like ghost stories from a time long past. But I’d never thought they still existed, at least not here in this city. Thugs, criminals, sure, but a full-blown mafia? That felt like a relic of history.
“You’re… you’re a member of a mafia?” I asked, my voice hesitant.
Before he could answer, the door burst open, and another man stepped in. He was lean but muscular, dressed in black, his face grim.
“Boss,” the newcomer said, his tone urgent. “Elevator’s working. We can go now.”
The tattooed man nodded. “What about Xander?”
The other man hesitated, glancing at me before answering. “We couldn’t get him. He’s down with a lot of people from the ground floor so it’s not save to shoot him.”
I blinked. He was also going to kill Xander?
The tattooed man let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “Smart boy,” he muttered. Then his gaze shifted back to me, and the amusement returned to his expression. “At least I got his loving girl.”
I froze, the words slicing through me like a blade. “Excuse me?” I said. That felt like an insult right now. “You’ve got the wrong girl. Xander doesn’t care about me. He’s busy with his new bride!”
The man tilted his head, his smirk widening as he studied me. He stepped closer, the weight of his presence suffocating.
“Then,” he said, his voice low and smooth, “I’ll make you my bride now.”
My heart stopped.
