Three days had passed since that night. Elena had tried to push the memory away, but the man's face haunted her. And then, he found her.
She was closing up the café when she felt a presence behind her. A shiver ran down her spine, and before she could turn, a firm hand wrapped around her wrist. She gasped, heart pounding as she looked up into those same dark eyes.
"I owe you a debt," Alessandro murmured, his voice low and commanding. "And I always pay what I owe."
Elena tried to pull away, but his grip tightened. "You don't owe me anything," she whispered, fear mixing with something else—something she refused to acknowledge.
"Oh, but I do," he said, his lips curling into a dangerous smirk. "You saved my life, and now it belongs to you. But that means you belong to me."
Her eyes widened. "That's not how it works."
Alessandro chuckled darkly. "In my world, it is."
His world. The words sent a chill through her. She had suspected he was dangerous, but now she knew for certain. He was powerful. Ruthless. And he had decided she was his.
"Let me go," she pleaded, trying again to free her wrist.
Alessandro leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "I don't think you understand, Elena. I always take care of what's mine."
Fear and something darker twisted inside her. She should have run that night. She should have left him to his fate. But she hadn't. And now, there was no escape.
The café door suddenly opened, and a coworker stepped out. "Elena, everything okay?"
Alessandro loosened his grip but didn't let go. He smiled at the intruder, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "We were just having a conversation."
Elena forced a nod. "Yeah, I'll be right there."
The moment the door closed, Alessandro's smirk faded. "You have until tomorrow to pack your things. You're coming with me."
"What?" Her heart nearly stopped.
"You belong to me now."
And just like that, her fate was sealed.