After a night of raw, unrelenting passion, Damien lay beside Luca, his fingers tracing the soft contours of his lover's exposed back. The dim glow of the bedside lamp cast golden shadows over Luca’s delicate frame, making his porcelain skin appear almost luminous. Damien’s breath hitched as he gazed at him, utterly mesmerized.

“My perfect angel,” he murmured, his voice thick with possessiveness. “Do you even understand what you do to me?”

Luca stirred slightly, but Damien caught his chin, tilting it upward so he could study his beauty from every angle. He admired the contrast between the marks he had left on Luca’s skin and the purity of his soft features. His thumb brushed over Luca’s parted lips, his hunger for him insatiable.

“I should lock you away,” Damien continued, his tone darker, more obsessive. “Keep you all to myself where no one can lay eyes on you. No one deserves to witness your beauty but me.”

Luca flushed at his words, both aroused and terrified by the intensity of Damien’s obsession.

Damien’s grip tightened around Luca’s waist as he whispered in his ear, “But you’ve pleased me, little one. I suppose I can grant you a reward.” He smirked, tracing Luca’s jawline with his gloved fingers. “You may see your sister again. But on my terms.”

Luca blinked up at him, trying to suppress the shiver that ran through his spine.

“And what are those terms?” he asked cautiously.

Damien’s smirk widened, his gaze darkening. “You will be escorted by my men. You will not speak of me, of our arrangement, of anything I do not permit. And if you so much as hint at escape—” His voice dipped to a chilling whisper as he pressed his lips to Luca’s ear. “I will burn down everything you hold dear. Do you understand, moya lyubov'?”

Luca swallowed hard, nodding slowly. He had no choice but to obey.

Damien cupped Luca’s cheek, his expression shifting into something almost reverent. “Good boy.” His thumb brushed over Luca’s bottom lip again before he leaned in, capturing him in a deep, possessive kiss. “Now, be sweet for me, and maybe—just maybe—I’ll let you see your sister sooner rather than later.”

**** At night ,

Damien led Luca into the opulent restaurant, its chandeliers casting golden light across the lavish interior. Luca’s heart pounded against his ribs, a mixture of anxiety and anticipation coiling in his stomach. He had agreed to Damien’s terms, a reluctant participant in the twisted game of control and submission. Tonight, however, there was a twist he hadn’t foreseen.

Seated at an isolated corner of the restaurant was Valarie.

Luca froze, his breath hitching. His sister was here. Damien had invited her.

Valarie’s eyes widened as she spotted him, her expression shifting from relief to barely contained fury. She stood, pushing her chair back aggressively. "Luca," she said, her voice edged with a mixture of disbelief and concern. "What the hell is going on?"

Luca shot a glance at Damien, who leaned back in his seat, exuding a deadly sort of amusement. "Sit," Damien commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. "We’re having a family dinner."

Valarie’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, but she did as told, her glare cutting through the tension. Luca swallowed hard and slowly lowered himself into the seat across from her. Damien, ever the master manipulator, draped an arm over Luca’s chair possessively, his fingers ghosting against his nape.

"Why did you invite her?" Luca asked under his breath, his voice trembling with a mixture of gratitude and fear.

Damien smirked. "Because I wanted to see if she’s as sharp as you claim. Let’s see if she can keep up."

Valarie’s gaze darted between Luca and Damien, her instincts screaming that something was deeply wrong. "Luca, why won’t you come home? Mom and Dad are worried sick. They think you’re studying, but I know that’s a lie. What’s he done to you?"

Luca opened his mouth to respond, but Damien beat him to it. "Your brother is exactly where he belongs. Safe. Protected. Cared for in ways your family never could."

Valarie’s jaw tightened. "You’re delusional if you think I’m going to let this continue."

Damien chuckled darkly, his grip on Luca’s shoulder tightening. "Oh, but it already has."

Luca felt trapped between them—his sister, burning with righteous fury, and Damien, possessive, cruel, and unwavering. The tension in the air was suffocating, and he knew that tonight would not end without consequences.

Valarie's eyes flickered with concern . "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

Luca nodded quickly, glancing at Damien, who pulled out a chair for him. "I'm fine. Let's just eat and talk."

As they settled in, the tension between Damien and Valarie thickened. She studied him with open hostility, her jaw set in a firm line. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Volkov, but I'm not going to let you control my brother."

Damien chuckled, swirling the wine in his glass before taking a slow sip. "Control? That's a strong word, Valarie. Luca is exactly where he wants to be."

"Is that so?" she scoffed, crossing her arms. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like he's your prisoner."

Luca swallowed hard, his fingers tightening around the silverware. "Valarie, please—"

"No, Luca!" she cut him off. "This is insane. You got kidnapped, and suddenly you're dining with him? Do you even hear yourself?"

Damien leaned forward, his icy gaze locking onto hers. "You seem to forget that your brother is an adult, capable of making his own decisions."

"Decisions?" she sneered. "Like what? Living under your thumb? Being kept like some possession?"

The air crackled with tension. Luca could feel Damien’s temper simmering beneath the surface, but to his surprise, the mafia king smirked. "Possession, you say? Maybe. But if he was truly unhappy, he wouldn’t be here."

Valarie turned to Luca, desperation in her eyes. "Tell me the truth, Luca. Are you here because you want to be, or because he won’t let you leave?"

Luca hesitated. His mind screamed the truth, but he couldn’t say it. Not here. Not now.

Damien reached for Luca’s hand possessively, his grip firm. "He’s right where he belongs."

The restaurant's atmosphere was thick with tension as Damien Volkov and Valarie Ivanov sat across from each other, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. Luca sat between them, his body rigid, his hands trembling beneath the table. This was the moment he had feared—a direct confrontation between his captor and his sister.

Valarie’s sharp gaze was unwavering, her jaw clenched as she took in the sight of her brother, dressed in the finest tailored suit, looking like a prized possession rather than a free man.

“So, the great Damien Volkov,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain. “The man who thinks he can own my brother like he owns everything else.”

Damien chuckled, swirling the dark liquid in his glass before taking a slow sip. He leaned back, exuding an air of untouchable authority, his predatory gaze flickering between Luca and Valarie. “Own? That’s an interesting choice of words.” His lips curled into a smirk. “Luca is here by his own will, isn’t that right, my love?”

Luca stiffened, feeling the weight of both their gazes on him. His throat went dry, his mind scrambling for the right words. He knew Valarie wouldn’t believe a word of his forced responses, but Damien’s unyielding presence beside him reminded him of the consequences of defiance.

“I… I’m fine, Valarie,” Please stop it. he whispered, barely able to meet her gaze.

“Fine?” she repeated incredulously, slamming her hand on the table, causing the silverware to clatter. “Luca, you’re lying! Look at you! You’re scared, you’re trapped—”

Damien exhaled sharply, shaking his head with amusement. “Such dramatics. Do you think you can simply storm in here and take him away from me? You have no idea what you’re up against.” His voice darkened, his patience wearing thin.

Valarie leaned forward, her voice dropping to a low whisper. “You think I don’t know who you are? What you’ve done? I’ve been watching you, Volkov. You’re a monster, and I will do whatever it takes to get my brother away from you.”

Damien’s smile faltered, his eyes glinting with something lethal. “Is that so?” He tilted his head, studying her with mild amusement, but there was no mistaking the threat beneath his expression.

Luca’s heart pounded, the air around them suffocating. He had to intervene before this turned into something irreversibly violent. “Valarie, please,” he begged, gripping her hand. “This isn’t the time or place.”

But Valarie wasn’t deterred. “You’re not staying with him, Luca. I won’t let you.”

Damien placed his glass down with a deliberate thud. “And what, exactly, do you think you can do about it?”

Valarie’s fists clenched. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

A slow, dangerous smile spread across Damien’s lips. “I look forward to it.”

Luca shuddered. He knew that this was only the beginning of the storm. ********

The argument between Damien and Valarie had already reached a boiling point. Valarie, eyes blazing with fury, clenched her fists as Damien smirked at her arrogance. "You think you can take Luca away from me?" Damien sneered, his voice dripping with condescension.

Valarie didn't hesitate. Her fist connected with Damien’s jaw, the impact echoing through the restaurant. Gasps filled the air as tables trembled from the sheer force of her punch. Damien stumbled slightly, his expression darkening with something far more dangerous than anger—pure, unfiltered wrath.

a slow, predatory grin as blood dripped from his split lip."You little brat," Damien growled, wiping his lip with the back of his hand before lunging. His hand wrapped around Valarie's throat, slamming her against the nearest table, causing glasses and plates to shatter onto the floor.

Luca screamed, rushing forward, but Damien’s glare froze him in place.

"Stay out of this, Luka," Damien warned, his voice low and menacing. "This is between me and your dear sister."

Valarie struggled, gasping for air as she clawed at Damien's wrist. Before he could tighten his grip, a force yanked him backward.

Valarie’s boyfriend, the detective, tackled Damien, landing a solid punch to his ribs. Damien twisted, retaliating with a brutal knee to the detective’s stomach. The man stumbled back, coughing, but stood his ground.

"You think you can take me on, cop?" Damien sneered, cracking his knuckles. "I’ve ended men for less."

Damien scoffed, straightening his suit and wiping the blood from his lip. "You have no idea who you’re dealing with, detective. Stay out of this."

Valarie’s boyfriend met his gaze with unwavering resolve. "Try me."

Luca threw himself between them, pressing his hands against Damien’s chest, pleading. "Please, Damien, stop! Please!" His voice broke with desperation, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

For a moment, something flickered in Damien’s gaze, but then his grip tightened around Luca’s wrist. "We’re leaving," he declared, his voice final.

Meanwhile, Luca clutched Valarie’s arm, his heart pounding. "Valarie, please. I promise you, I'll make this end. Just trust me."

Valarie searched her brother’s eyes, hesitation flickering across her face. Luca’s plea held weight, but she knew Damien was a monster who wouldn't let go so easily.

Valarie gasped for breath, eyes blazing. "Luca, don’t go with him! He’s a monster!"

Luca turned, his expression unreadable, before whispering, "I’ll make this end. Trust me."

With a final glance at her brother, Valarie exhaled sharply and nodded. "You better keep that promise, Luca."

Luca turned to Damien, his expression unreadable. Without another word, he followed Damien out of the restaurant, the weight of his promise pressing heavy on his shoulders.

Damien dragged him out of the restaurant, leaving shattered glass, overturned tables, and a seething Valarie in his wake. The war had truly begun.