DOMINO
"Maia! Maia! Help me—fuck!" The searing pain ripped through my foot as a bullet grazed my leg. I bit back a scream, the shock momentarily paralyzing me.
I fled, the narrow, shadowed alley a labyrinth of darkness. Disoriented, lost, and hunted, my only thought was escape.
The mission had imploded. My life hung precariously in the balance. The carefully laid seduction had backfired spectacularly.
I'd given him my virginity, believing it the key to success. My sacrifice had been in vain.
He'd known all along. He knew my identity, my purpose. The cunning bastard had used my own strategy against me, turning me into the hunted.
Another gunshot echoed in the night. I pressed my earpiece. "Maia! Backup! Maia!" My voice was a desperate plea, swallowed by the static on the other end.
Oh God. They'd found her too. We were in deep shit.
[ "This woman… is mine—F*CK YOU! BASTARD!!!" ]
A man's enraged voice, followed by Maia's screams, shattered the night. We were hopelessly compromised. My lungs burned, two hours of relentless pursuit having taken its toll.
A flicker of hope ignited as I spotted an abandoned building, its window shattered, offering a potential sanctuary.
The place reeked of neglect, long deserted. A temporary refuge. A chance to regroup.
I scrambled through the broken window, collapsing inside, my breath ragged. I waited, listening until the sounds of pursuit faded into the distance. Only then did I allow myself to breathe, to try and regain some semblance of control.
What now? My cover as a student was blown. My fabricated orphan backstory was useless. Survival was my only priority. I had to get back to headquarters, report what I'd learned.
I closed my eyes, the weight of it all pressing down.
"You should know that you wouldn't be able to escape from me… Domino."
His voice, a low, gravelly caress, sent shivers down my spine. His presence, a tangible threat.
"Seriously?" I muttered, rising to my feet, ready to flee. But before I could reach the window, he seized me, his arms a vise around my waist and chest, his hand brushing against my throat.
My heart hammered against my ribs, his scent, a heady mix of danger and desire, filling my senses. He tilted my head, his eyes locking onto mine. Then, he kissed me, a searing, possessive kiss that stole my breath.
My strength ebbed away, but I fought back, trying to break free from his embrace. But he was too strong.
I bit his lip, making him recoil for a moment. "Stop this! You already have what you wanted from—"
He silenced me with another kiss, his tongue invading my mouth. I couldn't deny the pull, the primal dominance he exerted over me.
We kissed for what felt like an eternity. Then, a strange taste, metallic and sharp, filled my mouth.
I elbowed him, staggering back, coughing, gasping for air. What the hell was that?
Before I could comprehend, darkness consumed me. I felt myself being lifted, his gaze burning into mine as he spoke.
"I didn't… I only claimed you as a woman, love. I'll claim your heart too."
His words were the last thing I heard before oblivion claimed me, in the arms of Vhon Xandreus Darwish, the enigmatic professor, the man I was supposed to eliminate.