The night was thick with heat, the kind that clung to your skin and made it hard to breathe, like the city itself was holding its breath. The neon lights of *Raven's* bar flickered as the hum of music mixed with the clinking of glasses and low murmurs of drunken conversations.
Lila Dunn hadn't meant to be here. She was supposed
to be home, curled up with a book, like any decent woman in her mid-twenties. But life didn't always follow the script. Her best friend, Emily, had dragged her out for a drink, and here she was, sitting at a sticky table in the back corner, the glass of wine untouched in front of her. The place was too loud, too wild, the air too thick with smoke and secrets.
"Relax," Emily said, her laughter ringing out above the noise. "You need to get out more. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet someone who isn't obsessed with their work."
Lila forced a smile. "I'm not looking for anyone."
But she was, wasn't she? Or at least, she had been once. Back when life wasn't a constant shuffle between meetings and deadlines. When she'd still believed in the idea of love—real love. Something pure. But that was before she'd seen the darkness of the world up close, before she'd realized that love often came with a price.
The door to the bar swung open, letting in a rush of cool air. That's when she saw him.
He didn't look like the usual crowd at Raven's. His tailored suit, sharp enough to cut glass, screamed power. His eyes, hidden beneath the brim of his fedora, scanned the room, and Lila instinctively held her breath. She'd heard whispers of men like him—the kind who walked through the shadows of the city, always in control. Always dangerous.
He wasn't just anyone.
He was **Dominic "The Bull" Caruso**, the name that haunted every corner of this town. The kind of man who could make you disappear with a single glance. A ruthless enforcer for the Caruso crime family, known for his brutality and cold precision.
Lila tried to avert her gaze, but there was something magnetic about him. It wasn't just his size—tall, broad, intimidating—it was something deeper. The darkness in his eyes. The weight of something untold, something dangerous, that hung around him like a thick fog.
Dominic walked straight to the bar, his presence cutting through the noise like a knife. Conversations stopped, and even the bartender hesitated before serving him.
But then, as if feeling the weight of Lila's stare, he turned. His gaze locked onto hers from across the room.
A jolt ran through her, her heart skipping a beat. She quickly looked away, but she couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on her. He hadn't said a word, but she could feel the tension building between them, thick and unspoken.
"Maybe you should go talk to him," Emily teased, nudging her elbow.
"No way," Lila said, her voice shaky. "That's Dominic Caruso."
Emily raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "I've heard the stories. Dangerous, yes. But *damn*, he's fine."
Lila shook her head. "No. I have no business with men like him."
Yet, despite every logical thought in her head telling her to stay far away, she felt the pull. The attraction was undeniable, though she could never explain why. He was trouble, wrapped in an expensive suit.
A few moments later, to Lila's surprise, Dominic made his way over to their table, his presence looming over them like a shadow.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.
Lila's pulse quickened. There was no way out now.
Emily grinned. "Of course," she said with a wink.
Dominic's gaze shifted to Lila, his expression unreadable. "I don't believe we've met."
Lila's mind raced. "Lila," she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Lila Dunn."
"Pleasure," he said, sitting down without waiting for an invitation. "You don't belong in places like this."
Lila froze, her heart thundering in her chest. "I—what do you mean?"
He leaned back, his eyes never leaving hers. "This place is for people who've given up on the good life. People who have nothing left to lose."
Lila's throat tightened. There was something about the way he spoke, like he could see right through her. And it terrified her.
"I don't think you know anything about me," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
Dominic's lips curled into a faint smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Maybe not. But I can tell you're not like the others here. You're too..
The word hit her like a punch to the gut. She had spent so many years fighting to make a life for herself that felt *safe*, *normal*. But now, sitting across from this man, she wondered if there was such a thing.
And in that moment, Lila knew: meeting Dominic Caruso wasn't a coincidence. Her life was about to change in ways she couldn't yet understand.
Lila could feel her pulse racing, her breath a little shallow. She had to remind herself that Dominic Caruso was not someone she should be talking to, let alone sitting here with. He was dangerous. A criminal. The kind of man who made his living by hurting others.
But as he sat there, casually leaning back in his chair, all she could think about was the pull he had on her. His presence was magnetic, like a dark force drawing her in despite every warning sign flashing in her mind.
"Why are you really here?" Lila finally asked, trying to regain some control. She could hear the edge in her voice, but she wasn't about to let him intimidate her.
Dominic didn't seem bothered by her question. In fact, he looked amused. "I told you. I was just looking for some company."
Lila scoffed. "You expect me to believe that? You've got an entire bar full of people to choose from, and you come over here."
His gaze never wavered from hers. "I'm not interested in *them*."
The way he said it sent a shiver down her spine. It wasn't flattering—it was unsettling. But there was something about his calm confidence that made it hard to look away.
"So, what is it you want from me?" she asked, trying to hold her ground.
He leaned in slightly, his voice lowering. "Maybe I'm just curious about why someone like you would end up in a place like this." His eyes flickered down to the wine glass she still hadn't touched. "You don't seem like the type."
Lila's instinct was to shut down, to draw a line and make it clear she wasn't interested in anything he had to offer. But the words caught in her throat. Wasn't she just as curious about him? The mystery, the danger that clung to him like smoke, drew her in.
"I'm just... trying to unwind," she said, forcing the words out, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her chest.
"Unwind?" Dominic raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "From what?"
Lila hesitated. She wasn't used to talking about her life, her struggles, with a stranger. Especially not someone like Dominic Caruso.
But something in his stare made her feel like he could see right through her, and it made her want to answer him, even though every part of her told her to run.
"The pressures of life," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Work. Expectations. You know, the usual."
Dominic nodded, his lips twitching as though he understood more than he let on. "I know pressure. But some pressure, you can't escape."
He paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if contemplating something deeper, something personal.
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he added after a beat. "But when I see someone who looks like they've been carrying the weight of the world, I can't help but wonder what's holding them up."
Lila's heart skipped. His words felt too personal, too direct. She didn't know how to respond. The truth was, she felt like she was drowning sometimes. In a world where success and failure danced on the edge of every decision, it felt like there was no room for error. No room for anyone who didn't fit the mold.
She didn't belong in a place like this, and she certainly didn't belong in this conversation.
But Dominic wasn't finished. He reached out and, without asking, took her wine glass, swirling the red liquid gently.
"I think you're tougher than you let on," he said quietly. "The way you carry yourself... You don't break easily, do you?"
Lila swallowed. His hand was still holding the glass, and she couldn't tear her eyes away from it, from the casual way he held her possession like it meant nothing.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice betraying her.
Dominic's lips curved slightly. "Maybe you don't. But I'm good at reading people, Lila. And I can tell you've been through your share of shit."
Her breath caught, and she immediately regretted allowing any vulnerability to show. She opened her mouth to say something, to shut him out, but the words wouldn't come. Something in him felt... real. Dangerous, yes. But real.
"I should get going," she said, the need to escape rushing through her veins. She grabbed her purse, standing up too quickly.
Dominic didn't stop her. He didn't even move. But as she turned to walk away, he spoke again, his voice smooth like velvet, low but piercing. "I think we both know you won't."
Lila froze.
Her feet were planted, but her mind was racing. Was he right? Was she going to let him drag her into something she knew she shouldn't be involved in?
She glanced back at him, her heart pounding in her chest. Dominic was watching her, an unreadable expression on his face, as if he already knew the decision she was going to make.
And then, in a moment of weakness—or maybe curiosity—she sat back down.
She didn't say anything at first. She just looked at him, as if silently asking why he had such an effect on her. Why he made everything feel more complicated, more dangerous, than it had any right to be.
Dominic's gaze softened, just slightly. "I didn't mean to scare you. But sometimes, life gets interesting when you least expect it."
Lila didn't respond, but the way he said it, the way he seemed to know exactly how she was feeling, unsettled her.
He was a part of the city's darkest corners, but for some reason, in this moment, he seemed like the only person who truly saw her. And that realization terrified her more than anything else.