"I want you," Slavvy whispered, his voice low and husky, filled with something raw not just desire, but power. His eyes burned with that unreadable fire that always made me lose my breath.
My chest rose and fell, my pulse pounding. I felt trapped in his gaze, pulled into a storm I wasn't sure I wanted to escape.
"I want your trust now," he said, his tone deeper, heavier. His words hit differently , not lustful, but commanding, like a vow.
My lips parted, confusion washing over me. "My… trust?"
He took a step closer, his movements deliberate, slow, dangerous. "You keep asking who I really am," he murmured, his voice a dark whisper. "You're about to find out."
The air between us thickened. Every step he took forward, I took back until the edge of the bed met my knees. He leaned in, so close I could feel his breath fan against my skin.
"Slavvy…" I breathed, but my voice trembled.
His hand brushed my cheek, his touch surprisingly gentle. "Do you really want to know what kind of man you're falling for?"
My stomach twisted. "Yes," I whispered, even though every part of me screamed no.
He smirked faintly the kind of smirk that made it clear he already knew the answer. "Then listen carefully, Tess."
The silence in the room felt like a heartbeat — slow, pounding, alive.
"I wasn't born into this life. I built it," he said finally, stepping back, his tone shifting from soft to steel. "Every scar, every move, every risk — I earned them. I run things most men are too scared to even whisper about."
He walked to the window, his hands in his pockets, his silhouette dark against the rain. "You've heard the stories — guns, money, territory, loyalty bought with blood. They're not stories. That's my world."
My mouth went dry. "You're… mafia."
He turned, his gaze locking onto mine — unflinching, unapologetic. "I am the mafia."
The words hit like a thunderclap.
I should have run. I should've screamed. But I didn't. Because the truth was… I already knew. Somewhere deep down, I had always known he wasn't just dangerous — he was danger.
"Why tell me now?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Because last night," he said quietly, "you looked at me like I was a man — not a monster. And I can't let you live in that illusion."
He moved closer again, slow and deliberate. His presence swallowed the space between us. "This life isn't romantic, Tess. It's blood and betrayal. It's watching people you care about disappear because they knew too much. It's power bought with pain."
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice. "And you want me to be part of that?"
He studied me for a moment — searching, testing. "I want you to understand it. To see me, all of me, before you decide if you still want to stay."
His words hit deeper than any touch could. I looked at him — the same man who could terrify an entire room with a single glance, now standing before me like a confession carved into flesh.
I didn't answer. My thoughts were chaos — fear, fascination, heartbreak, all tangled into one.
He reached out again, his fingers brushing the back of my hand, grounding me. "You still think you can handle me?" he asked softly, the corners of his lips curving in that familiar, dangerous smirk.
"I don't know," I whispered honestly.
"Good," he said, his thumb tracing my skin, slow and deliberate. "Because this world doesn't forgive naivety."
The rain outside intensified, drumming against the window like a warning. He moved past me, his voice firm now. "Get dressed. You're coming with me."
"Where?" I asked, my pulse quickening.
"You said you wanted to understand me," he said over his shoulder. "Now I'm going to show you what it means to live in my world."
---
Later That Morning
The mansion's main hall was filled with strangers in tailored suits and cold eyes. The air smelled like espresso and tension. Every conversation stopped the moment Slavvy entered.
He didn't have to speak. His authority filled the room.
I stood slightly behind him, feeling the weight of every stare. They all looked at me like I was a fragile secret that didn't belong here.
Slavvy's voice cut through the silence. "Gentlemen, meet Tess," he said casually, his tone deceptively smooth. "She's the only person in this room who doesn't owe me anything."
A few men exchanged looks some curious, others disapproving.
He turned to me, his eyes meeting mine. "You wanted to see what I do? Watch and learn."
As he began to speak, the mask slipped back into place the calm, commanding man who could bend power with a single word. He talked about deals, alliances, codes of silence, and the price of loyalty.
And for the first time, I saw him not as the man who kissed me, but as the man the world feared.
When the meeting ended, Slavvy turned to me, his voice low. "Still think I'm someone you can love?"
I hesitated my heart heavy, my mind spinning. "I don't know," I said honestly. "But I think I need to understand you before I decide."
A small, knowing smile curved on his lips. "Then you're already deeper in than you realize."
He reached out, brushing his thumb under my chin, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. "Welcome to my world, Tess."
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