The night was unusually quiet, the hum of the city far below Elijah's apartment the only sound that filled the room. He stood by the window, staring out at the lights, the cool air brushing against his skin. His mind was still swirling with everything that had happened—Dominic's relentless pursuit, his words, and the undeniable pull he felt towards the mafia boss.
The phone buzzed in his pocket again, and this time, Elijah didn't hesitate to pull it out. He knew exactly who it was.
Dominic: You know you want to see me.
Elijah stared at the message for a long moment, his fingers frozen above the keyboard. The words hung heavy in the air, and for the first time in days, he wasn't sure whether to reply or to just ignore him.
But the more he thought about it, the more he realized—he couldn't ignore him.
He had been thinking about Dominic constantly, and though he hated to admit it, part of him wanted to see him again. The magnetism that Dominic exuded, that intoxicating, dangerous aura, was something Elijah couldn't escape.
Elijah: What do you want from me?
The reply came almost instantly, as though Dominic had been waiting for him to ask.
Dominic: I want you to stop pretending you don't feel the same thing I do.
Dominic: I want you to stop fighting this.
Elijah closed his eyes, his breath catching in his throat. He didn't want to feel like this. He didn't want to be pulled into Dominic's world, a world full of power, danger, and possession.
But at the same time, he couldn't deny the intensity that surged through him when Dominic was near. He couldn't ignore how his heart beat faster when they were together, how his body responded even when his mind told him to run.
Elijah: This is crazy.
He couldn't help but type it out, even though he knew it wouldn't stop Dominic.
Dominic: Crazy?
Dominic: No, Eli. This is destiny.
There was a long pause before Elijah heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps in the hallway outside his door.
He froze. Dominic was here.
Without warning, the door creaked open, and there he was—Dominic, standing in the doorway, his tall figure silhouetted by the dim light from the hallway. His eyes locked onto Elijah's with that intense, predatory gaze.
"You didn't think I'd let you hide forever, did you?" Dominic's voice was low, steady, like a predator speaking to its prey.
Elijah felt his stomach tighten, his heart racing. He wanted to say something, to tell Dominic to leave, but the words stuck in his throat.
Dominic stepped forward, closing the distance between them with a calculated, deliberate slowness. His presence filled the room, making everything else fade into the background.
Elijah wanted to step back, to keep some distance, but something in Dominic's gaze held him captive. He couldn't move.
"You've been playing hard to get, Eli," Dominic said softly, his voice like velvet, each word laced with a quiet power. "But I think we both know the truth now."
Before Elijah could respond, Dominic's hand reached out, cupping his cheek with a tenderness that belied the fire in his eyes. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through Elijah's body, making his pulse race even faster.
"Let me in, Eli," Dominic whispered, his thumb brushing lightly over Elijah's skin. "Stop pretending this isn't real."
Elijah's breath caught in his throat, and for a moment, everything seemed to stop. The world outside his apartment ceased to exist, and it was just the two of them, caught in a web of undeniable tension.
He could feel the heat radiating from Dominic, the intensity that was almost suffocating. His body was on the edge of responding, but his mind screamed for him to pull away.
But Dominic didn't give him a chance to think. With one swift motion, he pulled Elijah into him, pressing their lips together in a kiss that was savage and possessive, yet strangely gentle.
Elijah's body reacted against his will, his hands reaching for Dominic, pulling him closer as if he couldn't bear the space between them.
It was impossible to deny it any longer.
Elijah was falling.
And Dominic had already claimed him.
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