Chapter 5

• Chapter 5: Shattered Hope
• Elena sat on the cold floor, her arms wrapped around her knees. The room was dark except for the faint glow of the moon through the high window.
• She had tried everything—banging on the door, searching for weak spots, even attempting to break the glass. Nothing worked. The room was a prison, and she was their prisoner.
• Her wrists ached from the struggle. Her throat was raw from screaming.
• No one had come.
• Not even Gabriel, with his teasing smirk. Not even Alessio, with his cold, piercing stare.
• She hated them.
• Hated the way they controlled her. Hated the way they looked at her like she was already theirs.
• But what scared her most wasn’t them.
• It was herself.
• Because when they touched her, when they looked at her with those dark, unrelenting eyes… something inside her stirred.
• And that was dangerous.
• The door creaked open.
• Elena’s head snapped up, her heart pounding.
• Alessio stepped inside, his expression unreadable.
• Behind him, Gabriel leaned against the doorframe, smirking.
• “Get up,” Alessio ordered.
• She didn’t move.
• Gabriel sighed. “I hate repeating ourselves, princess.”
• Elena’s fingers dug into her arms. “What now? Another lesson?”
• Alessio’s gaze darkened. “Stand up.”
• She pushed herself up slowly, refusing to let them see how weak she felt.
• Alessio stepped closer, his presence suffocating. “We’re going to give you a choice.”
• Her heart pounded. “What choice?”
• Gabriel tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Submit… or suffer.”
• A cold shiver ran down her spine.
• Alessio pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it.
• A contract.
• Her stomach twisted.
• “What is that?” she asked.
• Alessio held it out. “Your new reality.”
• Gabriel smirked. “It’s simple, sweetheart. You sign, you belong to us.”
• Elena’s breath caught. “And if I don’t?”
• Gabriel chuckled. “Then we break you.”
• Her fingers trembled. “You can’t force me.”
• Alessio’s expression didn’t change. “We don’t have to.”
• The room felt smaller.
• Her world was closing in.
• Gabriel stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Think carefully, cara. We can be gentle… or we can be cruel.”
• She slapped his hand away. “I will never be yours.”
• Gabriel sighed dramatically. “Wrong answer.”
• Before she could react, Alessio grabbed her wrist, dragging her toward the door.
• Her pulse skyrocketed. “Let go of me!”
• Alessio didn’t stop.
• Gabriel followed, his eyes gleaming with something dark.
• They led her down the long hallway, past guards who didn’t even blink at the sight of her struggling.
• She kicked, twisted, fought—but Alessio’s grip was unbreakable.
• They turned a corner and entered a large, open space. The walls were made of stone, the floor smooth concrete.
• A warehouse.
• Her stomach twisted.
• Something was wrong.
• At the far end of the room, a man knelt on the floor, his hands tied behind his back.
• Blood dripped from his lip, his suit torn, his face swollen.
• Elena’s breath caught.
• Alessio pushed her forward. “Do you know who this is?”
• She swallowed hard.
• The man lifted his head, his eyes bloodshot and filled with fear.
• “I don’t—” She stopped.
• She knew him.
• He was a bartender at the club. One of the few people who had been kind to her.
• Gabriel circled them slowly. “He tried to help you escape.”
• Elena’s blood turned to ice.
• No.
• Alessio pulled a gun from his holster and held it out to her.
• Her heart slammed against her ribs.
• “Take it,” he said.
• She shook her head. “No.”
• Gabriel leaned against the wall. “You have two options, princess.”
• Elena’s pulse pounded in her ears.
• Alessio’s voice was quiet but firm. “You pull the trigger… or we do.”
• Terror clawed at her throat.
• She looked at the bartender—his eyes pleading, his lips trembling.
• “No,” she whispered. “Please.”
• Gabriel smirked. “I thought you wanted freedom. This is how you earn it.”
• Tears burned her eyes.
• Alessio pressed the gun into her hand.
• It felt heavy. Too heavy.
• Her fingers shook.
• “Shoot,” Alessio ordered.
• She shook her head violently. “I can’t.”
• Gabriel sighed. “Then you’re useless.”
• He reached for his own gun.
• Panic surged through her.
• “Wait!” she gasped.
• Gabriel raised a brow. “Hmm?”
• Her chest heaved.
• The gun in her hands felt like a ticking bomb.
• She couldn’t do this.
• Couldn’t.
• Alessio’s voice was steady. “Choose, Elena.”
• The room spun.
• Her vision blurred.
• The bartender’s breath came in sharp gasps.
• She could feel their eyes on her—waiting.
• Daring.
• A sob tore from her throat.
• Her fingers tightened on the trigger.
• Gabriel smiled.
• Alessio’s gaze never wavered.
• Elena closed her eyes.
• And pulled the trigger.
• The sound shattered the air.
• Her ears rang.
• Her knees hit the ground.
• The gun slipped from her fingers.
• Her breath came in sharp gasps, her whole body trembling.
• The bartender slumped forward, unmoving.
• Blood pooled beneath him.
• Elena stared, unable to breathe.
• She had just…
• Her stomach lurched.
• She turned, retching onto the cold floor.
• Gabriel crouched beside her, brushing a hand down her back.
• “Congratulations, sweetheart,” he murmured. “You just took your first step into our world.”
• Alessio stepped forward, pulling her to her feet.
• Her legs shook.
• Tears blurred her vision.
• Alessio tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
• “You’re ours now,” he whispered.
• Elena’s heart shattered.
• Because she knew, in that moment, that she was never getting out.