The Price Of Obsession

In His Grip

It didn’t take long for the world to start falling apart.

One day, I was Elena Romano—the daughter of a powerful, untouchable man, the girl who had everything she could want and more.

The next, I was just another piece in a game I didn’t understand.

Dominic Moretti had come into my life like a storm, leaving chaos in his wake. His eyes. His voice. The haunting feeling that I was always being watched.

I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

And that was dangerous.

I spent the next few days trying to push him out of my mind, to pretend like his visit had never happened. But I knew better. A man like Dominic doesn’t walk into your life without leaving his mark.

I found myself restless. My fingers traced the note he left me again and again, the words taunting me. “Wear red. I like red.”

It was a command, not a suggestion.

But I didn’t want to obey him.

Yet, when I stood in front of the mirror that evening, I found myself pulling a deep crimson dress from the closet. The fabric hugged my curves like it was made for me, and when I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw someone else. Someone who didn’t belong in the safe little life I’d created.

Someone who might just want Dominic.

The gala was in full swing by the time I arrived, but something felt off. The mansion was filled with the usual high-class guests—politicians, businessmen, and socialites—but there was an edge to their laughter, a coldness in their smiles.

My father greeted me at the door with his usual stiff formality, though his eyes lingered a little too long on my dress. I didn’t care. I was too busy scanning the room.

It didn’t take long to spot him.

Dominic stood across the room, leaning against a marble column like he owned the place. And in a way, he did. The men around him couldn’t meet his eyes. They all seemed to bend around him, like he was a force they couldn’t resist.

And then there were his eyes—those piercing, silver-gray eyes that locked onto me the moment I stepped through the door.

I could feel his gaze in the pit of my stomach. A sharp, hot pull that made my breath catch.

I tried to look away, but he didn’t let me. His lips curled into a knowing smile, like he was savoring the effect he had on me.

“Don’t ignore me, Elena.” His voice came out of nowhere, low and smooth, like silk against my skin. I didn’t turn to look at him, but I could feel the heat of his presence as if he were standing right behind me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly.

“I’m here for you,” he said. “Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

I turned around, my heart racing. “You’re crazy.”

He smiled again, this time predatory. “You’ve always known there was something dangerous about me, Elena. Now you’re just starting to realize how much you like it.”

I took a step back, but he followed, never breaking eye contact. The other guests seemed to vanish in the background, their voices muffled by the pounding of my pulse.

“Stay away from me,” I whispered.

His eyes darkened. “I told you before, princess. I don’t stay away from what I want. And right now, you’re everything I want.”

I swallowed, trying to ignore the flutter of excitement in my chest. This wasn’t supposed to feel good. It wasn’t supposed to feel like this—like I was drowning in the depth of his attention.

But it did.

He reached out, his fingers grazing the strap of my dress, sending a wave of heat through me. “You wear red well,” he murmured.

Before I could respond, my father appeared beside us, his face a mask of cold civility. “Dominic,” he said, his voice tight. “I didn’t expect you to attend.”

Dominic didn’t acknowledge my father’s words, but the air around us shifted. The tension was palpable, like two predators circling each other.

“Mr. Romano,” Dominic said smoothly, his gaze never leaving mine. “You’re always full of surprises.”

I wanted to disappear into the floor. But at the same time, a part of me didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to escape this dangerous dance between us. I didn’t want to fight the pull anymore.

“I’ll see you later, Elena,” Dominic said, his fingers brushing the back of my hand as he turned and walked away.

My breath caught. His touch lingered. The power he had over me was growing with every passing moment, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could resist.

I looked at my father, his face cold and unreadable. “What does he want from me?” I asked.

My father didn’t answer immediately. When he did, his voice was laced with something that sounded almost… regretful. “Dominic is not a man you want to play games with, Elena. He’s not someone you can run from.”

“You should’ve told me,” I said, my voice trembling. “You should’ve protected me.”

“I’ve done what I could,” he said stiffly, turning away. “Now it’s up to you.”

But I knew the truth. Dominic Moretti was never going to let me go. Not now. Not ever.

And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure if I even wanted him to.