My Mafia Dominant Is Back

8. "Wanna Control Me? No Way!"

She knew all too well that the Shadow Master was simply trying to provoke her. It was all part of his psychological game—shaming her, making her angry, and then luring her into submission. But Lyla, a psychology major, prided herself on not falling into his trap so easily.

“Please,” she said, her voice calm and collected, “You know I’m not into this game. This was just a scientific experiment. Instead of wasting your time on me, why don’t you find someone who can truly submit to you?”

She added sharply, “And please, don’t come to my campus again to discuss this. Let's try to resolve this in a decent way, Okay?”

“Why not?” Carlo took a few steps closer, his expression laced with mockery. “Do you feel humiliated? Why feel ashamed of something you enjoy?”

“I told you—I don’t enjoy this game,” Lyla repeated, trying to sound firm.

“How do you know you’re not into this game?” Carlo’s smile grew even wider. “Why can’t you admit that my s/panking helped you sleep well last night? You can’t even face the true results of your own experiment. Are you really as dedicated to your research as you claimed? You didn’t even convince me.”

Carlo advanced closer, leaving Lyla speechless. He towered over her, blocking out the sunlight, casting a dark shadow over her. The faint scent of musk and amberwood lingered in the air between them, pulling her thoughts back to the events of the previous night.

Why was she denying it? She had found a strange sense of relief in the pain, yet she refused to admit it. Was it because of the values she had been raised with, ones that didn’t allow her to embrace something so shameful? Or was it because she didn’t want to give Carlo the satisfaction of controlling her?

Her thoughts were spinning, and she didn’t know how to respond when suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from behind her.

“Lyla!”

She turned to see Jessica excitedly waving her hand, running toward her.

“Oh my God, is this your boyfriend? He’s so cute! Hi, I’m Jessica, also a PhD student in psychology.” Jessica, full of energy like a puppy, extended her hand to Carlo for a handshake.

Carlo’s expression instantly turned cold. He took a step back, his eyes shifting to Lyla, as though waiting for her to introduce him.

Lyla’s face flushed slightly. She hadn’t intended to hide anything from Jessica, but she wasn’t sure how to explain this. It felt so embarrassing, especially since she didn’t even know the Shadow Master’s real name.

The atmosphere grew awkward. Jessica’s hand hung in the air, and a hint of irritation crossed her face. She wasn’t used to being ignored—she was always the center of attention wherever she went. She couldn’t tolerate Carlo’s cold indifference.

Half-joking, half-serious, Jessica said to Carlo, “So, you’re not Lyla’s boyfriend, huh? If she rejected you, she must be out of her mind. I wouldn’t turn down a guy as cute as you.”

Carlo’s patience was wearing thin. He stepped closer to Lyla and, in a low voice, said, “Why don’t you tell her that I’m your master?”

Lyla turned to look at him, noticing the mischievous smirk playing on his lips. He was doing this on purpose! He knew full well that Lyla didn’t want the events of last night to be exposed, yet here he was, using the word “master” in a way that could easily be misunderstood. He was enjoying her discomfort, waiting for her to squirm with embarrassment.

But Lyla, who had never been one to back down, wasn’t about to let him win so easily.

“Yes, he’s my master—Shadow Master, to be precise,” Lyla said with a bold smile. Jessica’s eyes widened in surprise as Lyla added, “Yep, I spent last night with him, doing experiement, just like you suggested.”

She emphasized the phrase "just like you suggested", watching with satisfaction as Carlo’s smile slowly faded. His eyes briefly flickered with uncertainty.

Lyla, knowing psychology inside and out, realized she had hit the mark. The Shadow Master might have thought he held all the cards, but now she knew he was just as unwilling to reveal his identity as she was.

Feigning ignorance of Carlo’s discomfort, Lyla cheerfully said, “Jessica has been dying to meet you. Isn’t this perfect timing? You’ve got plenty of free time right now, so why don’t you two get to know each other?”

Jessica’s face lit up, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She grabbed Carlo’s arm, practically pressing herself against him. "Shadow Master! Oh my God, I can't believe it's really you! I've been a fan of yours for so long. Let’s grab some coffee!"

Carlo’s expression was a mix of irritation and embarrassment. He tried to politely remove Jessica’s hand from his arm, but she clung to him too tightly, making it nearly impossible for him to shake her off without causing a scene.

Lyla knew she had achieved her goal. This was the perfect chance to slip away from Shadow Master. She turned quickly and walked off, her steps brisk and determined.

After crossing the street, she turned around, glancing back at Carlo, who was still entangled with Jessica, his eyes shooting daggers at her. She smiled and mouthed, “Wanna control me? No way!”