Dangerous Territory
686 Words
Avery knew it was a mistake the moment she slid into Elias’s car.
The machine purred like a predator beneath her, sleek black leather wrapping her in the scent of danger. Elias drove one-handed, the city lights flashing over his sharp profile, the other hand resting casually on the gearshift like he owned every road, every lane, every breath she took.
“Where are we going?” she asked, her voice too tight.
He smirked without looking at her. “Somewhere you don’t belong.”
Her pulse jumped. “Then why bring me?”
“Because you belong to me.” His tone was silk over steel. “And if I’m taking you seriously, you need to know what that means.”
The car ate up miles of city streets before pulling into an alley lit by neon haze. Music throbbed through the walls of a building ahead—deep, heavy bass that rattled her bones. Elias stepped out, circling to open her door like a gentleman, though his eyes were pure devil.
Inside, it wasn’t a nightclub—it was something darker. Red light, leather booths, shadows everywhere. Men in sharp suits whispered deals over drinks. Women in sequins clung to them like ornaments. The air was thick with smoke, money, sin.
Avery’s stomach twisted. She didn’t belong here. She’d grown up with charity galas, champagne, polite smiles. This was… another universe.
Elias’s arm slid around her waist, grounding her, claiming her. Heads turned as they walked past, whispers trailing after them. He wasn’t just another guest—he was someone here. Someone respected. Or feared.
They reached a corner booth. A man already sat there, thick-necked, tattoos curling up his throat. His gaze raked Avery before settling on Elias.
“You brought company,” the man said, voice low and rough.
Elias slid Avery into the booth before dropping down beside her, his hand on her thigh under the table. “She’s not company. She’s mine.”
The man chuckled, shaking his head. “Careful. Pretty things break easy.”
Elias’s fingers flexed against her leg. Avery swallowed hard, trapped between wanting to melt and bolt.
The men spoke in low tones—numbers, shipments, names that made no sense to her but carried weight. She pieced together enough to know this wasn’t just nightlife. It was business. Shady business. Elias wasn’t just rich. He was dangerous.
And yet, the longer she sat there, the hotter her skin burned. The danger wasn’t repelling her. It was pulling her deeper.
When the meeting ended, Elias guided her toward the back. The music shifted lower here, the lights dimmer. She realized with a jolt it wasn’t just a club—it was an underground world of excess. Men and women disappeared into curtained rooms. She caught glimpses—hands gripping hair, red mouths parted in ecstasy, shadows writhing against walls.
Her breath caught. “Elias… what is this place?”
He leaned close, lips brushing her ear. “A place where people stop pretending. Where they take what they want.” His voice dropped lower, dark as sin. “The same way I take you.”
Her thighs pressed together. “You shouldn’t have brought me here.”
“Why not?” His hand slid down her back, resting low on her hip. “Afraid you’ll like it?”
He pressed her against a wall in the shadow of the red glow, his body caging hers. His mouth crashed against hers—hungry, brutal, possessive. She whimpered, grabbing his shirt, kissing him back like her life depended on it.
When he pulled away, his eyes burned with something feral. “This is my world, Avery. Money. Power. Blood. If you’re with me, you don’t get to look away. You don’t get to pretend I’m the boy next door. You get the truth.”
She stared at him, chest heaving, mind screaming at her to run.
But her lips parted on a whisper instead. “Then show me.”
Elias’s grin was sharp, dangerous. “Careful, little dove. Once you see it, you won’t ever leave.”
- Writer
