Chapter 1 The Stranger in the Dark

Dominic's POV

My heels echoed on the cold concrete floor of the otherwise subdued room. The air was heavy; tension stuck to the walls like a nasty stain. I could smell it. Sense it.

And I lived totally for it.

I skidded to a halt in front of the chair. She was smaller than I had imagined. Handcuffed. Eyes so bright given how slumped her shoulders were she should be fighting. A faint overhead bulb cast dancing shadows on her face, tracing the bruise creeping down her cheekbone. Rumpled brown hair. Full lips pressed into a hard line.

This was the same girl who'd been spying on my life,same girl I ran into at bar few years back.

I exhaled a slow breath. "Tell me, Elena." My voice was calm, measured. And I crouched down beside her, our eyes level as I asked, "Do you finally remember who I am?"

A flicker of recognition flashed across her green eyes, but she remained silent.

Brave. Stupid. They always looked like the same thing.

I moved forward, setting my fingers around the armrest beside her, insinuating myself until our faces were inches apart. "Tell me."

Her throat rose and fell, but she tilted up her chin. "Dominic Castellano."

I smiled. "Good girl."

The quiet sat between us. I could hear the way her breathing hitch, just slightly. Fear-she was fighting to keep it back, but I could taste it in the air.

"Now tell me." I tilted my head. "How does a captain end up in the middle of a private cargo heading for individuals who shouldn't even be entered on your little policeman records?"

Her jaw flexed. No flinch. No word.

I nodded slowly. "That's all right. You don't have to say anything now." I pulled my gun out-just to see what she'd do.

Her body locked up but did not turn away.

I smiled. Interesting.

"You see," I said to her, leaning forward again, "I don't like people getting in my way, Elena." I ran the barrel of the gun along the armrest. "And I don't like liars. So, either you tell me, or I make you not be able to."

She took a slow, deliberate breath. "I'm not lying."

Incorrect response.

I stood up, walked towards her slowly, and then deliberately put the gun on her shoulder as I bent down.

"This is how it's done," I breathed and could feel the shiver against her body. "You tell me the truth, you leave here alive. You keep playing this little game-," I put the cold metal against the side of her neck. "-and you'll be going out in pieces."

She swallowed, but her voice did not shake. "Then shoot me."

I faltered.

...Brave.

A slow, dark laugh foamed in my chest as I pulled the gun back. "You're either brave or fucking insane."

No response.

I took her chin-tilted her face up to mine. She was straining hard not to breathe too hard, not to react. Trying. So damn hard.

I smiled. "Lucky for you, I like breaking people."

Then I released her and backed away.

"See how long you last."

I turned around, putting the gun back into my holster. I had offered her one opportunity, one chance, to see this through simple. She did not take it. Fine. I liked it this way.

The door groaned open behind me. Heavily clomping boots. One of my men.

"Boss," Leo's voice was sharp. "The road's clear. She was alone."

Alone?

I looked over at her, again. "No backup. No waiting team for her."

"So tell me, Elena," I wondered, moving towards her. "What the fuck were you doing there?"

Still silent.

I breathed deeply and drew out the knife that lay in my waistband. With a swift motion, I opened it, casting light off of the blade in the dim light.

Her body stiffened. Good.

"You're trying my patience, sweetheart." I dropped back into a squat, forearm on the knee, turning the blade in my fingers. "Let's see if we can guess." I drew the tip of the knife along the armrest slow and slow. "You thought you'd be a hero? Thought you'd sneak in, take some pictures, and beat it back to your little station and get a gold star?"

Nothing. Not a twitch.

I smiled. "Or maybe." I pressed the flat of the blade against her knee. "You weren't there for me at all. Maybe you were just unlucky."

Her lips parted a little. I could see the way she was thinking in my words, trying to work out what I wanted to hear.

I tapped the blade against her knee once. "Speak."

Her voice was soft but firm. "I was on a lead."

A lead?

I stared at her completely, and gradually at that moment she looked back but I saw it-the infinitesimal shudder in her breath. The spasming of her fingers on the cuffs.

She was lying.

I exhaled slowly through my nose. Then suddenly, I grasped the back of her chair and brought it towards me. The front legs hit the floor. She sucked in a breath, fists tightening behind her.

I inched in. Close enough that she would know the warmth of my breath across her jaw.

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

Her pulse hesitated.

I smiled.

She was scared. Finally.

But she still would not break.

The patience thinned. "Let me demonstrate how this is going down, Elena," I whispered, applying pressure with the blade against her chin, tilting her head back. "You tell me exactly who sent you out here and why you were there." My tone dropped lower, icy. "Or I make you."

She gasped roughly. "No one sent me.".

I groaned and stood, rolling my shoulders. "Leo," I shouted over my shoulder. "Get me the chair."

Leo growled in recognition.

Elena's brows went up a little bit. Confused. She had no clue what that was.

She would.

In a matter of seconds, Leo brought another chair into the room-a gleaming metal thing bolted to the floor. Leather restraints dangled from the arms.

Elena's breathing changed. Now she knew.

I rested my head. "Last chance, sweetheart."

Nothing.

Sigh. "Fine."

Leo moved towards her.

She flinched back from the chair, trying to steel herself, but she was still cuffed. Still pinned. Still in my control.

I watched. Silent. Cold. Calculating.

Let's see how long that defiance lasts.