In The Mafia's Shadow

"Ahh"

The brunette's second climax caught her off guard, making her cry out loudly before she quickly drifted into a blissful sleep with a warm breath sneaking out of her nostrils.

Meanwhile, Druid stayed alert. He got up from the bedside, his skin gleaming with a fine sheen, and headed to the bathroom. Stepping into the shower, he rinsed off the sweat and remnants of their encounter.

Despite his unhurried movements, his mind remained active, always working.As he buttoned his white shirt, two sharp knocks sounded on the door.

He noticed the girl stirring as he called for the visitor to enter, casting her a brief glance as she lay exposed, he chuckled silently. He felt no empathy as one of his men entered the room.

The girl gasped at the sight of the scary looking men, she quickly scrambling for the covers to hide herself.

Ignoring her, Druid focused on the man who nodded respectfully. "Sir," the man began without a preamble. "We have found him."

Druid's eyes narrowed dangerously at those words.

"Finally," he said, picking up his jacket. The weight of the gun in its inner pocket was a familiar comfort. "Where is he?"

"In the boroughs, sir," the man responded quickly. "He was seen leaving an apartment. There's a woman living with him."

His lover, Druid thought, predictably.

"We can move in tonight," the man fearfully suggested, but Druid's sharp glance silenced him immediately.

"I want Lorrel Gadot in an hour. No excuses," Druid commanded. "Waiting until night time, will give him a chance to escape. If he does, you'll pay with your life." Druid said with zero empathy in his voice.

"Yes, boss." The men chorused respectfully.

Druid straightened, glancing at himself in the small hotel mirror. He caught the frightened look of the girl, now fully awake and wrapped in the white sheet. Smirking at her reflection, he felt a surge of satisfaction when she flinched and looked away.

His men would handle her.

Without another word, Druid Steel left the hotel room, brushing past his subordinate, who bowed respectfully, eyes to the floor.

...

"Ugh," Valentina Gadot groaned to herself as she got off the bus. Another day gone, she thought to herself, her steps on the cobblestone pavement slow and indicative of her tiredness.

The blonde had her hair covered by her hoodie.

It was already 7pm, and she was headed back home from another night of grueling work.

Being a stripper wasn't the kind of respectable job she had envisioned for herself when she was younger, but it was the only work she had been able to get when she was under the threat of being kicked out of her apartment.

Now it had been over a year and any bit of shame the 22 year old felt about her job had been beaten out of her by the trials and tribulations she faced everyday. Yet, it did pay the bills.

A yawn broke out of her lips and she covered her mouth promptly. A woman walking towards her wearing a suit gave her a funny sort of look that made Valentina want to laugh in her face.

Soon after she was home, turning the key in her lock and entering the apartment.

Walking from the entrance to the kitchen, she stopped when she noticed the dirty dishes in the sink. Her nose wrinkled and she let out a growl of frustration.

Lorrel. Again.

Sometimes, Valentina really hated her brother, despite her efforts to let the little things slide.

She banged on the door of the second bedroom, which had once been her painting room until her brother had unexpectedly shown up three days ago, asking for a place to stay.

"Lorrel!" she shouted at the door, which promptly opened.

Her older brother stood there, eyes bleary and a look of confusion on his face. "Sis, what the fuck? I was sleeping," he groaned.

"Yeah? Well, maybe you shouldn't have messed up the kitchen again," she snapped, pointing a finger at him. "Get out here right now and clean up those dishes. You know I won't do it for you. Come on," she beckoned.

He groaned louder and slammed the door in her face. Valentina exhaled sharply, turning back to the kitchen.

She grabbed the frozen meal she'd bought for breakfast from the grocery store and shoved it into the microwave, slamming the door shut as she set it to warm up. Her frustration was palpable.

Damn it, she thought, her face scrunching up in irritation. If she had known living with her older brother would be this exhausting, she wouldn't have agreed to it in the first place.

She remembered all the times she'd called him for help, only for him to ignore her. Now he was the one relying on her, and she was too soft-hearted to refuse.

A few minutes later, with her food warmed, her brother sauntered into the kitchen, bare-chested and with his sweatpants hanging low on his hips.

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe put on a shirt," she muttered under her breath. As she ate, she watched him roughly wash the dishes.

Valentina had many questions about her brother's sudden arrival. Where has he been for the past two years? Why did she feel like he was hiding something about the circumstances that brought him to her doorstep? But every time she asked, he deflected.

"When are you going to leave?" she asked, noticing the muscles in his back tense.

"Not for a while," he finally responded, though his words carried an undercurrent of tension.

"Why?" she pressed.

He didn't answer. Valentina scoffed, brushing wayward strands of hair from her eyes. "You've been really silent about why you came to stay with me in the first place. Are you in trouble?"

"It's none of your business," he snapped, his voice rough and dangerous. She stiffened. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll stop asking me that question, Valentina."

The conversation ended abruptly as he slammed the kitchen cabinet door shut, making the wood shake.

Valentina's eyes snapped open at the sound of a deafening bang. Her heart raced as she struggled to make sense of the situation, only to find a gun barrel aimed directly at her face.

"Get up," commanded a rough voice. Her gaze shifted to the man holding the gun. He was a stranger, someone she'd never seen before.

What was happening? She thought silently, trembling with fear.

She scrambled out of bed, clutching the sheet to her chest. The rose-colored satin nightgown she wore offered little protection against the cold and fear creeping in.

Her eyes stayed locked on the intruder as she processed a flood of questions. Had she stepped into some nightmare?

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, the man waved the gun toward the door. "Move," he barked, circling her but keeping his distance. She grabbed her robe, wrapping it around herself hastily, and obeyed.

As she exited the bedroom, the sound of a painful grunt froze her in place. Lorrel, she thought, her breath catching and a lump forming in her throat.

She struggled to control herself guarding words from escaping her mouth, so she didn't pissed the no mercy man behind her, still in her confused state Valentina had a million and more questions as to what was going on.

Could this be the reason why her brother came back to stay with her after two years of ghosting her? Is she going to die? Her feet trembled with fear and her heart pounded so fast in her chest at the thought of a gun pointing at her.

"Keep going!" The cold metal against her neck compelled her to move. Hands raised in surrender, she took shaky steps forward. Each step accompanied by the sounds of her brother's agony and the sickening thuds of blows landing mercilessly on him.

In the living room, she found Lorrel battered and bloodied, fear tightening her chest. Two men, similarly dressed, aimed their weapons at him. One wore brass knuckles, glinting ominously.

"Lorrel," she whispered, hoping none of those men heard her.

"Leave her out of this, she knows nothing about this," Lorrel pleaded, his voice strained. "She's innocent!"

A brutal kick to his face silenced him. Valentina stifled a scream with her face covered into her palms, knowing any outburst would be dangerous.

Who were these men? What did they want with Lorrel? She thought silently trying to process the whole event and give it a meaning, since no one was explaining anything to her, and it didn't seem like an explanation was coming anytime soon.

The few words they had said didn't give her any information good enough to set their lives at gunpoint.

"You tried to escape," one of the men sneered, pressing his boot into Lorrel's face. Blood pooled beneath him. "Now you pay."

"Escape?!" She mouthed silently, what did you know Lorrel? She added, with hopes that answers will come out of him.

Without warning, darkness enveloped her as a bag was forced over her head. Panic surged as rough hands lifted her off the floor.

She lost track of time and place until the rumble of an engine brought her back to reality. She was in a car, Lorrel's groans filling the air.

Tears welled up as regret consumed her. Why had she taken Lorrel in? She had sensed trouble but never imagined this.

"Oh Lorrel, what have you done?" she whimpered.

They were in deep trouble, and there seemed to be no way out.

Fear gripped over her, until the car stopped and she was roughly handled out of the car, pressed into a seat with the blindfold taken off, she grasped for air hastily, struggling to get enough air with her heart pounding heavily in her chest.

Meanwhile, Druid got off from his luxurious car after his driver opened the door for him. He walked into the abandoned warehouse with so much authority in his step.

He was wearing expensive clothings from head to toe, a suit made with the finest material, a rolex laced with diamond and pure leather shoes.

The driver bowed as Druid walked past him and into the warehouse.

The warehouse was filled with dozens of bulky and scruffy looking men, these were just a few of his subordinates.

They stopped whatever it was they were doing during their leisure time when they spotted their boss and stood up to greet him.

However, he couldn't care less about them, his sight was set on the bruised and bloodied man on the floor.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk." Druid clicked his tongue repeatedly before kneeling in front of the man.

"Lorrel Gadot. You're a hard man to find, I'll give you that. But you forgot one crucial thing, there's no task above Druid Steel."

"Don't do this, please..." Lorrel begged.

"Haha, you're a funny man alright." He turned to his men. "Leave us."

"Yes, Boss," came the unified response, tinged with relief. They filed out swiftly, leaving Druid alone with his prey.

Druid smirked at Lorrel, who recoiled instinctively.

"Lorrel Gadot," Druid said smoothly. "I've waited far too long for this moment."

"Please," Lorrel groaned, his voice trembling. "I can repay you. Just give me a chance-" His plea was cut short as Druid drew his weapon, his eyes filled with contempt.

"I could, but why would I want a liability like you?" Druid replied coldly.

"Please! I have a wife! She's pregnant! Spare me!" Tears streamed down Lorrel's face as he begged.

Druid's expression remained indifferent until he heard a gasp behind him. He turned to see a woman kneeling in the far corner, her disheveled appearance suggesting she had just been dragged from bed. Who was she? Lorrel's lover?

Before Druid could speculate further, she spoke.

"Let him go," her voice carried through the silence.

Druid raised an eyebrow. "You're brave to make demands of me."

"Please," she implored. "He's my only brother. I don't know what he did to you, but..."

Druid cut her off. "Your brother brought this on himself. He knows what he did and now must face the consequences."

Lorrel whimpered, but a threatening glare from Druid silenced him.

"Please," the woman continued to plead. "I'll do anything. Just let him go."

About an hour after she had locked eyes with that mysterious, dangerous looking man from the warehouse, Valentina now sat atop a bed, feeling uncertain of the direction her life was going to take.

She recalled the last moments before she was carried out by the same men that had pointed guns at her and her brother, and took her to this room.

She didn't even know where she was.

"Keep her until I come," she had heard the man - the men's boss? - ordering them. "And don't touch her. Not one hair on her fucking head."

It had to be the boss, because he looked like no other man she had ever seen in her life before, and the strip club had given her a lot of experiences when it came to trusting her gut instinct. That man... was dangerous. A predator.

As soon as she was summarily shoved into the room and heard the door lock, Valentina had been feeling a great sense of numbness.

She still had no idea what she was doing in this situation; were it not for her damned stupid brother who dealt with these sort of shady people, all she would be worrying about was how to finish up her makeup for her set.

Instead she was faced with nothing but this uncertainty.

Valentina stood up shaking from the bed; finally deigning to look at the lingerie set on the bed.

Who had placed it there and why?

She didn't know but, as she looked down at herself - her favorite nightgown stained with dirt and her skin feeling grimy, she felt the need to shower.

But surely there could be something other than that to wear, she asked herself, glaring at the offensive lingerie set.

Minutes later Valentina was resigned to wearing the lingerie, having checked everywhere in the room and found nothing. Only if she wore the bedsheet or curtains... and that wasn't very good either.

With a heavy heart, she made for the other door in the room and entered the bathroom.

...

Druid put his suit jacket back on, smiling satisfactorily at the sight before him. Lorrel Gadot, tied to a chair and even more beaten and bruised than before. He was also delightfully unconscious, which served Druid very well.

What a sorry excuse for a man, he spat at his victim, before straightening his suit and striding out.

He had one more thing to see.Valentina Gadot, he thought with a smirk playing on the corner of his mouth.

She was interesting to say the least. Her career as a stripper was certainly not something he had expected when his man carried out the background check.

She just looked so fucking innocent, it made him want to sink his teeth into her. Finding out that she took her clothes off for a living only made him more intrigued.

But, he had to stay focused. She was for work, not for his pleasure. After all, her brother's bills weren't going to pay themselves.

...

The door opened suddenly and Valentina stood up from where she gingerly sat on, now dressed in the black flimsy lace and satin set, complete with garters and stockings and a glittery high heel.

The man from before entered in his dashing suit and as soon as he saw her in the dimly lit room, he stopped.

"Beautiful," he intoned deeply almost like a growl, taking a step towards her. She took a step back, looking wary. Druid stopped.

"I believe we haven't formally met," he started speaking moments later. "I am Druid Steel. And you are Valentina."

Nice to meet you I guess, she thought with a little bit of snark in her, but couldn't dare to say it out loud. It seemed from the amusement that briefly flashed through his eyes, that he could somehow read her mind.

"Now," he continued, "I think you have an idea that your brother owes me a sum of money. Rather, he tried to steal from me. And it doesn't end well for him. I don't tolerate thieves handling my business."

Valentina gulped, feeling naked as his eyes hadn't left her even once since he started talking.

"What does that have to do with me?" She asked. "And what kind of business do you even do?"

She had some idea he was already a shady guy, but the way his eyes glimmered as she asked that question told her it was likely not something she would want to know the answer for.

"I... have investments I would like to keep secret for now. Until we finish our talk, Valentina."

He reached to touch her and it was then that Valentina realized that without her knowing, he had come close. His hand grazed the lace strap of her bralette and she flinched. He removed his hand instantly.

"I have an offer for you to help pay your brother's debt and keep him alive. I assure you, if not for your pleading for me to spare his life, he wouldn't be alive right now. And trust me, you likely would have joined him," Druid stated almost nonchalantly but Valentina could tell the steel behind his calm facade. This was a dangerous man.

Was he part of the mob? The Mafia?

"You said you would do anything for your brother, right? Well here's your chance."

He stood only a few inches from her. If he reached his hand out to her he would be able to get her into bed with him. Valentina's heart sped up with that thought.

Druid continued, his eyes never leaving hers. "You will work for me. I hear you have skills in dancing in little to no clothing."

"I strip," she swallowed before shrugging, not feeling any shame about it. "Is that what you're talking about? You want me to strip for you? Or for someone else?"

"You will be working in my club, darling," he chuckled and shivers ran down her spine. "You will be a performer, not a mere stripper. And during the day... you will be mine. My woman. Mine to use and keep. You will live with me and go where I order you . Do this, and you can have what you want."

His words made her eyes widen just a tad.

...