A Dangerous game

The air in the cellar was thick with the stench of damp stone and something more sinister—the scent of death lingering between us. My wrists throbbed against the ropes, the rough fibers cutting into my skin, but I couldn’t focus on the pain. Not when Dominic was watching me like a predator savoring its prey.

“I should have done this the moment you were born,” he mused, pacing slowly. “Your father was too soft—he thought he could protect you, but in the end, he was a fool.”

I forced myself to stay calm, my mind racing. Dominic was arrogant. He liked to talk. That meant I still had time.

“You killed him because you wanted power,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “And now you want to kill me for the same reason?”

Dominic smirked. “You think this is just about power? No, Isabella. This is about making sure no one ever challenges me again. I let your father live too long, and look what happened—I had to clean up his mess. I won’t make that mistake twice.”

I swallowed hard. “If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it already.”

He tilted his head, intrigued. “Go on.”

“You’re waiting. Maybe for the right moment, maybe because you enjoy the game,” I said, watching his expression. “But that’s your weakness, isn’t it? You like toying with people. You like control.”

Dominic chuckled, shaking his head. “You really are his daughter.”

I kept my breathing steady, my fingers working against the ropes behind me. I needed to stall, just a little longer.

“My father never told me about you,” I continued. “Not once.”

His smirk faltered for a brief second before he recovered. “Because he wanted to erase me. But I was always there, watching, waiting for my time. And when the time came, I took it.”

A chill ran down my spine, but I didn’t let him see it. My fingers grazed the sharp edge of something—metal? A nail jutting from the chair? I couldn’t tell, but I clung to it like a lifeline, rubbing the ropes against it as I kept him talking.

“What about my mother?” I asked, my voice quieter.

Dominic’s expression darkened. “She should have stayed out of it.”

Rage bubbled inside me. “You killed her too, didn’t you?”

“I did what had to be done,” he said simply. “She was never supposed to be part of this world, and your father’s weakness got her killed.”

My vision blurred with fury. I didn’t know what was worse—the fact that he murdered my parents or the fact that he spoke about it like it was a minor inconvenience.

I felt the rope begin to loosen. Just a little more.

“You talk about my father like he was weak,” I said, keeping my voice steady, “but he was twice the man you’ll ever be.”

Dominic’s jaw tightened. “Watch your mouth, Isabella.”

“Or what?” I challenged, gripping the metal behind me tighter. “You’ll kill me? You’re already planning to.”

His lip curled, and for the first time, I saw it—a flicker of real anger. Dominic liked control, but he didn’t like being challenged.

Good.

I gave the ropes one final pull, feeling them slip just enough. Not completely free yet, but close.

Dominic sighed. “I’ve wasted enough time talking. It’s time to finish this.”

He reached into his jacket, pulling out a sleek black pistol.

Panic surged through me, but I forced myself to stay still. I couldn’t rush this. I had one shot at getting out of here alive.

“Any last words?” he asked, leveling the gun at me.

I met his gaze, my mind working a mile a minute. I needed a distraction—something big.

So I played my last card.

“Toby Knight,” I said, watching his reaction carefully. “He’s looking for me.”

Dominic stilled, his grip tightening on the gun.

“He doesn’t know who I really am yet,” I continued, buying myself another second. “But when he finds out, what do you think he’ll do?”

Dominic scoffed, but I saw the brief flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

I seized the moment.

With all my strength, I wrenched my hands free, grabbed the chair leg, and swung.

The wood crashed into Dominic’s wrist, sending the gun flying. He let out a sharp curse, but I didn’t wait—I bolted toward the door, adrenaline surging through my veins.

I had seconds. Maybe less.

If I failed, I was dead.

But what if i make it out of here?