SASHA’S POV
The moment we stepped through the heavy, dark doors of the club, I felt a chill run down my spine.
The bass of the music thumped through the floor, shaking the ground beneath my feet and resonating in my chest, but it was more than just the music that left me uneasy.
It wasn’t the usual glitzy, carefree atmosphere of the clubs I’d grown familiar with. This place was different-darker, colder, suffocating.
The lights were dim, casting long, ominous shadows along the walls. I looked around, my gaze darting to every corner, and my confidence instantly plummeted. I hadn’t expected this.
I thought maybe we’d spend the evening dancing, maybe drinking, enjoying each other’s company. But this… this place was something out of a nightmare.
Each corner held a guard-stone-faced, muscled, and terrifyingly still, each with a gun in hand, poised and ready as if expecting something to go horribly wrong any second.
I gripped Sebastian’s arm instinctively, tightening my fingers around his coat sleeve as we walked deeper into the club. Sebastian didn’t react; he just kept walking, moving forward with his usual confidence and unbothered air.
To him, this was normal-he was in his element. But me? I felt every eye in the place on me, and every look made me want to shrink back, to disappear.
The way the men in here stared at me felt like I was being marked, measured, assessed. They watched me like I was some kind of prize they wanted to get their hands on.
I forced myself to keep my gaze down, determined not to make eye contact with anyone.
I could sense the danger around us, like it was clinging to the air, dense and suffocating. The tables were filled with men-men who, even without knowing their names, I could tell were dangerous.
I’d heard stories about people like them, but seeing it first hand was something else. Some were laughing, others deep in hushed conversations, and some… well, some weren’t so lucky.
My eyes briefly flitted to a table nearby, where two men were holding someone down, pinning him to the surface as another guy aimed a gun at his head.
My heart pounded as I saw the look of pure terror on the man’s face, his wide, desperate eyes pleading for mercy that I knew he wouldn’t get.
I jerked my gaze away just as I heard the muted sound of a gunshot, squeezing my eyes shut, hoping to drown out the scene behind me.
“Hey,” Sebastian’s voice broke through my thoughts, low and steady, “you alright?”
I opened my eyes to look up at him, forcing a weak smile. “I… I didn’t expect this,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. “I thought we were going somewhere… different.”
He squeezed my hand, pulling me a bit closer. “This is just business. Stick close to me, and you’ll be fine.” His tone was calm, reassuring, but it did little to settle the unease twisting inside me.
We continued walking, and I felt Sebastian’s hand guiding me, leading me with confidence through the crowd.
He walked with a certain air that told everyone here not to mess with him. I’d seen that confidence in him before, but here it was amplified, like he was a part of this world, like he belonged.
I felt safe with him-at least safer than I would’ve felt alone-but it didn’t stop the shiver that ran through me every time I caught a glimpse of something gruesome, something I never imagined I’d see.
As we walked deeper into the club, a tall, burly man approached us, his eyes taking over me with a grin that made my skin crawl.
“And who’s this?” he asked, his gaze never leaving me as he addressed Sebastian.
Sebastian’s arm slid around my waist, pulling me protectively against his side. “She’s with me,” he said, his voice icy, a dangerous edge to his tone that sent a shiver down my spine.
The man’s grin faltered slightly, his eyes flicking to Sebastian, then back to me. “Pretty thing, isn’t she?” he said, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Be a shame if-”
The click of a gun interrupted him. I gasped, my heart hammering in my chest as I realised that Sebastian had raised his gun, pressing it firmly against the man’s temple.
“I said,” Sebastian’s voice was a low, lethal whisper, “she’s with me.”
The man’s expression shifted, and his hands slowly raised in a gesture of surrender. “Alright, alright,” he said, taking a step back.
“Didn’t mean any disrespect.” He backed away, his eyes wary as he glanced between me and Sebastian before finally disappearing into the crowd.
I let out a shaky breath, still clutching Sebastian’s arm as I looked up at him. “Did you really have to do that?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly despite my attempt to keep it steady.
He looked down at me, his gaze softening, the hard edge in his eyes disappearing. “Yes,” he said simply, lowering the gun but keeping it close.
“I told you, Sasha, this place isn’t safe. Men like him… they don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. You’re with me, and I’ll make sure everyone knows it.”
I swallowed, nodding, though the fear hadn’t quite left me. “I… I didn’t think…” I trailed off, struggling to find the words. “I didn’t think you’d go this far.”
He studied me for a moment, his gaze intense. “This world, Sasha, it’s not the same as what you’re used to. Here, you either make it clear who you are and what you stand for, or you get eaten alive. I won’t let that happen to you.” He brushed a strand of hair away from my face, his touch surprisingly gentle given the setting.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and tried to block out the dark, sinister atmosphere around us. I looked up at him, forcing a small smile. “Well, I guess I’m in good hands, then.”
He smirked, a glint of amusement breaking through the hardened exterior. “Trust me. I’ve got you.”
We made our way to a private table at the back, where Sebastian signalled a waiter. Despite the dim, tense atmosphere, I couldn’t help but notice how at ease he was, as if he’d done this a hundred times before.
And maybe he had. The thought left me both curious and unsettled, wondering how much of his life he’d kept hidden from me.