Underworld Submission (book 1)

Legacy of Shadows

Adrian's mind raced as he tried to shake off the strange thoughts that had invaded his brain. He wasn't usually one to get distracted, especially on the job, but there was something about Dominic that threw him off balance. His dark hair was slicked back, his jaw sharp and eyes piercing, cutting through the air like he was the only person that mattered in the room. Adrian found himself staring longer than he should have, and it wasn't just out of curiosity. There was something about the way Dominic carried himself—calm, collected, and in total control—that made Adrian's pulse quicken.James nudged him in the ribs, snapping him back to reality. "You alright, man?" he asked, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "You look like you've seen a ghost."Adrian blinked and cleared his throat, trying to play it off. "Yeah, just thinking about the job. Focused, you know?"James gave him a skeptical glance but didn't push the issue. He didn't need to. The tension in the air between them had shifted, and it was clear that something was going on inside Adrian's head. Something he wasn't quite ready to admit to himself yet.Dominic, meanwhile, seemed unfazed by the attention he was getting from the cops. He walked through the club like he owned the place, and in many ways, he did. People parted for him as he approached, their eyes either darting away in fear or lingering on him in admiration. The air seemed to crackle with energy whenever he was near, and Adrian couldn't help but feel it.They made their way to the back of the club, where Dominic's business associates were waiting. Adrian's instincts told him this was the moment he needed to stay sharp, but his mind kept drifting back to Dominic—how his shirt fit perfectly against his frame, how his movements were so smooth, so deliberate. He had never been so distracted on a job before, and it frustrated him."Stay sharp," James muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the room. "We're here for a reason, and it's not to drool over the locals."Adrian shot him a look. "I'm fine. Just watching the scene."James didn't seem convinced but let it slide. "You better be. This place is crawling with more trouble than we need."As they reached the office, Dominic's demeanor shifted ever so slightly. The relaxed confidence he had carried in the club morphed into something darker, something more dangerous. Adrian could see it in his eyes—Dominic was here for more than just business. He was here to settle a score.The door to the office swung open, and inside was the man they had come to confront. Dominic's target was a low-level informant who had made the mistake of double-crossing him and then running to the cops for protection. Adrian had seen it a hundred times before—guys like that never lasted long, and this one had signed his own death warrant the moment he betrayed Dominic.The man cowered behind the desk, his face pale with fear as Dominic stepped into the room. "Please, Dom, it wasn't my fault! They—""Shut up," Dominic said quietly, his voice like ice. "I didn't come here for your excuses."Adrian felt a chill run down his spine as he watched the scene unfold. Dominic wasn't just angry—he was lethal. There was a coldness in his eyes that Adrian had never seen before, and it made his skin crawl. This was a man who had no qualms about taking a life, no hesitation in delivering pain.Dominic stalked forward, his movements slow and deliberate as he approached the informant. The man stammered, trying to backpedal, but there was nowhere to go. He was trapped, and he knew it."I gave you a chance," Dominic continued, his voice low but filled with menace. "I let you walk out of here alive last time. But now you've crossed a line."The man whimpered, pleading for mercy, but Dominic was unmoved. He reached out and grabbed the man by the collar, pulling him up to his feet. "You know what happens to people who cross me."Adrian watched, his heart pounding in his chest. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. There was something hypnotic about the way Dominic handled himself, something terrifying and fascinating all at once.Dominic leaned in close to the man, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You've made a lot of bad decisions in your life, but this? This was the worst."With a sudden, brutal motion, Dominic threw the man against the wall, his head snapping back with a sickening thud. The informant crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain, but Dominic didn't even flinch. He turned to his men, his expression unreadable. "Take him out back. Make sure he learns his lesson."The men moved quickly, hauling the informant to his feet and dragging him out of the room. Dominic didn't bother to watch them go. He turned back to Adrian and James, his cold exterior melting back into the calm, collected version of himself."Business is handled," he said smoothly, as if nothing had happened. "Now, gentlemen, let's get back to the matter at hand."Adrian's heart was still racing as he tried to process what had just happened. He had seen violence before—he wasn't a stranger to it—but there was something different about Dominic. Something that both terrified and intrigued him.James, however, seemed unfazed. He glanced at Adrian, a smirk on his face. "Still thinking about that retirement plan?"Adrian forced a smile. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I think I'm ready for it."But as they left the office, Adrian couldn't help but steal one last glance at Dominic. There was a pull there, something deep and unspoken, that made Adrian wonder if he was really ready to walk away.