Sins of Dominion

Chapter 11: The Unseen Threads

Evelyn

My hands trembled as I fumbled with the key to my dorm room, finally managing to unlock the door and push it open. The moment I stepped inside, I let out a shaky breath, leaning against the door for support. The safety of my room, the familiar comfort of my things, did little to ease the turmoil inside me.

The encounter with Dominic had left me shaken, but it was Isabella’s presence that had truly unnerved me. The way she had looked at me, with that knowing, almost predatory smile, made it clear that she wasn’t just an observer in this game—she was an active participant. But what was her role? And why did she seem so amused by my fear?

I couldn’t stay in this room forever, hiding from the world and the chaos Dominic had unleashed in my life. But I also knew I needed time to think, to figure out how to navigate the dangerous waters I found myself in. Everything was moving too fast, and I felt like I was losing control of my own life.

As I tried to calm my racing thoughts, my phone buzzed in my pocket. The sudden sound made me jump, and for a moment, I hesitated, dreading what I might see when I looked at the screen.

But when I pulled out my phone, it wasn’t Dominic’s name that appeared on the screen. It was Carter.

Hey, how are you doing? Want to grab dinner?

A wave of relief washed over me. Carter. Just seeing his name, knowing that there was someone in my life who wasn’t part of this dark, twisted game, made me feel a little more grounded. But as much as I wanted to see him, to find comfort in his presence, I knew that I couldn’t bring myself to face him right now—not with everything that had just happened.

I’m okay, I replied, even though it was a lie. But I think I’m going to stay in tonight. Just need some time to myself.

Carter’s response came almost immediately. I understand. Just know I’m here if you need me.

Thanks, Carter, I texted back, my fingers lingering on the screen. I wanted to tell him more, to explain the chaos I was caught in, but I couldn’t. It was too dangerous to involve him any further, and I didn’t want him to see the mess I was becoming.

After setting my phone aside, I sank onto my bed, staring at the ceiling as the events of the day replayed in my mind. I had gotten too close to Dominic—too close to something that was dark, addictive, and terrifying all at once. And now I was paying the price.

But what choice did I have? Dominic wasn’t going to let me go, and I didn’t know if I had the strength to keep fighting him. A part of me wanted to surrender, to let him take control and free me from the burden of making my own decisions. But I knew that path led to nowhere good.

I was trapped, caught between the desire to give in and the fear of losing myself entirely. And the worst part was, I wasn’t sure which was the greater danger—Dominic’s control over me, or the way I was starting to crave it.

As the hours ticked by, I tried to push these thoughts away, tried to focus on anything else. I picked up my textbooks, hoping to distract myself with schoolwork, but the words blurred on the page, my mind too restless to focus.

The shadows in the room seemed to grow longer as the evening wore on, and eventually, I couldn’t stand the silence any longer. I needed to do something, anything, to take my mind off Dominic and the dark pull he had over me.

I decided to take a walk, hoping the cool night air would clear my head. Grabbing my jacket, I slipped out of my dorm room and into the quiet hallways of Ashworth Hall. The building was mostly empty at this time of night, the other students either out enjoying themselves or already in bed.

As I stepped outside, the crisp autumn air greeted me, and I breathed it in deeply, letting the chill calm my frayed nerves. The campus was eerily quiet, the only sounds the distant rustling of leaves and the soft hum of the occasional streetlight.

I walked aimlessly, letting my feet carry me wherever they wanted to go. The darkness around me felt less oppressive out here, under the open sky, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched.

Eventually, I found myself near the old greenhouse where I had spoken to Isabella. The memory of that conversation made me hesitate, but something drew me closer, a strange compulsion I couldn’t explain.

The greenhouse was dark and silent, its glass walls reflecting the faint glow of the campus lights. I peered inside, but I couldn’t see much through the fogged-up glass. It looked empty, abandoned.

But as I stood there, staring at the greenhouse, a sudden movement caught my eye. A shadow flitted past the glass, so quick that I almost thought I had imagined it.

Almost.

My heart skipped a beat, and I took an involuntary step back, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. Someone was in there.

And before I could even consider turning around and leaving, the door to the greenhouse creaked open.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat as I waited, half-expecting Dominic to step out, his dark eyes glinting with that same predatory intensity.

But it wasn’t Dominic. It was Isabella.

She stepped out of the greenhouse, her figure bathed in the soft glow of the campus lights, her expression unreadable. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the silence between us thick and heavy.

“You’re following me now?” she asked, her voice cool and detached.

I shook my head quickly, trying to gather my thoughts. “No, I was just… walking.”

Isabella’s lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. “You really should be more careful, Evelyn. This campus can be dangerous at night.”

The warning in her voice was clear, but I wasn’t sure if she was referring to the physical dangers of the night or something else—something more insidious.

“What were you doing in there?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly as I nodded towards the greenhouse.

Isabella’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Just taking care of some personal matters. Nothing that concerns you.”

Her response sent a shiver down my spine, but I forced myself to hold her gaze. “Isabella, what are you and Dominic really up to? Why are you both so interested in me?”

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing as she studied me. “Dominic sees something in you, Evelyn. Something he finds… intriguing. But don’t mistake that for kindness. My brother doesn’t do anything without a reason.”

“I know that,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt. “But what is it that he wants? What is this all about?”

Isabella’s smile faded, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something darker in her eyes—something that reminded me all too much of Dominic. “You’ll have to figure that out for yourself. But be careful, Evelyn. This game you’re playing with Dominic? It doesn’t end well for most people.”

The warning hung in the air between us, cold and heavy. I wanted to push further, to demand answers, but something in Isabella’s gaze told me that this conversation was over.

Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone in the darkness.

I watched her go, my mind racing with a thousand questions that had no answers. What had she meant by that? What game was I playing, and how could I win it if I didn’t even know the rules?

The sense of unease that had been growing inside me only deepened, wrapping around me like a suffocating blanket. Whatever was happening, whatever Dominic and Isabella were involved in, it was bigger than I had realized.

And I was caught right in the middle of it.