Underworld Submission (book 1)

The Smoke of Betrayal

Dom and Adrian sat at the long, polished dining table, the low hum of conversation and the clink of cutlery filling the elegant room. The tension that had been gnawing at Dom's mind was momentarily forgotten in the warmth of Adrian's presence. They had been discussing their next steps, a way to keep Adrian safe from the threats that had been looming ever since Dom's brother, Elias, resurfaced. But all the planning in the world couldn't prepare them for what happened next.Without warning, the walls shook as a deafening explosion tore through the mansion. The sheer force rattled the table, sending plates and glasses crashing to the floor. Adrian instinctively dove for cover, pulling Dom with him as they fell to the ground. Their hearing was distorted, ears ringing from the sheer volume of the blast. Smoke, thick and acrid, began to pour into the room, obscuring their vision."Adrian!" Dom shouted, but his voice was barely a whisper against the ringing in his ears. His vision swam as his senses struggled to process the chaos around them. He could hear muffled gunfire in the distance, the sharp crack of bullets tearing through the once peaceful mansion. As the smoke thickened, Dom's mind raced. He realized too late what was happening—the smoke wasn't just for cover; it was infused with sleeping gas. His limbs began to feel heavy, his vision darkening at the edges. Through the haze, Dom saw Adrian slumped on the ground beside him, his chest rising and falling rapidly as the gas began to take hold. Fear clenched Dom's heart. He couldn't lose him—not like this.Gritting his teeth, Dom fought to stay conscious. He could barely make out the sound of footsteps entering the room. Boots. Several pairs of them. Shadows loomed in the smoke, the outlines of men moving with deadly precision. Before Dom could move, he saw them grab Adrian's limp body. His heart pounded in his chest, but his muscles wouldn't respond. Panic surged through him as he watched helplessly. Then, one of the men—taller than the others, with a presence that made Dom's skin crawl—knelt beside him. Through the fog of his fading consciousness, Dom recognized the face.Elias.His brother's cold, piercing gaze locked onto him, a cruel smirk playing at the edges of his lips. He had changed since the last time Dom had seen him—years ago, after Elias betrayed the family and walked away, leaving chaos and blood in his wake. But the malice in his eyes, the burning desire for revenge—that was unmistakable.Elias crouched down to Dom's level, his voice a twisted, low murmur. "I told you I'd take him," he said, his words slow and deliberate, laced with venom. "And now, you're too late."Dom's vision blurred further as the last traces of consciousness slipped away. The last thing he saw before the darkness took him was Elias' cold, victorious smile and the sight of Adrian being dragged away.Then, everything went black.---When Dom finally regained consciousness, the world was a blur of pain and confusion. His head throbbed, and every breath felt labored. He blinked, trying to focus, but the room spun around him. The dining room was in ruins—chairs overturned, the table shattered, and the walls scorched by the explosion.Adrian was gone.Dom's heart pounded as the reality of the situation slammed into him. Elias had taken him. His brother—the one who had betrayed their family, who had disappeared into the shadows and resurfaced only to tear Dom's life apart once again—had come for Adrian.Rage coursed through Dom's veins, hot and unrelenting. The sound of Elias' voice, the mocking words, echoed in his mind. "I told you I'd take him."Forcing himself to his feet, Dom's hands clenched into fists. His body ached, his lungs burned, but none of that mattered. Adrian was out there, in the hands of a man who would stop at nothing to break him, to hurt him. And Dom knew what Elias was capable of. He had seen the cruelty his brother harbored, the sadistic pleasure he took in causing pain. Dom staggered out of the room, his mind focused on one thing: getting Adrian back.