Dangerous Attention

Chapter 2: A Dangerous Encounter

The cold night air hit Offroad as he stepped outside Eclipse, the heavy bass from the club muffled by the thick walls behind him. He wasn’t sure why, but his heart was racing—thudding hard against his chest. That encounter with Daou had rattled him more than he wanted to admit. There was something in the mafia boss’s eyes that he couldn’t shake, a hunger that wasn’t just about power or control. It was personal. And Offroad didn’t like being the object of anyone’s obsession, especially someone as dangerous as Daou.

Leaning against the brick wall, Offroad pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and inhaled deeply, letting the smoke curl around him in the chilly air. His hand trembled slightly as he brought the cigarette to his lips, though he tried to convince himself it was the cold, not the tension still buzzing through his veins.

He had faced tough guys before—people who thought they could intimidate him into doing their bidding. But Daou wasn’t like them. There was no bluff in his gaze. The man didn’t need to act tough; his very presence screamed danger. And yet, beneath the menace, Offroad had seen something else. Curiosity. Maybe even… attraction?

Offroad exhaled a cloud of smoke, shaking his head. Get a grip, Off. You can’t afford to get mixed up with a guy like him. He had worked hard to keep his life clean, away from the crime and corruption that plagued the city’s underworld. The last thing he needed was to catch the attention of the mafia kingpin.

The sound of footsteps behind him made him tense. He flicked the cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath his boot before turning, his eyes narrowing. Standing at the entrance of the alley was one of Daou’s men, a tall, broad-shouldered guy in a black suit. Offroad recognized him from earlier—one of the silent bodyguards that had flanked Daou in the VIP section.

“The boss wants to see you,” the man said, his voice gruff.

Offroad crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. “And if I say no?”

The man’s expression didn’t change. “You don’t say no.”

A chuckle escaped Offroad’s lips, though it was more out of disbelief than amusement. “Yeah, well, I’m saying it anyway.”

The man took a step forward, his posture threatening. “You don’t understand who you’re dealing with, kid.”

“Oh, I understand just fine,” Offroad shot back, his voice steady. “I’m just not interested in playing his game.”

For a moment, the two stared each other down, the tension thick between them. Offroad’s pulse quickened, but he kept his expression calm. He wasn’t going to let some thug intimidate him. Not here. Not now.

But before the man could respond, another voice cut through the alleyway—smooth, commanding, and laced with danger.

“Let him be.”

Both men turned to see Daou stepping into the dimly lit alley, his figure cast in shadow. The bodyguard immediately stepped aside, bowing his head slightly before retreating to the background. Offroad’s eyes flickered over Daou, who was now just a few feet away, his dark eyes locked on him.

Offroad’s heart skipped a beat. There it was again—that unnerving intensity in Daou’s gaze. He could feel the air between them shift, the tension palpable.

“I thought I made it clear,” Offroad said, his voice low, “I’m not interested in whatever this is.”

Daou stepped closer, his lips curling into a small, dangerous smile. “You made it clear, yes. But I think we both know that’s not entirely true.”

Offroad straightened, pushing off the wall, his eyes narrowing. “You think because you’re some big-shot mafia boss, you can just snap your fingers and people will fall in line?”

Daou’s smile widened slightly, his gaze never wavering. “That’s how it usually works.”

“Well, I’m not like your men,” Offroad said, stepping toward Daou, his voice hardening. “I don’t take orders. And I don’t bend to intimidation.”

The space between them shrank, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. Offroad could feel the heat from Daou’s body, the raw power radiating from him. It was magnetic, and despite every instinct screaming at him to walk away, he found himself unable to move.

Daou tilted his head slightly, studying him. “You’re different. I like that.”

“I’m not here to be liked,” Offroad muttered, his heart pounding in his chest.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension thickened, a charged silence hanging between them. Daou’s eyes roamed over Offroad’s face, lingering on his lips for just a second too long. Offroad noticed, his own breath hitching. He hated how his body seemed to respond to Daou’s proximity, the subtle draw he felt toward him, despite every rational thought telling him this was a dangerous game.

“You’re not like anyone I’ve met before,” Daou said softly, his voice lowering as he stepped even closer, his face just inches from Offroad’s. “I don’t meet many people who don’t know fear when they see it.”

“I know fear,” Offroad replied, his voice steady despite the rapid thudding in his chest. “I just don’t run from it.”

The corners of Daou’s mouth twitched into something resembling approval, though his eyes remained dark, unreadable. “Good. Running only makes the chase more interesting.”

Offroad’s pulse quickened. Daou’s words were layered with meaning, a subtle promise of what could be, of what might happen if Offroad chose to step into his world. But Offroad wasn’t naive. He knew men like Daou were dangerous, not just because of their power, but because they consumed everything in their path. And Offroad wasn’t about to be consumed.

“I’m not one of your conquests,” Offroad said, his voice firm, though there was an edge of something unspoken in his tone. Something that neither of them could quite name.

Daou’s eyes flickered, something dark and unreadable passing through them. “Maybe not. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you go.”

Offroad’s breath caught in his throat, his heart hammering. There was a possessiveness in Daou’s words that made his skin tingle, an unspoken promise of what was to come. But he wasn’t going to let himself be pulled into this man’s orbit so easily.

“You can’t own me,” Offroad said, his voice low but firm.

Daou’s lips curved into a slow, predatory smile. “We’ll see.”

With that, Daou stepped back, his presence still looming even as he created distance between them. Offroad swallowed, trying to steady himself, but he couldn’t deny the effect Daou had on him. This wasn’t just a man—it was a force of nature. And Offroad had just stepped into the eye of the storm.

“Remember what I said,” Daou added, his voice quiet but dangerous. “You know where to find me.”

Without waiting for a response, Daou turned and walked away, his bodyguard trailing behind him. Offroad stood there, his mind racing. Part of him wanted to forget this encounter ever happened, to walk away and never look back. But another part of him—a darker, more curious part—wanted to see where this dangerous game would lead.

And that was the part that scared him the most.