Mafia's Embrace

**Chapter 2: The Proposal**

Faith couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air long after Alexander had left the diner. The night outside had grown colder, the streets quieter, and the snowfall heavier, muffling the sounds of the city. The card in her pocket felt like a burning weight, and despite her best efforts, her mind kept drifting back to the tall, dark stranger who had given it to her.

Alexander Volkov.

She had no idea who he really was, but something in his eyes—those cold, unreadable eyes—had unsettled her. He wasn't just another customer. His presence had been too commanding, too deliberate.

Faith finished her shift, tugging her coat around herself as she stepped outside into the winter air. The snow crunched under her boots as she made her way down the dimly lit street toward her small apartment a few blocks away. The walk was routine, but tonight every shadow seemed sharper, every noise louder.

She glanced over her shoulder, her breath forming small clouds in the air, but there was no one behind her. She was being paranoid, she told herself. Shaking off the strange sensation, she quickened her pace, eager to get home and leave this night behind her.

As she turned the corner toward her apartment building, a figure stepped out from the shadows.

Her heart leapt into her throat, and she stopped in her tracks. It was him. Alexander.

He stood in the dim light, his coat blending into the night, but his presence was unmistakable. His piercing gaze met hers, as if he had been waiting for her all along.

"What are you doing here?" Faith asked, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to sound calm.

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he took a step toward her, his boots crunching in the snow. "You didn't call."

"I... It's been a few hours," she stammered. "And I'm not—"

"I don't wait, Faith," he interrupted, his voice low and steady. "When I want something, I take it."

Her pulse quickened. She took a step back, her eyes darting toward the entrance of her apartment building, just a few feet away. "I don't know what you think is happening, but I'm not interested in—"

Before she could finish, Alexander closed the distance between them, his hand reaching out to gently grip her arm. He didn't hurt her, but his touch was firm, a silent reminder of his strength. She froze, her breath hitching as she looked up at him.

"You're coming with me, baby girl," he said, his voice smooth but commanding, as if her resistance was a mere inconvenience.

Faith's heart raced in her chest. She pulled her arm back, trying to step away, but his grip tightened just enough to keep her in place without causing pain.

"I—I don't even know you," she whispered, panic rising in her throat.

"You will." His gaze softened, just a fraction, but it only made him more dangerous. "I've decided, Faith. You're not staying here. You deserve more than this." He gestured around at the empty streets, at her rundown apartment building. "And I'm going to give it to you."

"I'm not... a thing you can just take," she said, her voice steadier than she felt inside.

Alexander's lips curved into a faint smile, as if he admired her defiance. "You're right. But you don't know the world you're in now. Men like me, we don't ask twice."

Faith's mind raced. She had never felt so trapped, so vulnerable. The logical part of her screamed to fight back, to run, to shout for help—but another part, a part she didn't fully understand, was frozen in place, mesmerized by the raw power that radiated from him.

"I won't hurt you," Alexander said softly, his voice dropping an octave. "But you're coming with me, Faith. I don't leave things I want behind."

She shook her head, trying to break free of the spell he seemed to cast over her. "And if I say no?"

His smile faded, and his expression grew serious, his hand still resting on her arm. "You won't say no."

A shiver ran down her spine. She could see the conviction in his eyes—the unshakable certainty that he would get what he wanted. Her mind spun, and despite every instinct telling her to scream, to run, she couldn't move. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating in the quiet, snow-covered night.

"I can give you a life you never imagined," Alexander continued, his voice soft but deadly serious. "I can protect you. Provide for you. Keep you safe from all the things you don't even know are out there. But you have to trust me."

Faith's breath came in shallow gasps, her heart thundering in her chest. She didn't know if it was fear or something else that made her hesitate.

"I don't... I can't just leave," she whispered. "I have a life here."

He stepped closer, his grip loosening just enough to give her a sense of control, though they both knew she wasn't going anywhere. "This life you think you have? It's nothing compared to what I'm offering you. You deserve more than this place, more than these people. And I'm going to take you there, whether you realize it or not."

Her legs felt like lead, her mind swirling with confusion and fear. She didn't know what to do, but something in his gaze, in the calm certainty with which he spoke, made her realize one thing.

He wasn't asking.