A Choice With No Escape

Luca leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable as he absorbed Cassian's words. The offer lingered between them, thick with unspoken consequences.

A seat at the table.

It sounded like power. It smelled like a trap.

Cassian waited, swirling his whiskey, watching him like a predator watching prey decide whether to run.

Luca exhaled slowly. "What exactly does 'working with you' mean?"

Cassian's smirk deepened. "It means stepping into a world where you don't just survive, Luca. You rule."

Rule.

It was a tempting word. A dangerous word.

But Luca wasn't naive. He knew what this was. Cassian wasn't just offering power—he was offering control. Over Luca. Over everything.

Luca met his gaze. "And what if I'm not interested in ruling?"

Cassian chuckled. "You will be."

Luca clenched his jaw. "And if I walk away?"

Cassian studied him for a moment before sighing, almost disappointed. "Then you become a liability. And you know how I handle those."

The air thickened. The unspoken threat settled between them like a blade.

Luca's pulse remained steady, but inside, the calculations had already begun. Refuse, and he wouldn't make it out of this room alive. Accept, and he'd be playing a game where the rules weren't his to set.

It wasn't a choice.

It was a cage.

—

The Illusion of Control

Luca leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "I don't trust you."

Cassian smiled. "Good. Trust gets people killed."

Luca exhaled. "If I say yes, what's my first move?"

Cassian's expression flickered with satisfaction. He gestured to one of the men behind him, who stepped forward and handed Luca a sleek black folder.

Luca flipped it open. Inside were documents, photographs—a name.

Killian D'Angelo.

Luca's jaw tightened.

Cassian watched him carefully. "You know who he is."

Luca did. Killian was a name whispered in the shadows—a man just as powerful as Cassian, but twice as ruthless.

Cassian tilted his head. "I want him eliminated."

Luca shut the folder. "You want me to start with an execution."

Cassian's smile was razor-sharp. "You're either all in, Luca, or you're out. There's no middle ground."

—

A Line He Can't Uncross

Luca stood, gripping the folder. The weight of the decision pressed against his ribs.

Walk away, and he dies tonight. Say yes, and he steps into the abyss.

Cassian raised his glass. "Welcome to the game, Luca."

Luca turned, walking toward the exit. Every step felt heavier than the last.

He wasn't just making a choice.

He was selling his soul.

—

Next Chapter: A Deal with the Devil.