"Lies and Alliances"
"You're reckless," he said finally. "Completely reckless. And you might be the only person in this office who isn't terrified of Camille."
I blinked. "I'm not scared of her."
"Not yet," he said.
My heart raced. "Then what do you want me to do?" I asked, my voice small now.
Dominic didn't answer immediately. He leaned back, steepling his fingers. "I want to know why you're here. I want to know how desperate you really are. And I want to know how far you're willing to go."
"I'll go as far as I have to," I said. "I don't care about rules. I don't care about danger. I just… I need money. I need help. Please."
Camille smiled softly. Dangerous. "She's desperate," she said, her tone of venom wrapped in silk. "And desperate people are… useful."
Dominic's eyes flicked to her. Something passed between thema tension I didn't understand. Fear? Anger? Maybe both.
"You shouldn't be here," he said finally, turning back to me. "And now you are. And now… you've made this your business. Do you understand what you're asking?"
"Yes," I said, my voice cracking. "I have to. I can't do anything. I can't… I won't let him die."
Dominic's eyes studied me. He didn't speak. I could feel the weight of his judgment. I could feel the cold, sharp intelligence sizing me up.
"You're serious," he said finally. "Completely serious. No hesitation."
"I've never hesitated in my life," I said. And for a second, I felt proud. A little. But my chest ached. My throat burned. And I knew I was standing at the edge of something I couldn't yet see.
Dominic rubbed his forehead. "Then we might have a problem… or a solution. Either way, you just made yourself part of my world."
I swallowed hard. "I don't know what you mean," I said.
His gray eyes locked on mine. "You will. Soon enough."
Camille's smile widened. She opened her mouth, but Dominic cut her off. "Not now."
Her eyes flicked to me. She leaned in slightly. "Interesting choice," she said softly. "Not many people walk in here and survive. You have courage… or stupidity. Time will tell which."
I didn't know whether to feel insulted or terrified. Maybe both.
Dominic leaned back in his chair again. "Sit. We need to talk about exactly what you think you can do."
I hesitated. My hands shook. My heart raced. But I lowered myself onto the chair, gripping the edge.
"You're not just here for a job," he said, voice low, measured. "You're here for something bigger. Something dangerous. And I need to know you understand the risk."
"I understand," I said. "I… I will do whatever it takes. I don't care what happens to me. I just… I can't fail him. I won't fail him."
Dominic's eyes softened just for a fraction of a second. "We'll see," he said quietly. "Because once this starts… there's no turning back."
I blinked. Swallowing hard, I realized I had stepped into something far larger than I had imagined. Something I didn't fully understand. Something that would change everything.
And then, the door clicked. Camille's voice floated from outside. "Dominic… I see you brought company. Interesting choice."
I froze. My heart slammed. I had no idea what I had just walked into.
Dominic closes the door behind me, his gaze piercing mine. "How much did you hear, really?"
I froze the moment Camille's heels clicked down the hall.
"You should go," I whispered, though my voice barely carried.
Camille paused, just outside the door. Her eyes flicked to me. That smile, cold, deliberate made my stomach twist. "You'll see me again," she said softly. "And next time, I won't be this polite."
Then she left. The door clicked. Silence.
I exhaled shakily, my knees weak. I had lied. Terribly.
Dominic's eyes were on me. Sharp. Piercing. Calm. Too calm.
"You lied," he said. Not accusing. Not shouting. Just… stating it like it was a fact.
I looked away. My fingers fidgeted. "I… I had to."
"Had to?" His tone was quiet but heavy. Each word landed like a weight in my chest.
"Yes," I said, my voice breaking. "I… I didn't know what else to do. I can't because my father doesn't have time for me to… I can't fail him."
He leaned back slightly, watching me with a look I couldn't read. "You lied because you're desperate. And desperation is dangerous."
I swallowed hard. "I know. I just… I'm out of options. Please. You have to understand that."
"I understand desperation," he said slowly. "I also understand lies. They complicate everything. Especially in situations like this."
I clenched my fists under the desk. "I didn't mean to complicate anything. I just"
"Just what?" His voice was soft now. Intense. But soft. Like he wanted me to answer honestly.
"I… I wanted a chance. Just a chance. To save him. To do something right for once." My eyes filled. "Do you know what it's like to feel powerless? To know that the only person who ever loved you unconditionally… could be gone, and you can't stop it?"
Dominic leaned forward now, elbows on the desk. His eyes were sharp. "I do know what it's like to feel powerless. I also know what it's like to watch someone make choices without understanding the consequences."
I flinched. "I didn't know the consequences. I still don't. But I can't sit by."
He studied me, eyes narrowing. "You're reckless. Bold. Naïve. And you're very stubborn."
I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "Maybe I have to be. Maybe stubbornness is all I have left."
He tilted his head slightly. "Maybe. Or maybe it's what makes you useful."
I blinked. "Useful? What do you mean?"
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned back, steepling his fingers, and just looked at me. I felt like he was reading me completely, my fear, my desperation, my anger. And maybe… something else I wasn't ready to admit even to myself.
Then he spoke, low and deliberate. "You came here without an invitation. You lied. You ignored warnings. And you risked more than your pride. You risked your life. And yet… you didn't run."
"I…" I choked on the word. "I can't run."