The Dominant Beast

Prologue: It's Started With A Deal

Janice's POV

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His lips crashed into mine in a hidden corner of the place. I was ambushed, entirely caught off guard. I didn’t expect him to do that, not after I had already turned him down.

But he kissed me with a burning intensity, like he was pouring every ounce of longing and desire into claiming me again. And damn it, I started to give in. His kiss was electrifying, disarming me piece by piece. If it weren’t for the sudden blare of loud music, I probably would’ve fallen straight into his trap.

I gathered all my strength and shoved him away, shooting him a sharp glare. Even in the dim lighting, I caught the wicked curve of his lips and the way his seductive eyes bore into me, dreamy and dangerous all at once.

The music that filled the place was loud and sultry, a sensory overload for anyone who wasn’t used to this scene. This part of XHaven was exclusive, private, and designed for people who craved deep, thrilling, wild sex.

Only a select few had access. The elite. The powerful. Mafia Lords who flew in from different corners of the world… and somehow, I had ended up in the middle of it all.

“What the hell are you doing here? And how did you even find this place?” I hissed, yanking him into a shadowed corner—far from the women who looked like they were ready to devour him whole.

“I’m here because of you,” he said, his tone deadly serious.

“What?” My brows pulled together tighter. What the hell was he talking about? Sure, he’d shown interest before, but I hadn’t given it much thought. I was too wrapped up in the mess my family was dealing with—especially the drama between Luigi and Chelsey’s damn marriage.

“What the fck are you saying? I didn’t tell you to come here!” I snapped, my voice sharp with disbelief and rising frustration.

He took a slow, deliberate breath and flashed me that cocky grin I hated—because it stirred something I didn’t want to admit.

“You don’t need to tell me what to do, Janice Ortega. I can do whatever the hell I want—and I don’t need your permission for any of it.”

I stared at him, shaking my head. Was he serious right now? The crease on my forehead deepened. He said he came here because of me, but why? What was he really after?

“Whatever your reason is, you can’t let anyone here know you know me,” I warned, my tone firm and low. “This isn’t the kind of place people come to chit-chat and make friends.”

He let out a dry, humorless laugh, his eyes gleaming like I’d just told him a joke.

“Do you really think I don’t know what kind of place I just walked into?” he said, one brow lifting as he looked at me like I was the one being naive.

He pulled something out of his pocket, and when I saw what it was, my eyes widened in pure shock—a red card. My heart skipped. That wasn’t just any card. It was the card. A red one meant he was an Elite Member of XHaven.

“Y-You’re an Elite member?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, that teasing grin dancing on his lips. “Surprised?”

“Who the hell are you really?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. I wasn’t trying to judge him, but red cards didn’t just land in anyone’s hands. Only the elite and dangerously powerful gained access to that side of XHaven—the part where innocence was stripped away, and nothing was off limits. No rules. No commitments. No judgment.

Except one. Drugs were strictly prohibited. Anyone caught using it would be banned for life. Zero tolerance. That was non-negotiable.

“I’m an international mo—”

“Cut the crap, Matteo.” I snapped, cutting him off before he could finish. “I own part of this fcking club, remember? I know how we run things. I know every single person who walks in—masked or not.” My blood boiled. He was playing a dangerous game and had no idea how much was at stake.

But his calm didn’t break. He tilted his head slightly, his tone calm and unbothered. “Does it matter? Last I checked, no one’s allowed to reveal identities here, right?”

I exhaled a frustrated breath, glaring daggers at him. “That rule’s for customers. And I am not a customer.”

My gaze dropped to the card still in his hand. I snatched it without a second thought. “I want to see who issued this,” I growled and turned to leave—but he moved faster before I could even take a single step.

He grabbed me and pinned me against the wall, trapping me between his arms. My breath caught in my throat.

“Matteo, I swear to God, if anyone sees us like this, I will kill you,” I hissed through clenched teeth.

This-this was precisely the kind of situation I needed to avoid. If someone saw me like this, cornered by a client, it would ruin everything. I was already toeing a dangerous line, and now, with him caging me in like I was some fragile bird under his control, it was too much.

“Then come with me,” he whispered, lips grazing the shell of my ear. “Let me share the night with you.”

Goosebumps spread across my skin. I hated how my body responded and how my breath hitched when his lips brushed my neck. I wanted to knee him right there, to remind him I didn’t give in that easily.

But my knees wobbled—traitorous things—and that strength I prided myself on? It slipped.

“You know this isn’t going to happen,” I hissed, trying to steady my voice. “Not here. You can’t just walk in and act like you own me.”

His eyes burned into mine. “Do you want me to make it official?” he asked.

I blinked. “Make what official?” I snapped, confusion and dread coiling in my chest.

Then he smiled—and just like that, I knew.

“Don’t you dare.”

“And if I do?” he challenged, his voice low, daring.

We stared at each other, and the tension between us could’ve set the whole damn place on fire. It was a silent war. I refused to let him win. I couldn’t let his gaze pull me in again, even if every inch of my body was already starting to crumble.

“Why are you avoiding me, Janice?” he asked, voice husky, almost vulnerable. “Why do you keep ignoring how I feel about you?”

I let out a shaky breath, trying to push him away again—but my body, damn it, was betraying me. Responding to every word, touch, forbidden thrill that came with this man, I should’ve stayed far away from him. ‘Fck it! Move!’

“Move your ass, Matteo! I told you from the beginning—I never mess around with my models,” I said firmly, shoving at his chest with both hands. But of course, he just smirked—that same insufferable, teasing smirk.

“Oh? And how exactly do you want me to move?” he asked, voice laced with mischief, as if everything I’d said just bounced right off him.

“Damn you,” I snapped.

And then someone passed by. Without thinking, I pressed myself against his chest, hiding my face from view. My body moved on instinct—to protect my identity, position, everything I’d worked for.

And that’s when it hit me—his scent.

God. That damn cologne of his—rich, masculine, smooth, and dark like temptation bottled up just for me. Jesus, Matteo. How long are you going to keep tempting me like this?

He moved even closer, his body shielding me entirely from the prying eyes of the guests walking past.

“You’re trapped,” he murmured. “Stay like this for… five minutes? Or until you cum,” he whispered, lips brushing the shell of my ear.