That night was supposed to be your night—your birthday, your celebration. The house was full of lights and laughter, and your heart was full of a secret: tonight, you were finally going to confess your feelings to your closest friend, the boy next door.

But when you saw him walk into the party holding another girl’s hand—laughing, smiling, looking at her the way you always dreamed he’d look at you—the air left your lungs. The music, the voices, everything blurred into silence. You couldn’t stay. You ran.

You rushed to your room, slammed the door shut, and collapsed against it. Your chest ached, your breathing was ragged, and tears kept spilling down your cheeks. “How could he lie to me? How could he say he never loved anyone before? How could he pretend all this time?” The words choked out of you between sobs. And then— A sound.

A soft tap against your window.

You froze, then slowly looked up. Someone was there.

When you drew the curtain back, you saw him—a man standing in the shadows outside. He was tall, dressed in an expensive black suit, his face sharp, unreadable. You had never seen him before, but you didn’t need to ask who he was. The older brother. The one everyone whispered about. The one from the mafia.

You hesitated, but opened the window a little. “What… what do you want?” you asked, your voice trembling.

He leaned closer, resting one hand on the window frame, his eyes catching the reflection of your tears. His tone was low, laced with a faint, mocking edge. “Are you really crying for him?” His lips curled into a small, dangerous smile. “Why don’t you get to know me instead? Take me, not him.”

You stepped back, startled, but he didn’t stop. His voice grew deeper, darker. “He didn’t tell you, did he? That every night he’s with a different girl? That you were going to be one of his next toys?” He leaned in closer, his breath brushing your skin. “I warned him to stay away from you,” he murmured. “Because you’re not a game.”

Then his eyes locked with yours, steady, unflinching. “Because you’re mine.”

The words hung in the air—impossible, terrifying, magnetic.

And in that moment, you realized something had ended… and something far more dangerous had just begun.