Mafia Lord's Ultimate PaybacK

Lillian didn't know what was chasing her. All she knew was that she had to run.

The darkness stretched endlessly before her, her feet pounding against the unseen ground as she gasped for air. Her heart hammered violently against her ribs, terror clawing at her throat. A warm liquid trickled down her cheek, but she didn't stop to wipe it away.

She didn't even know why she was crying.

Whatever was behind her was getting closer. She could feel its presence, its hunger. Desperation seized her, and she tried to scream for help, but no sound left her lips. And just when she thought she could run no more...

She collided with something solid.

No, someone. A strong, towering body.

Before she could react, a hand clamped around her throat, and she was slammed against a wall. A sharp gasp left her lips as she clawed at the fingers tightening around her neck. She couldn't breathe. Panic surged through her veins as she stared up at the figure before her.

Cold, gray eyes pierced through the darkness, locking onto hers. Eyes that held nothing but raw, merciless cruelty.

"You can't escape from me, Dulzura."

[Sweetness]

The voice was deep, smooth, laced with deceptive softness but dripping with lethal threat.

A wicked grin curled on his lips, sending a violent shiver down her spine. His grip didn't loosen. If anything, it only tightened.

Lillian choked, her hands trembling as she struggled to pry his fingers away. She tried to fight back, to scream but before she could, a voice called her name, faint and distant.

"Lilly... Lilly..."

The sound pulled her from the suffocating darkness.

"Lillian!"

She jolted awake, gasping, her hands flying to her neck. Her chest heaved as she sucked in ragged breaths, the suffocating pressure still lingering. A cold sweat drenched her skin, making her shiver.

Blinking rapidly, she turned to see her best friend, Evelyn, standing at the door, worry etched across her face.

"Another nightmare?" Evelyn asked gently.

Lillian lowered her gaze, her throat tightening, gripping the bedspread tightly. She couldn't bring herself to speak, so she simply nodded, fresh tears welled in her eyes.

The nightmare felt so surreal this time. And nothing scares her more than that.

Evelyn sighed, walking over to sit beside her on the bed. She hesitated for a second, then pulled her into a warm hug, stroking her hair tenderly.

"Ssh, it's okay," she whispered, "You're safe."

Lillian squeezed her eyes shut, gripping onto her friend like a lifeline. "I don't feel safe, Evie," she admitted in a broken voice. "Every second, I feel like he's watching me. Like he's waiting to find me and take me. To kill me."

Frustration was laced in her voice. Evelyn pulled back slightly, cupping her tear-streaked face. "You've been in hiding for six months, Lilly. He doesn't even know where you are."

"But what if he does?" Her voice wavered, panic creeping in. "What if he finds me?"

Evelyn bit her lip before