light across the room. Alessia stirred on the couch, her body stiff from the uncomfortable position she ha

heartbreaking sobs, and the cold, calculating figure of Luca pulling her away from it

lhouetted against the soft morning light. His phone was pressed to his ear, his voi

rp enough to cut glass. "Find them. Every single on

trace of mercy. It was a reminder of who he was-a man born and bred in th

ance. But even as her anger simmered, she couldn't ignore the faint flicker of curiosity beneath it. Who was Luca Mor

cking onto hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The si

tly, his gaze flicking over

Alessia shot back, her vo

slow, deliberate steps, his presence as commanding as ever. He stopped a few feet away f

said, his tone leaving

nt to talk? Last night you couldn't stop bark

ugh his eyes remained cold. "You were hyst

r fists clenched at her sides. "I just watched my mother's husband get mur

cker of something darker. He stepped clo

g about me," he said quietly,

ho thinks he can control everyone around him. Well, newsflash, Luca-I'm not one of your little mafia soldiers,

might actually lose his composure. But instead, he let ou

soft. "But let me make one thing clear, princess. You're in

She hated the way he looked at her, like he could see rig

pat, her voice trem

e it was sharper, more dangerous. "

ode toward the door. He grabbed his jacket from the back of a

essia demanded, crossing

ther left behind," Luca rep

o do? Just sit here and w

He turned his head slightly, just eno

imply. And then he was gone, the

-

, hated feeling like she had no control over what was happening. The weight of the previous night still hung heavy o

one this? Why? And what was L

et, casting long shadows across the room. He looked tired but

Alessia demanded the mo

locked the door behind him and tossed his jacket onto the couch befor

" Alessia pressed, her f

rk eyes meeting hers over the rim of the

nd of bu

don't need to

e snapping. "You can't keep me in the dark,

clink, his movements slow and deliberate. He st

vacuum, and every scumbag in the underworld is scrambling to take a piece of what's left. The men who attacked us l

ced by a cold wave of fear. "Why me? I'm not part of t

ghter," Luca said bluntly.

She wanted to argue, to tell him he was

asked quietly, her voic

rand of hair from her face. The gesture was so unexpected, so o

e," he sai

something neither of them dared to name. Alessia's breath hitched a

, the moment shattered. Luca stepped bac

his tone curt. "We have

hey had shared. As she watched Luca retreat to the other side of the room, she could

And despite everything, a small, traitorous part of her couldn't ignore the s