PHOENIX 7
The moment they dragged her back into the penthouse, Phoenix could feel it—the crackling energy of Luca’s fury. He was waiting for her, standing in the centre of the room, his dark blue eyes burning with an intensity that made her blood run cold. The door slammed shut behind her, and she could hear the heavy footsteps of the men retreating, leaving her alone with him.
Luca didn’t speak at first. He just stood there, staring at her as though he could barely contain the rage simmering beneath the surface. His jaw was clenched, his fists balled at his sides, the tattoos on his forearms rippling with tension. Phoenix could feel the weight of his anger, pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.
"You tried to run from me," he finally said, his voice low and dangerous, like a storm on the verge of breaking. "You thought you could escape me?"
Phoenix took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. "Luca, I—"
"Shut up!" His voice exploded, and in one swift motion, he grabbed the nearest object—a heavy, expensive sculpture—and hurled it against the wall. The sound of it shattering echoed through the room, pieces flying in all directions.
Phoenix flinched, her body trembling as she cowered in fear. She had seen Luca angry before, but never like this. This was a fury that was wild, uncontrollable, and it terrified her.
Luca moved toward her, his steps slow and deliberate, like a predator closing in on its prey. Phoenix tried to back away, but there was nowhere to go. He was on her in seconds, his hand fisting in her hair, pulling her head back so she was forced to look up at him.
"Do you have any idea what you’ve done?" he hissed, his breath hot against her face. "You belong to me, Phoenix. You don’t get to leave. You don’t get to run."
Tears stung the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I’m not your property," she whispered, though the words came out shaky and weak.
Luca’s grip tightened in her hair, and he let out a low, humourless laugh. "You are mine," he said, his voice rough with possessiveness. "You’ve been mine since the moment I saw you. And now, I’m going to remind you of that."
With one harsh tug, Luca ripped the t-shirt from her body, the fabric tearing easily in his hands. Phoenix gasped, her skin exposed to the cool air, but Luca wasn’t gentle. His touch was rough, punishing, as he stripped her bare of her jeans and her underwear.
Phoenix tried to cover herself, but Luca was relentless, pulling her arms away and leaving her naked before him.
"You thought you could leave me?" he growled; his voice thick with anger as he pushed her toward the centre of the room. "You think you have a choice in this? You’re mine, Phoenix. You’ll always be mine."
Her body trembled with a mixture of fear and something darker that she didn’t want to acknowledge. She hated how her body responded to him, how the raw power in his presence made her feel weak and vulnerable. Luca’s dominance was terrifying, but there was no denying the pull he had over her.
Luca stepped back, his eyes roaming over her naked body, his gaze burning with fury and possession. "You will never run from me again," he said, his voice deadly calm now, which somehow frightened her even more. "Do you understand?"
Phoenix nodded; her throat too tight to speak. She could feel the hot sting of tears threatening to fall, but she blinked them back, refusing to let him see her cry.
"Say it," Luca demanded, his voice like steel.
"I... I understand," Phoenix whispered, her voice barely audible.
Luca’s expression remained hard, unyielding. He stalked toward her again, his hand cupping her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You’re going to stay here, like this," he said coldly, "until you learn that there is no escaping me." Dropping his hand, he snaps around making his way out of the room. The energy around him vibrating with anger.
The hours passed in a blur, and Phoenix remained in the apartment, naked and vulnerable, the weight of Luca’s anger still heavy in the air. She felt humiliated, broken, and yet beneath the fear, there was something else—a dark, confusing thrill that she couldn’t quite explain.
Luca had left her alone for the time being, but she knew he wasn’t far. His fury had burned bright, but it had not yet fully extinguished. He was testing her, pushing her limits, reminding her of the power he held over her.
Phoenix curled up on the couch, her arms wrapped around her body, her mind spinning. She hated him, didn’t she? She should. But the truth was, she didn’t know anymore. Every time she thought she had found her strength, Luca broke it down again, and she was left feeling more confused than before.
But one thing was clear—Luca would never let her go.
Hours passed, though they felt like days, as Phoenix sat curled up on the couch, her body bare and her mind racing. The room was silent now, but Luca’s fury still hung in the air, palpable, like the lingering smoke after a wildfire. She had never felt more vulnerable, more exposed, both physically and emotionally.
She should hate him for what he had done—for the way he had ripped away her dignity, leaving her trembling and naked before him. But her emotions were a mess of contradictions. Beneath the fear, beneath the humiliation, there was a heat simmering in her core, a forbidden desire she didn’t want to admit. How could she feel this way after everything? How could she want the man who had just torn her world apart?
But want him she did.
The door to the penthouse creaked open, and her breath hitched. Luca stepped inside, his presence like a storm rolling in, dark and dangerous. He was no longer the Luca who had thrown the sculpture in rage—his eyes were calmer now, though the intensity in them hadn’t dimmed. He looked at her, his gaze sweeping over her naked form with a mixture of possession and something darker, something more primal.
Phoenix’s heart raced as he approached, every step he took sending a shiver down her spine. She didn’t know what to expect—another outburst? More anger? Or something else entirely?
Luca stopped in front of her, his tall, muscular frame towering over her. His tattoos seemed to pulse with the tension in the room, the inked designs moving with the flex of his arms. He didn’t speak at first, just stood there, watching her. His dark blue eyes were like fire, burning into her, and Phoenix couldn’t look away.
"Why did you try to run?" His voice was low, but the calmness in it was more dangerous than his earlier fury.
Phoenix swallowed hard; her throat dry. She didn’t have an answer that would satisfy him. How could she explain that it wasn’t just about escape—it was about survival? About trying to hold on to the last piece of herself that hadn’t yet been claimed by him.
“I had to,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Luca’s jaw tightened, but instead of erupting in anger again, he reached out and took her by the wrist, pulling her to her feet. His grip was firm, but not painful, and Phoenix couldn’t suppress the way her body responded to his touch. Her skin tingled where his fingers pressed against her, heat flooding her veins.
“You had to?” Luca repeated, his voice darker now, more intense. He pulled her closer, until her naked body was just inches from his, the heat of his skin radiating toward her. “I told you, Phoenix, you don’t get to leave. You’re mine. And I will make sure you understand that.”
Phoenix’s breath hitched, her pulse quickening as his hand moved to the small of her back, pulling her flush against him. Her body betrayed her, pressing into his, the sensation of his muscular chest against her bare skin igniting something deep within her. She hated the way her body responded to him, but she couldn’t stop it. The fire between them was too strong.
Luca’s hand slid up her spine, his fingers curling into her hair as he tilted her head back, forcing her to meet his gaze. His eyes were filled with possessive hunger, but there was something else there too—a raw need that mirrored her own.
“You don’t understand, do you?” Luca murmured, his voice rough as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her lips. “I can’t let you go. I won’t. I need you.”
Phoenix’s heart pounded in her chest, the weight of his words settling over her like a dark, suffocating blanket. She should push him away. She should fight. But instead, she found herself leaning into him, her lips parting slightly as her body betrayed her once again.
“You don’t own me,” she whispered, though the words lacked conviction.
Luca’s lips curled into a dark, knowing smile. “No? Then why are you trembling, Phoenix?” He moved even closer, his lips brushing against hers, the contact so faint it sent a jolt of electricity through her. “You can tell yourself whatever you want, but we both know the truth. You feel it just as much as I do.”
Phoenix’s breath caught in her throat as Luca’s lips grazed hers again, this time with more intent. The kiss was slow at first, teasing, a silent battle of wills. But the tension between them was too strong, the pull too undeniable, and within seconds, the kiss deepened, becoming something wild and desperate.
Luca’s hands roamed her body, rough and possessive, as though he were trying to claim every inch of her as his own. Phoenix gasped against his lips, her body responding to him in ways she couldn’t control. Her hands found their way to his chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as she pulled him closer, wanting more, needing more.
But even as the fire between them burned hotter, there was still that undercurrent of fear, that knowledge that this man—this dangerous, powerful man—could destroy her completely.
Luca pulled back just enough to look at her, his dark eyes searching hers, his chest rising and falling with laboured breaths. The intensity in his gaze was almost too much to bear, and Phoenix had to look away, her body trembling under the weight of it.
“You’re mine,” Luca says again, his voice softer now but no less commanding. His hand moves to her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze once more. “Say it.”
Phoenix hesitates, her heart pounding in her chest. The part of her that still clung to her independence wanted to resist, to fight back against his dominance. But there was another part of her, a part she didn’t fully understand, that craved the safety of his control. That wanted to surrender to the fire between them, even if it meant losing herself in the process.
“Say it,” Luca repeated, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip, sending a shiver down her spine.
“I’m yours,” Phoenix whispers, the words falling from her lips before she could stop them.
Luca’s eyes darken with satisfaction, and he pulls her close again, his lips crashing against hers with a ferocity that leaves her breathless. This time, there was no hesitation, no teasing. The kiss was all-consuming, filled with raw hunger and a need to possess.
Phoenix’s body melts into his, her hands moving to his shoulders, her fingers digging into his skin as she clings to him. The world outside the penthouse disappears, and all that matters is the heat between them, the way Luca’s touch makes her feel alive in a way she has never felt before.
Luca’s hands are everywhere, rough and unyielding, as though he were reminding her that she belongs to him. And despite the fear that still lingers in the back of her mind, Phoenix couldn’t stop herself from wanting him—needing him just as much as he needed her.
The air in the room was thick with the lingering heat of their passion, and the space between them crackled with a tension neither of them knew how to dissipate. Luca’s hands still rested on Phoenix’s skin, his grip firm but not painful now, more like an anchor that kept her tethered to him. Her body still hummed from the intensity of what had just passed between them, but her mind was in chaos.
Phoenix pulled away slightly, just enough to put a few inches of space between them. Her breath was ragged, her pulse still racing, and her heart felt heavy in her chest. She had never been in a situation like this before—this wild, uncontrollable attraction mixed with fear and uncertainty. It was like she had been swept up in a storm, and now that the eye of it had passed, she didn’t know how to find her footing again.
Luca’s gaze was locked on hers, dark and possessive, but there was something else there now—something softer, though no less intense. His thumb brushed lightly against her jawline, tracing the path where his lips had been moments before. His touch was no longer punishing, no longer demanding. It felt almost... tender.
“You’re mine,” he says again, but this time the words weren’t a threat. They were a promise, a declaration that carried a weight Phoenix hadn’t fully understood until now.
Phoenix swallows hard, her throat tight. She wants to say something, anything that would help her make sense of the tangled mess of emotions inside her. But the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she just looks at him, her green eyes filled with confusion and conflict.
Luca’s eyes softened just a fraction, but the intensity doesn’t leave him. He leans in, his forehead resting against hers, his voice low and rough. “You don’t have to be afraid of me, Phoenix.”
Phoenix’s breath hitched. How could she not be? Luca Tempo was the most dangerous man she had ever met, and yet... she couldn’t deny the way her body has responded to him. The way her heart has betrayed her fear and fallen into the rhythm of his touch.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “You... you scare me, Luca. But...”
Her voice trails off, and she bits her lip, unsure if she should say what she was really feeling. How could she admit to herself, let alone to him, that the fear wasn’t the only thing she felt? That the heat between them was undeniable, even if it terrifies her?
Luca’s fingers tilt her chin upward, forcing her to meet his gaze. “But what?” he asks softly, his voice a low rumble that sends a shiver through her.
Phoenix closes her eyes for a moment, gathering her thoughts. When she opens them again, her heart is pounding. “But I... I don’t hate you,” she finally says, her words barely more than a whisper.
Luca’s expression doesn’t change, but his grip on her tightens slightly, as if her admission has stirred something deep within him. “You should,” he says darkly, his eyes never leaving hers. “You should hate me for everything I’ve done to you.”
Phoenix shakes her head, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. “I don’t know how to hate you,” she admits, the vulnerability in her voice surprising even herself.
Luca’s gaze softens even more, but there is still a storm raging behind his eyes. He doesn’t want her to feel this way, doesn’t want her to break through the walls he has built around his heart. But Phoenix was different. She was unlike anyone he has ever met before. She wasn’t just a possession. She was something more, something dangerous to his carefully constructed life.
Luca takes a step back, pulling away from Phoenix even though every instinct in him screams to keep her close. He has spent his entire life controlling everything and everyone around him. He has learned from a young age that power meant survival, that emotions were a weakness, a liability. But Phoenix has shattered all of that.
His father had been ruthless, cruel, teaching Luca that love was a distraction, that desire was a tool to be used. Luca had believed him for so long, had built his empire on that belief. But Phoenix wasn’t just a tool. She wasn’t a means to an end. She had become something more than he had ever intended.
He didn’t want to feel this way about her. He didn’t want to care. But the truth was, he did.
Luca turned away, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He had always been in control. Of his business, his empire, his men. And now, he felt that control slipping away. Phoenix had gotten under his skin in a way no one ever had, and he didn’t know how to handle it.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He couldn’t afford to lose focus. Not now, with the Romero Familia breathing down his neck, waiting for a moment of weakness. And yet, Phoenix was all he could think about. She was his weakness, and it terrified him.
Phoenix watched as Luca turned away from her, his back tense, his body coiled with the kind of energy that made her heart race. She could feel the shift in him, the struggle between his desire for control and something more vulnerable that he was trying to suppress.
And she felt it too—this pull between them that she couldn’t ignore, no matter how hard she tried. It was like gravity, drawing her closer even though she knew it could destroy her.
The silence stretched between them, heavy and oppressive. Phoenix wanted to say something, to bridge the gap that had formed in the aftermath of their passion. But the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she stood there, naked and exposed, both physically and emotionally, waiting for him to make the next move.
Finally, Luca turns back to face her, his expression unreadable. His eyes are still dark with desire, but there is something else there too—a flicker of uncertainty, as though he is fighting a battle within himself.
“You don’t belong in my world, Phoenix,” Luca says, his voice low and strained. “You deserve better than this. Better than me.”
Phoenix blinks, surprised by his words. It was the last thing she had expected to hear from him. Luca Tempo, the man who had claimed her, who had made it clear that she belonged to him, was now telling her she deserved better?
“You’re the one who took me,” she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re the one who made this choice.”
Luca’s jaw tightens, his eyes flashing with frustration. “I didn’t have a choice,” he growls, stepping closer to her. “From the moment I saw you, I knew you were mine. I can’t explain it, but... I can’t let you go.”
Phoenix’s heart pounds in her chest as his words sink in. She could see the conflict in him, the way he was torn between his possessive nature and something deeper. It scares her, but it also made her feel something she hadn’t expected…hope.
Maybe, just maybe, Luca wasn’t as unfeeling as he seemed. Maybe there was a part of him that wanted something more than control, more than power. Maybe there was a part of him that could learn to love.
She steps closer to him, her hand reaching out to rest on his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her palm. “Then don’t let me go,” she whispers, her voice trembling with the weight of her own emotions. “But don’t push me away either.”
Luca’s gaze darkens, his hand coming up to cover hers, pressing her palm against his chest. His eyes searching hers, as though he were trying to find some kind of answer, some kind of clarity in the chaos of his emotions.
“I don’t know how to be anything else, Phoenix,” he says quietly, his voice rough. “I don’t know how to be what you need.”
Phoenix shakes her head, her eyes filled with determination. “I don’t need you to be anything else,” she says softly. “I just need you to be real with me. To stop hiding behind the walls you’ve built.”
His eyes smoulder with deep emotions as he suddenly steps forward, leaning down he picks Phoenix up against his chest. Lowering his head he takes her lips in a slow burning soul searing kiss that leaves them both breathless.
Lifting his head Luca walks towards their bedroom, it’s time for him to let Phoenix in, time to break down the walls that he keeps around his himself.