LUCA 8
The uneasy peace in the penthouse is shattered by the persistent ringing of Luca’s phone. He is lying in bed with Phoenix, his fingers stroking her naked back as she rests her head on his bare chest, a rare moment of quiet between them, when the sound cuts through the room like a knife.
Luca’s expression darkens immediately as he reaches for the phone, his body tense before he even answers. There are only a few people who call him directly, and none of them bring good news.
“Tempo,” he barks into the phone, his tone as sharp as the tension that now fills the air.
Phoenix watches him, her pulse quickening. She has seen this side of Luca before—the side that is cold, calculating, and ruthless. It is the side of him that rules the Tempo Mafia with an iron fist, the side that reminds her just how dangerous he truly is. She doesn’t know what the call is about, but she can feel the change in the atmosphere, the way Luca’s entire demeanour shifts in an instant.
Luca’s expression darkens further as the voice on the other end of the line spoke. His jaw clenched, and the veins in his neck stand out as he listens, every muscle in his body coiled with tension. Whatever was happening, it was bad.
“Is Gabriel with you?” Luca asks, his voice low but filled with authority. There was a brief pause, and then he nods, though his eyes burned with frustration. “Keep him there. I’ll be there soon.”
He ended the call without another word, his hand gripping the phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white. For a moment, he didn’t move, just laid there, staring at the ceiling as though trying to rein in the storm of emotions that threatened to break free.
Phoenix sits up from where she has been laying against him, her heart pounding. “Luca, what’s going on?”
Luca turns to her, his dark blue eyes filled with a fury that was barely contained. “The Romero Familia,” he says, his voice cold and clipped. “They’ve made their move.”
Phoenix’s stomach drops at the mention of the Romero name. She had heard bits and pieces about the rivalry between the Tempo and Romero families—whispers of violence, betrayals, and blood feuds that stretched back for years. But she hadn’t realized just how dangerous it truly was until now.
“What did they do?” she asks, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Luca’s jaw tightens as he shoves the phone into his pocket. “They attacked one of my clubs. Gabriel was there.”
Phoenix’s breath hisses in shock. “Is he okay?”
Luca nods, though the tension in his shoulders doesn’t ease. “He’s fine. But this isn’t just about Gabriel. The Romero’s are trying to start a war.”
Luca was already moving, his mind calculating every possible outcome, every potential move the Romero Familia might make. War wasn’t just a possibility—it was inevitable. The Romero’s had been pushing the limits for months, testing Luca’s patience, seeing how far they could go before he retaliated. But this? This was a declaration. They wanted blood, and Luca wasn’t about to let them spill his.
Phoenix followed him as he got up and dressed moving through the penthouse, gathering his things. “What are you going to do?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Luca glances at her, his eyes softening just a fraction. “I’m going to end this,” he says simply, his voice filled with a dark promise. “Once and for all.”
Phoenix’s heart races. She knows what that means. Luca wasn’t just going to fight back—he was going to take the Romero’s down, no matter the cost. And that terrified her. Not just because of the violence, but because she could see how easily Luca slipped into this world of power and bloodshed. It was who he was, who he had always been.
But there was something else, something more personal that gnawed at her. If Luca was going to war, then the danger wasn’t just to him—it was to her too. She had seen how possessive he was, how fiercely he guarded what was his. The Romero’s would know about her. They would use her against him if they could.
“Luca, what about me?” Phoenix asks, her voice small but filled with concern. “If they’re targeting you, they’ll come for me too.”
Luca froze for a moment, his eyes locking onto hers. The anger in his gaze shifted, replaced by something darker, more protective. He crosses the room in two long strides, his hands cupping her face as he leans in close, his breath warm against her lips.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he growls, his voice fierce. “You’re mine, Phoenix. And no one—no one—is going to take you from me. If they even dream of coming after you I will exterminate the name Romero from this earth.”
Phoenix swallows hard, her heart racing at the intensity of his words. She believes him. She had seen what Luca was capable of when he was angry, and she had no doubt that he would burn the world to the ground if it meant keeping her safe. But that didn’t make the fear go away.
“I won’t lose you,” Luca whispers, his voice softer now, filled with a vulnerability he rarely showed. “Not to them, not to anyone”
Phoenix’s throat tightens as she looks into his eyes. She has never seen him like this before—so raw, so afraid of losing control. She reaches up, placing her hand over his, her fingers curling around his wrist. “Then don’t.”
Luca holds her gaze for a long moment before he leans in, pressing a hard, possessive kiss to her lips. It was a promise, a vow that he would protect her at all costs. But there was something else there too—something that told her this wasn’t just about her safety. This was about Luca’s need for control, his fear of losing her and everything he had worked so hard to build.
When he finally pulled away, Luca’s expression had hardened again, the vulnerability buried beneath the mask of the mafia boss. “Miguel will stay with you,” he says, his voice firm. “He’ll protect you while I deal with the Romero’s.”
Phoenix’s heart sank. She didn’t want Luca to leave, not when the threat of danger loomed so large. But she knew there was no stopping him. This was his world, his fight, and nothing she said would change that.
“Be careful,” Phoenix says, her heart tight with fear at the danger he could encounter.
The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting the city in a wash of bruised colours as Luca stood by the window of the penthouse, his gaze fixed on the skyline. His heart was heavy with worry, a sensation he despised, but there was no denying the anxiety that gnawed at him. He glanced over his shoulder at Phoenix.
The news of the attack at the club has shaken him. The Romero’s had always been reckless, but this—targeting Gabriel, ambushing them so brazenly—it was a declaration. And Luca knew that if he didn’t respond with swift, brutal force, it would only be the beginning.
But leaving Phoenix was the last thing he wanted to do. The thought of her alone, vulnerable, made his blood run cold. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.
Taking a deep breath, Luca pulls his phone from his pocket and dials Miguel’s number. His second-in-command picks up on the first ring, his voice immediately alert.
“Boss?”
“Miguel,” Luca said, his voice tight with tension. “I need you to stay with Phoenix tonight. I’m heading to the club to meet Gabriel and assess the situation.”
There was a brief pause on the other end, and Luca could almost see the way Miguel’s eyes narrowed, the gears turning in his head. “You sure you want to leave her?”
Luca’s jaw clenched. “I don’t have a choice. The Romero’s crossed a line. If I don’t respond, they’ll see it as a sign of weakness.”
“And Gabriel?” Miguel’s voice was softer now, concern threading through his words. “He, okay?”
“He’ll be fine,” Luca replies, though he wasn’t sure if he was saying it to convince Miguel or himself. Gabriel had taken a bullet for him, had thrown himself into the line of fire without a second thought. It was a miracle he was still alive. But Gabriel was tough. He’d pull through. He had to.
“Watch her,” Luca continued, his voice lowering as he glances back at Phoenix. “Don’t let her out of your sight. No one gets near her.”
Miguel’s tone turns serious, all trace of his usual humour gone. “You got it, boss. I’ll keep her safe.”
Luca ends the call, his heart heavy with the weight of the decision. He crosses the room to where Phoenix sat, her eyes flicking up to meet his as he approaches. She looks fragile, her eyes wide and uncertain, it twists something deep inside him.
“I have to go,” he says softly, kneeling in front of her. “I need to check on Gabriel and deal with the Romero’s.”
Phoenix’s lips parted, her brows furrowing with worry. “Luca, I—”
He cut her off, his hands gently cupping her face. “Miguel will be here. He’ll protect you while I’m gone. You’re safe, bella . I promise.”
Her eyes search his, fear and something else—something vulnerable—flickering in their depths. “Just... come back. Please.”
Luca’s heart clenches, his resolve hardening. “I will.”
He presses a soft kiss to her forehead, lingering for just a moment longer before standing and turning away, his heart heavy as he walks out the door.
The drive to the club is tense, the city’s lights blurring past as Luca’s thoughts churned. The Romero’s had been a thorn in his side for years, but this attack was different. It wasn’t just a power play; it was personal. They had gone after Gabriel, knowing full well what it would mean to him.
As his car pulls up to the front of the club, the scene that greets him makes his blood boil. The once pristine entrance was in shambles, glass shattered across the pavement, bloodstains smeared on the ground. His men were scattered around, some still assessing the damage, others guarding the perimeter with grim, watchful eyes.
Luca steppes out of the car, his face set in a mask of cold fury as he strides toward the entrance. The scent of blood and smoke heavy in the air, a testament to the chaos that had erupted here just hours before.
Inside, the club was a wreck. Tables overturned, chairs splintered, bullet holes peppering the walls. It looked like a war zone. And in the centre of it all, leaning against the bar with a bandage wrapped around his shoulder, was Gabriel.
Luca’s heart clenches at the sight of him, but he pushes the emotion aside, his expression hardening as he approaches. Gabriel looks up, his face pale but composed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he meets Luca’s gaze.
“Took you long enough,” Gabriel says, his voice rough but steady. “You should see the other guy.”
Luca’s lips twitch in a brief, humourless smile. “You look like shit.”
“Feel like it too,” Gabriel admits, his eyes darkening as he glances around at the wreckage. “The Romero’s hit us hard. We lost some good men.”
Rage burns through Luca’s veins, hot and consuming. He had known there would be casualties, but hearing it confirmed, seeing the destruction firsthand, made it all the more real. The Romero’s had attacked his family, had tried to take everything from him, and now... now it was war.
“They’ll pay for this,” Luca says, his voice low and deadly. “Every last one of them.”
Gabriel nods, his jaw tight with pain and anger. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m going to call them,” Luca says, his eyes narrowing with a fierce determination. “Let them know exactly what they’ve started.”
Gabriel’s smile was sharp, almost feral. “Give them hell, boss.”
Luca stepped away from the bar, his mind already racing with plans, with thoughts of vengeance. He pulls out his phone, his fingers moving with a precise, calculated efficiency as he dials a number he hadn’t used in a long time.
The line rang twice before it connected, a smooth, cold voice answering on the other end.
“Luca Tempo,” the man says, his tone almost amused. “I was wondering when I’d hear from you.”
“Cut the bullshit, Enzo,” Luca growls, his voice dripping with barely restrained fury. “You and I both know what happened tonight. I want to know why.”
Enzo Romero’s laugh was low and mocking, a sound that made Luca’s blood boil. “Why? Because we can, Luca. Because you’ve been getting too comfortable, thinking you own this city. It was time for a reminder.”
Luca’s hand tightens around the phone, his teeth clenched so hard he thought they might crack. “You made a mistake coming after my men, Enzo. This isn’t just a warning. This is war.”
There was a pause on the other end, and when Enzo spoke again, his voice was softer, more dangerous. “War, you say? And what about that pretty little thing you’ve been keeping locked up in your penthouse? Phoenix, isn’t it?”
Luca’s vision went red, his heart slamming against his ribs with a rage that threatened to consume him. “If you even think about touching her—”
“Relax, Luca,” Enzo interrupted, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Not yet anyway. But you should know, in war, everything’s fair game. Even your precious Phoenix.”
Luca’s hand shook with the force of his anger, his breath coming in short, furious bursts. “If you come near her, if you so much as look at her, I will tear your world apart. Do you understand me?”
“Loud and clear,” Enzo replies, his tone infuriatingly calm. “But let’s not pretend you’re the only one with something to lose. You want war, Luca? You’ve got it.”
The line went dead, and Luca stood there, his chest heaving with rage, his mind racing with thoughts of violence, of vengeance. Enzo Romero had just declared open war on the Tempo family, had threatened the one thing Luca couldn’t bear to lose.
He shoved his phone back into his pocket, his hands shaking as he turned to Gabriel, who was watching him with a grim, knowing expression.
“Get ready,” Luca said, his voice hard as steel. “It’s going to get bloody.”