Chapter 18
Ava was restless, her thoughts spiraling as she tried to make sense of her emotions.
She had left Luca’s penthouse in a fit of hurt outrage, unwilling to wait for him to finish his text message and address what was bothering her.
She’d walked out—hadn’t given him a chance to explain, hadn’t waited for the cool-down.
It was childish. The irony wasn’t lost on her.
She had stormed out because Luca refused to talk about his parents, to share something intimate about his life and what made him who he is today, something beyond the physical.
But now she was sitting here, petting her exhausted puppies while brooding, stewing in her own frustration, realizing she was doing the same exact thing: refusing to talk.
Was that why she felt so restless? Her thoughts tangled around that question, making her more anxious.
She glanced at the clock on the microwave—ten-fifteen.
It had only been thirty minutes since she’d left Luca’s place, a brief drive of ten miles.
The route had been easy, smooth, with most of the traffic heading into the city for the nightlife, leaving the roads on the outskirts eerily empty.
So, why did she feel like this? Why did she feel so off?
It was almost like she was sitting in front of a stage, waiting for the actors to come out and begin the performance.
The anticipation was thick in the air, almost suffocating.
Her skin tingled with the sensation that something was about to happen.
It wasn’t a normal unease she felt—this was different, sharper.
There was a strange, gnawing sense that her world was shifting, and she couldn’t control it.
Her eyes darted to the window looking out onto her backyard, where Luca’s bodyguards were stationed outside, patrolling in random patterns, constantly scanning the area.
They were there for her protection, but for some reason, seeing them felt.
.. wrong. Her instincts were tingling, and she couldn’t shake the sense that something was vaguely off.
She sighed, trying to push the feeling away.
“It’s just the stress,” she muttered under her breath.
She glanced at the puppies, who had been chasing toys around her living room but were now laying on their backs, their puppy bellies exposed as they slept in blissful ignorance.
They were undisturbed, caught up in their own world.
She had yet to name them, still waiting for the right moment, the right connection with Luca.
She gazed at the fluffballs that had wiggled their way into her heart. Goodness, they were cute and sweet. And they were also so innocent and full of joy.
Suddenly, one of the puppies woke up and looked at the window, his ears perking up. But he didn’t jump off of her sofa. Instead, the little guy lowered his head, but remained alert.
Ava’s stomach twisted. She tried to brush the foreboding feeling aside, chalking it up to the puppy being naturally curious, their attention drawn to the movement outside. But no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that everything was fine, she couldn’t shake a growing feeling of dread.
“They’re just puppies,” she whispered to herself, glancing warily at the window as she smoothed a reassuring hand over the little guy’s soft fur.
But when the other puppy woke up and looked out the window, Ava was definitely uncomfortable.
They weren’t barking or growling, just watching.
Their posture was tense, their little bodies still, heads cocked slightly.
Ava’s fingers dug into the pillow by her side as her nerves shot to the surface. Why did they keep looking out there like that?
She tried to calm herself. She was getting carried away.
Maybe she just needed to clear her head.
Maybe this was just a side effect of her fight with Luca, the frustration of leaving him without answers, the confusion and hurt over his emotions and the way he closed himself off.
But the more she tried to push the feeling away, the stronger it became. Something was wrong.
Her heart pounded in her chest, and her thoughts raced. What if Tanaka was coming right now? What if this was it?
Ava took a deep breath, her mind spiraling into worst-case scenarios.
She forced herself to stand and walk to the window, then back to the bed as her gaze landed on the two puppies, who were once again staring out the darkened window.
For a moment, she just stood there, staring out at the calm, quiet night.
Was this the stillness before the storm.
She could almost feel it, like the last breath before a thunderclap.
“I’m being paranoid,” she muttered to herself. But deep down, a tiny, unshakable voice disagreed. Something was coming.