Chapter 19
Luca’s gaze never left the house once it came into view.
The faint glow of lights filtered through the windows, casting long shadows across the neatly manicured front yard.
The perimeter guards stood in their usual positions, motionless but alert, continuously scanning the area with a practiced eye.
As the SUV slowed, Luca dared to breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
Ava’s house, her sanctuary, was secure. She was safe.
For the briefest moment, Luca allowed himself a sliver of peace, knowing she wasn’t hurt, wasn’t in danger. But that peace faded quickly. His stomach churned with an unspoken urgency. He had to get her back to his penthouse. He had to get her back to him, where he could protect her properly.
She’s mine now. There's no going back, he thought, the weight of their intimate moment settling in deeper. He knew there was no way he could sleep without her by his side. The feel of her in his arms had ignited something inside him—something that had been dormant for far too long. After tonight, he couldn’t bear the thought of being without her.
Yet, as he stepped out of the vehicle, he realized just how much he'd screwed up earlier. He'd let his walls get too high. But that was going to change. He wouldn’t burden her with the misery of his childhood, but he would explain. He'd tell her that his parents were a wound he didn’t talk about, and he’d make her understand.
Then, after everything was said and done, he'd hold her again.
He'd make love to her again. And this time, nothing would stand in the way.
“I’ll be back,” he told his driver, as he nodded to the guards, already focused on Ava.
The driveway was lit by soft exterior lights, and the quiet of the night pressed in around him, amplifying the sound of his footsteps.
His guards flanked him as he walked toward the front door, but something wasn’t right.
The usual hum of the evening air, the chirping of distant insects, everything felt…
off. There was a stillness that didn’t belong.
Luca stopped mid-step, a deep instinctual pull tightening in his chest. His body tensed, senses alert. Something wasn’t right. A chill crept down his spine as he scanned the area. His guards were still in place, but the atmosphere had shifted.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. It wasn’t the usual unease he felt when dealing with threats to his empire. This was something… more immediate.
He raised his hand, signaling for his guards to stay back.
His mind raced, adrenaline flooding his system.
Every muscle in his body screamed at him to take action, but before he could make a move, two figures in black emerged from the shadows, their faces obscured by dark masks.
They moved like ghosts, silent and swift. Luca’s heart skipped a beat.
The world slowed as they closed the distance. The air felt thick, charged with tension. He was reaching for his gun when—
A sharp blow struck him from behind, his vision exploding in stars. His body crumpled to the ground, the world going black.
In that fleeting moment, his only thought was relief. Relief that it was him, not Ava, who had been taken.
And then, there was nothing but blackness.