Chapter 2: The man she left

*Lucian's POV*

The storm hit before dawn.

Rain hammered against the glass of my penthouse railing the frames like something was trying to claw its way in. Or out.

Thunder rolled through the city like a warning, fitting for the mood ripping in my bloodstream.

Aria was gone.

The thought was quiet at first. A whisper.

A crack in the wrong place.

Just last night I had my dick burried deep inside her, whispering how much I love her. How much I cherished her.

I stood in the middle of my living room, looking at the black screen of my phone. I knew she wouldn't answer me. Or call me back.

The room still smelled like her, vanilla on my skin, warmth on my sheets. My body was tense, jaw locked so hard it ached.

I trusted her.

I let her in. Both my home and heart.

The feeling of her body was still itched to mine.

At first it was pleasure that drawed me to her. But now it was much more.

I clenched my fists around my phone, trying to call her again, and again. But still no response from her.

I didn't realised it at first that she's gone.

Not to sulk, or clear her head.

She was really gone.

She didn't leave anything behind. Not a note. Not a message. Not a trace of the woman who spent the night in my arms barely sex hours ago.

I dragged my hand though my hair, pacing once, twice, a slow predatore clawing to get out of the four walls. The storm outside cracked the sky open again, and a flicker of white light cut through the room catching the glint of something on the floor.

Her golden bracelet.

The only piece of jewlery she never lets go of.

It was precious to her, she would never lose it.

Which told me one thing; that was a message.

A lie wrapped in strategy.

Aria Hale did not forget her jewelry. She left it for me to find.

My pulse spiked with fury.

Not the loud kind. Not the kind that made men throw things or scream.

No.

My anger was slower. Quieter. Deadlier.

A cold blade sliding under my ribs.

I reached down and picked up the bracelet, and closed it in my palms until it drew blood. Because I wanted it to be a reminder.

A reminder of her betrayal. Of what happened when I trusted someone.

She thought she could run.

But I will find her.

And when I do I will bring hell.

She thought she could slip away while I slept. After giving me her body, her mouth and her soft little moans.

I took my phone and hit dial.

"What?" My cousin Rylan asked, sounding half asleep.

"She's gone."

There was a pause. A beat passed then another.

"Aria?"

"Yes."

"Fuck." He cusred and I heard the rustle of sheets. "How long?" He asked.

"Long enough that I can't track her with cameras."

"Shit. What do you need?"

"Everything."

A low exhale. He understood exactly what I meant.

"Home surveillance? Airport logs? Plate scanners?"

"All of it. And pull favors if you need to."

"You think she's running?"

"Well she's didn't walk."

"Because of the families?"

"Does it matter?" I snapped, growing impatient.

"It should." He sighed. "If she's in danger-"

"I'll handle it." I cut him off.

Another silence. Rylan knew better than to push.

"Alright." He finally muttered. "Give me one hour."

The call ended.

I didn't move. I didn't blink. I stood there with the bracelet burning into my palm and the storm shaking the city like even the sky knew something was wrong.

Aria wouldn't leave me. Not after last night. She couldn't.

She won't survive the outside world. She was sheltered her whole life.

I remembered every detail. Her shaky breath against my lips. Her closed eyes as U pushed deeper inside her. The way she whispered my name like a confession. And the screamed it. He fingers dug into my back with every thrust.

I had felt her give herself to me.

Everything.

Her body.

Her mind.

Her soul.

And most importantly, her heart.

My jaw clenched. The muscles in my arms tightened with the kinf of restraint that would have broken other men.

But I wasn't like them.

No.

And Aria knew that.

And despite everything, she left.

Deliberatly.

Or forcibly.

She left.

She should've told me, that she's in danger. If she was in danger.

She knows I would protect her with my life.

I would risk everything for her.

Even the Famiglia.

"Capo." Carlo said from the door. "L'incontro-"

"I won't attend any meetings." I told my assistant.

I wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone.

Everything can wait.

Until I find Aria.

My Aria.

------------------

"Rylan."

"Cousin. We found something." He said breathlessly into the phone.

"What?" I asked urgently.

"You need to see for yourself. I will arrive shortly."

I showered and dressed wuickly- black shirt, black jacket, black gloves- my uniform of war.

By the time the storm calm to a drizzle, the city was awake.

Rylan arrived 20 minutes later, hair wet, coat dripping, laptop slung over his shoulder.

He dropped the bag on the table. "You are not going to like this."

"Show me."

"I need you to stay calm Capo."

"Rylan." I said warningly.

He opened the laptop. The screen lit up with airport footage.

My heart didn't speed up. It slowed.

Sharpened.

There she was.

Aria. Hood up, her head lowered.

A duffel bag slung over her shoulder- one I'd never seen before.

She moved through the airport quietly, disappearing into the crowd like a ghost.

"Terminal B." Rylan said. "Arrived at 4:36 AM. No checked luggage. Bought ticket in cash. I can't see where she boarded from this angle."

"Zoom in."

He did.

"Paris." He said.

I watched, eyes narrowing, hands curling into fists at my sides.

Something was off. Her face wasn't visible.

Her steps were too controlled. She wasn't crying or panicked.

She was preparing.

It was 5:30. Her plane didn't fly yet.

"Bring the cars. We're gonna catch her before she leaves." I said, as Rylan started barking orders.

I was gonna go bring her back.

I will have answers from her.

We rushed to the airport, and as soon as we arrived, we heard a crash.

We ran outside, and what I saw made me freeze on my spot.

"Shit." Rylann said standing next to me.

A plane crashed as soon as it left the runway.

"Rylan. Check which plane." I said as Rylan made a call.

"Lucian." He said after awhile.

"What?"

"It's the plane to Paris. The one Aria was on."