Chapter 25: Leaving London

MARIA'S POV

I couldn’t sleep.

I tried. God knows I tried. I turned on the TV, hoping it would distract me. Nothing worked.

Every sound made me jump. I kept checking my phone, though no one had texted.

I wondered what was happening with Luca now.

The clock hit 2AM, then 3. I started to pace again. Back and forth, from the window to the couch, from the couch to the bed and to the door. I thought maybe I should call someone.

But who? Everyone was gone with him, except Alex.

I curled up on the couch, pulling a blanket over myself, telling myself not to panic. Telling myself he would come back.

Then, I must’ve dozed off. Maybe for twenty minutes, maybe longer. I don’t know. But the sound of hurried footsteps woke me up.

Voices. Urgent ones.

And then I heard it—Luca’s voice.

He was back.

“Thank God,” I whispered, still lying on the couch, frozen. I should’ve gotten up. I should’ve gone to him. But I stayed and listened.

“Pack the important stuff!” I could hear Luca’s voice ringing from the hallway. “We’re leaving now!”

I sat up.

Before I could even think about what to do next, the door flew open.

Luca burst in, looking like he had run a thousand miles without stopping. 

His shirt was soaked with sweat, some of it were stained red. Blood? 

His hair was a mess, his face was pale, but his eyes—his eyes were sharp and I could tell he was in a huge hurry.

“Get up. Now. We’re leaving.”

I stared at him. “What happened? Are you okay…?”

“Maria!” he shouted, not answering. “Change into something decent and be fast.”

I blinked. “But… what’s going on?”

“Just do what I said!”

He started pacing now, going to the closet, yanking open drawers, like he was searching for something he had lost.

“Luca, wait. At least tell me…”

“If you don’t change, I’m leaving without you!” he snapped, turning to face me.

I froze.

That hit me. Things had gone sideways.

I didn’t say another word. I just grabbed a pair of jeans and a black hoodie and changed out of the nightgown I had on.

He barely looked at me. “Let’s go.”

A car was already waiting outside. Alex was already in it, looking half-dead himself but trying to keep a straight face.

I jumped into the backseat beside him, but my heart wasn’t in my chest anymore. It was somewhere in my throat, choking me.

I looked around. “Where are the others?”

Alex shrugged. “Don’t know.”

“You okay?” I asked him, trying to observe him.

He gave me a stiff nod. “I’ll be fine.”

Luca was in the front seat, talking rapidly in Italian to the driver. I could tell he was saying aomething about Alejandro.

My stomach dropped.

“Did… did he kill Alejandro?” I whispered to Alex.

Alex didn’t answer. He just looked out the window.

That was answer enough.

Luca had attacked him. But it didn’t go as planned. And now… he was running.

We drove in silence to an airport hangar that looked too clean and too quiet for the kind of trouble we're in. A small jet was already waiting.

The pilot stood outside, nodding as Luca spoke to him in Italian. They exchanged a quick handshake. I could tell Luca was trying to thank him for coming on such short notice.

Everything felt rushed. Like we were criminals running from the police.

Inside the plane, I was too distracted to even admire the luxury of the interior. It was all fine but the kind of trouble I felt we were in made it look all vain.

The leather seats. The soft lighting. The calm music. All of it felt useless, like it didn't matter. Like death was right behind us and we were just pretending like we could just run from it.

Luca walked straight into the private room in the back and slammed the door shut.

Leaving me and Alex alone.

“Please,” I turned to Alex, “tell me what’s going on. I’m going insane.”

He sighed, long and tired, then leaned back in his seat.

“Let’s just say… boss went after Alejandro. But something went wrong. He didn’t kill him. And now we’re running. I guess this is all just a precaution until he can attack again.”

Attack again?

I wanted to scream, but I didn’t. I just stared at Alex, trying to keep my hands from shaking.

“What if Alejandro attacks this plane?” I whispered.

Alex gave a short laugh. “That’d be terrorism. International airspace and all that. Alejandro wouldn’t be that stupid.”

“But you don’t know for sure?”

“I don’t know anything right now,” he admitted. “But once we land, I’ll find out. I’ll call some of the boys who went with him… if they’re still alive.”

That last part hit me in the chest.

If they’re still alive.

“What happened out there?” I asked again.

He didn’t answer.

“I’m going to talk to him,” I said, standing up.

But Alex reached out, stopping me gently. “It’s best you let him be for now.”

I looked back toward the closed door.

He's right. I should probably just let him.

“And I suggest you wait for him to come to you.” Alex added.

I looked at him as he said that and I felt his care. Not that romantic or mischievous care but just the kind of care that was natural, like it's his nature.

I admired that. And I thought maybe that is what I should do.

Leave Luca to come and hope to God that Alejandro leaves us alone since we've left London.

But the probably of Alejandro leaving us, narrh…, I don't think that's happening anymore.