No safe Place

The apartment smelled like whiskey, rain, and gunpowder.

Ava stood frozen just inside the doorway while Luca locked three separate bolts behind them. His movements were calm, practiced. Like this wasn’t the first time armed men had chased him through Manhattan at three in the morning.

Which terrified her even more.

The loft itself was massive—dark walls, expensive furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering skyline. Modern. Cold. Beautiful.

Just like him.

Ava wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stop shaking.

“I want answers.”

Luca removed his soaked coat slowly and tossed it onto a chair. Underneath, his black shirt clung tightly to his body, revealing tattooed arms and the outline of bruises near his ribs.

He was injured.

“You should sit down,” he said.

“I’m not sitting down until you tell me why people were shooting at us!”

His jaw tightened.

“At me,” he corrected quietly. “They were shooting at me.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better!”

For a second, silence filled the loft except for the storm raging against the windows.

Luca walked toward a cabinet and poured himself a drink.

No panic. No fear.

Like violence belonged in his everyday routine.

Ava stared at him in disbelief.

“Are you some kind of criminal?”

He took a slow sip before answering.

“Yes.”

The honesty hit harder than a lie.

Ava blinked.

“You’re serious.”

“I don’t joke about things like this.”

She laughed nervously, pacing away from him.

“This is insane. I should call the police.”

“You can.”

That surprised her.

Luca set the glass down carefully.

“But if you do, they’ll ask questions. Names. Faces. And the men chasing me will know exactly who you are.”

A cold chill crawled down her spine.

“You’re threatening me?”

His eyes met hers instantly.

“No.” His voice softened slightly. “I’m trying to protect you.”

Protect.

The word sounded wrong coming from someone like him.

Ava moved closer despite herself.

“Who are those men?”

Luca hesitated.

Then he said, “People I used to work with.”

Used to.

Which meant they wanted revenge.

Ava suddenly noticed blood dripping from his hand onto the marble floor.

“Oh my God.”

Luca looked down like he hadn’t even realized it.

“It’s nothing.”

“It is absolutely not nothing.”

Without thinking, Ava grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the kitchen light. A deep cut sliced across his palm, blood still flowing steadily.

“You need stitches.”

“I’ve had worse.”

“That doesn’t make this better.”

Luca watched her carefully as she searched through drawers for a first-aid kit.

“You always take care of armed strangers?”

“I’m considering poisoning you instead.”

That almost made him smile again.

Almost.

She cleaned the wound carefully while he sat at the counter watching her in silence. Up close, he looked even more dangerous. Tiny scars marked his knuckles. One cut crossed his eyebrow faintly. His tattoos disappeared beneath his shirt like unfinished stories.

Ava tried not to notice how good he smelled.

Or how close he was.

“You’re shaking,” Luca murmured.

“I almost got shot tonight.”

“You handled it better than most people would.”

“Well, internally I’m screaming.”

A low chuckle escaped him unexpectedly.

The sound caught her off guard.

It made him seem human.

And somehow that was worse.

Because monsters were easier not to fall for.

Ava finished wrapping his hand and stepped back.

“There.”

Luca looked at the bandage.

“You missed your calling.”

“I definitely didn’t miss it enough to become a nurse.”

Their eyes locked.

The air shifted instantly.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

Ava became painfully aware of how alone they were.

Rain hammered against the windows while New York glittered beneath them like another universe entirely.

Luca stood slowly.

Too close now.

“Ava.”

Her heartbeat stumbled.

“You should get some sleep.”

“I’m not sleeping here.”

“It’s almost four in the morning.”

“I don’t care.”

“You walked into a war tonight,” he said quietly. “And until I know who saw your face, you’re safer here.”

Safer.

In a criminal’s penthouse.

Ridiculous.

Yet part of her believed him.

A louder crash of thunder shook the windows.

Ava flinched instinctively.

Luca noticed.

Without warning, the lights went out.

Darkness swallowed the loft.

“What happened?” Ava whispered.

“Backup generator will kick in soon.”

But it didn’t.

Instead, silence filled the apartment.

Then—

A phone vibrated somewhere in the dark.

Luca’s expression changed immediately.

Danger.

He pulled another gun from beneath the counter so fast Ava barely processed it.

Her blood ran cold.

“Stay behind me,” he ordered.

The calmness in his voice terrified her most.

A knock echoed through the apartment door.

Three slow knocks.

Not random.

Intentional.

Luca’s jaw clenched.

“Ava,” he said quietly, eyes fixed on the entrance, “whatever happens next, do not open that door.”

Another knock.

This time followed by a familiar male voice from outside.

“Luca.”

Silence.

Then—

“I know she’s in there.”