CHAPTER 30

Lucas woke slowly.

Not because he wanted to—but because pain forced him to.

It crept through his ankle first, a dull throbbing ache that pulsed in slow waves. For a few seconds he lay still, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling above him, trying to remember where he was.

The room smelled faintly of clean linen and sea air drifting in through the tall windows.

Then memory returned.

Italy.

The hidden cove.

Jamie convincing him to explore.

The fall.

And—

The man who carried him.

Enzo.

Lucas blinked and shifted slightly in the large bed. The movement sent another sharp pulse through his ankle.

“Okay… yeah,” he muttered quietly to himself. “That definitely hurts more today.”

Morning sunlight poured through the curtains, illuminating the elegant bedroom. Everything about the room screamed quiet luxury—the polished wooden floors, the soft rugs, the massive bed he was currently sinking into.

It almost felt like a hotel.

Except it wasn’t.

Lucas rubbed his face slowly.

He suddenly felt very aware that he had fallen asleep in a stranger’s mansion.

With Jamie somewhere else in the house.

“Jamie,” Lucas mumbled, pushing himself upright.

He needed to check on him.

Lucas swung one leg carefully over the edge of the bed.

Then the other.

For a moment he sat there, breathing slowly as he tested the pressure on his injured ankle.

Maybe it won’t be that bad.

He stood.

The moment his weight hit the floor—

Pain exploded through his leg.

“Ah—!”

His balance disappeared instantly.

Lucas crashed sideways.

The fall wasn’t graceful.

One second he was upright.

The next—

THUD.

He landed hard on the polished floor.

For a few stunned seconds he just lay there staring at the ceiling again.

“…that was stupid,” he whispered to himself.

His ankle throbbed angrily.

Lucas tried pushing himself up again but the movement only made the pain worse.

So he stopped trying.

He sighed and rested his head back against the floor.

“Well,” he muttered. “This is humiliating.”

Time passed slowly.

Lucas had no idea how long he had been stuck there—five minutes maybe, maybe ten.

Then the bedroom door opened.

Footsteps stopped immediately.

Lucas turned his head.

Enzo stood in the doorway.

He was holding a tray.

A glass bottle of water.

A small dish with pills.

And he was staring directly at Lucas lying on the floor.

For a moment neither of them spoke.

Then Enzo exhaled slowly.

“You tried to walk.”

Lucas winced.

“…maybe.”

Enzo stepped inside and set the tray down on a nearby table.

Then he walked over.

Lucas suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed.

“I thought maybe it would feel better today.”

Enzo crouched beside him.

“You should have waited.”

“I didn’t want to bother—”

Lucas stopped mid-sentence as Enzo slid one arm behind his back and the other under his knees.

Before Lucas could protest—

He was lifted off the floor again.

Just like yesterday.

Effortless.

Lucas felt his face warm immediately.

“I swear I’m not usually this helpless.”

Enzo didn’t respond.

He carried Lucas back to the bed and lowered him gently onto the mattress.

Lucas sank into the pillows with a sigh.

Enzo handed him the bottle of water.

“Painkillers.”

Lucas looked at the small pills.

“You’re very prepared.”

Enzo’s expression remained calm.

“I expected this.”

Lucas swallowed the pills obediently and took a drink of water.

For a moment the room fell quiet again.

Then Lucas cleared his throat.

“Thank you.”

Enzo gave a small nod.

Lucas hesitated before speaking again.

“I… actually had another problem.”

Enzo raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I need to shower.”

He gestured helplessly toward his leg.

“But I have no idea how I’m supposed to do that like this.”

The silence that followed made Lucas feel even more self-conscious.

Then Enzo spoke.

“I’ll help.”

Lucas blinked.

“Oh—no, you really don’t have to—”

Enzo had already walked to the closet and pulled out a large white towel.

Lucas suddenly realized he might not win this argument.

“Okay,” Lucas said quickly, trying to sound calm. “But I can manage most of it myself.”

Enzo returned and helped Lucas stand carefully, making sure his injured ankle didn’t touch the floor.

Then the towel was wrapped around Lucas before he was lifted again.

Lucas stared at the ceiling as Enzo carried him toward the bathroom.

He wasn’t sure what made him more nervous—

Being carried.

Or how easy it felt.

The bathroom was enormous.

Marble floors.

A large bathtub already filling slowly with warm water.

Enzo stopped beside the tub.

Then he did something that made Lucas’s heart skip slightly.

He closed his eyes.

“I’ll set you in the water,” Enzo said calmly.

Lucas blinked.

“You don’t have to close your eyes.”

“I prefer to.”

Lucas wasn’t sure why that small gesture made his chest feel warm.

Enzo lowered him carefully into the tub.

Warm water surrounded Lucas instantly.

“Oh… that actually feels amazing,” he admitted.

Enzo stepped back immediately once Lucas was settled.

“I’ll wait outside.”

Lucas nodded.

“Okay.”

The door closed quietly.

Lucas leaned back in the warm water, letting the heat ease the tension in his leg.

The whole situation felt surreal.

A few days ago he had been studying in a quiet library.

Now—

He was bathing in a Sicilian mansion while a mysterious man waited outside the door.

Life had escalated quickly.

About fifteen minutes later Lucas called out.

“I’m done!”

The door opened again.

Enzo entered with the towel.

His eyes were closed again.

Lucas smiled slightly at that.

Enzo helped him out of the tub and wrapped the towel around him before lifting him once more.

Back to the bedroom.

Back to the bed.

Lucas settled into the blankets again.

The painkillers were starting to work now.

His ankle still hurt—but it was manageable.

Enzo adjusted the pillows behind him.

“Better?” he asked.

Lucas nodded.

“Much better.”

Enzo turned slightly as if preparing to leave.

Lucas spoke before he could.

“Wait.”

Enzo paused.

Lucas looked at him.

“Can I see Jamie?”

Enzo studied him for a moment.

Lucas tried to ignore the strange tension that filled the room.

“He’s probably worried about me,” Lucas added.

Enzo’s expression softened slightly.

“I’ll send him in.”

Lucas relaxed.

“Thank you.”

Enzo gave a short nod.

Then he turned and walked out of the room.

Lucas leaned back against the pillows, staring toward the door.

Somewhere in the mansion—

Jamie was probably causing chaos already.

And for the first time since waking up—

Lucas smiled.