LOGINLuca’s POV“I’m going in alone,” I said.My voice didn’t sound like my own. It was rough, strained, like it could crack at any second. Saying the words made everything feel terrifyingly real.Immediately, Dante stepped closer. He placed a firm hand on my shoulder, steady and solid. His eyes searched my face, filled with concern and something close to fear for me.“Are you sure?” he asked quietly.I let out a shaky breath and nodded. “I don’t have a choice.”He studied me for a moment longer, then nodded. He understood. They all did. He stepped aside, giving me a clear path to the door.“Be careful,” he said softly.I met his eyes for a brief second, then turned back to the basement door. My heart was racing, fear and rage twisting together inside me until I felt like I might tear apart. My hands trembled, but I forced them to steady. Somewhere beyond that door, Dahlia was waiting for me.The thought stayed with me like a wound that wouldn’t close. It burned. It hurt. It was the only t
Luca’s POVWe finally reached the address Marco had given me.The mansion sat far back from the road, hidden behind tall iron gates and rows of old trees that blocked most of the moonlight. It looked quiet. Too quiet. The kind of place that pretends to sleep while danger stays wide awake inside.Marco was in one of the cars behind mine, wedged between two of my men. His hands were tied, his face pale under the bruises. He kept his head down, but I knew he could feel what was coming. I didn’t look at him. Not now. My focus was on one thing only.Dahlia.I raised my hand, and all the cars stopped at once. Engines went silent. Doors opened softly. My men stepped out, moving with practiced ease, guns in hand, faces hard and ready. The air felt heavy, like it was holding its breath.“We park here,” I said quietly. “From this point on, no mistakes.”They nodded.I looked at each of them, one by one. These men had followed me for years. They had bled for me. Killed for me. Tonight was no dif
Dahlia’s POVI didn’t know how long I had been sitting there.Time felt strange in the dark, like it didn’t move the way it used to. My wrists hurt from the ropes, my back ached from the chair, and my throat felt dry from fear and silence. The darkness pressed in on me from all sides. I couldn’t see anything. I could barely hear anything except my own breathing and the pounding of my heart.Then I heard it.A door.It opened slowly, the sound loud in the quiet room. My breath caught in my chest. Footsteps followed. Calm. Unhurried. They moved closer, one step at a time, and with every step my fear grew. I held my breath without meaning to, my body stiff with panic.Suddenly, the lights snapped on.I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut as the brightness burned. When I opened them again, a tall man was standing right in front of me. The light made his shadow stretch across the floor toward my feet.He looked young. Around my age. Well put together. Calm in a way that felt wrong.I stared at h
Luca’s POVIt was loud. Sharp. Full of pain that couldn’t be held back. His whole body jerked against the chains, the metal clanking violently as he fought against something he couldn’t escape. He cried out again and again, his voice breaking until it was nothing but raw sound.I waited for the scream to fade.Then I spoke.“This ends the moment you tell me where my wife is,” I said, my tone steady, almost gentle. “Every second you lie… every second you stay silent… she pays for it.”He shook his head wildly, tears streaming down his face. His words came out messy and broken, falling over each other.“I don’t know the place,” he sobbed. “I swear. I swear. I just follow orders—”I moved to the next finger.Slowly.Deliberately.I didn’t rush. I let the fear build before I acted. I let him feel the waiting. The knowing.His screams came faster now. Desperate. Ugly. He begged. He cursed. He promised money, names, loyalty—anything his mind could grab onto. His body sagged in the chair betw
Luca’s POVWe drove for a long time before the cars finally slowed and turned off the main road.The city lights faded behind us, one by one, until there was nothing but darkness and open space. No horns. No voices. Just the low hum of engines and the sound of tires on rough ground. The farther we went, the heavier my chest felt, like the night itself was pressing down on me.The warehouse appeared ahead of us, large and lonely, sitting in the middle of nowhere. Dark. Silent. Wide. It looked abandoned, but it wasn’t. It was waiting.I chose this place on purpose.I didn’t want Marco anywhere near my mansion. That house was more than walls and furniture. It was my home. My wife’s home. It held memories of quiet mornings, shared meals, soft laughter. I would not poison it with blood, screams, or revenge. This filth belonged somewhere else.The metal doors groaned as they rolled open, the sound harsh and loud in the still night. It echoed, sharp and ugly. Our cars moved inside slowly, he
Luca’s POVWe got out of the cars one by one, slow and silent, moving with care. Doors were closed gently, not slammed. Engines were shut off, leaving the night almost too quiet. My men spread out around me, slipping into the shadows like they had done this a thousand times before. Every movement was controlled. Every step was planned.The city smelled different here. Old concrete. Oil. Cold air mixed with something sharp. The kind of place where deals were made and people disappeared.Dante lifted his hand slightly, signaling us to hold.He had an earphone in, his head tilted just enough to show he was listening closely. I had one in my ear too, connected to the same audio feed. Every sound came through clear—footsteps, distant traffic, low voices. My pulse stayed steady as I focused.Then I heard her.“Hello, Marco.”Denise’s voice.Hearing it made my jaw tighten, but I stayed st







