Chapter 5: His House, His Rules

Rain hammered against the windows of the black SUV. Ava sat rigidly in the back seat, staring into the darkness outside. She had been married for less than an hour, her father had disappeared, a s had interrupted her wedding. And now she was being driven to the home of a man who had admitted that he never intended to marry her for love.

Luca sat opposite her. He hadn’t said a word since they left the cathedral. His silence was beginning to feel heavier than anger. Ava finally broke, where are we going?

“My house.”

You said that already.

“I know.”

Then why aren’t you answering my question? Luca lifted his eyes, because you’re asking the wrong one. She frowned, what should I be asking? “Why did your father disappear?”

Ava’s stomach tightened, you think he left willingly?

I don’t know.

Then find him.

I intend to, tonight, yes. She leaned forward, then let me help. Ava stared at him. You can’t be serious.

I am, that’s my father.

“And you’re my wife."The words silenced her. Luca leaned back, which means whoever took your father now has a reason to come after you.

I can protect myself.

I didn’t say you couldn’t.

Then why are you treating me like a prisoner? His eyes darkened. Because you don’t understand the people you’re dealing with. Ava folded her arms, neither do you, apparently. A dangerous silence followed. Then, unexpectedly, Luca smiled. It wasn’t a warm smile, but it was the first genuine expression she had seen from him since they met.

You have a habit of speaking without thinking.

And you have a habit of giving orders.

That will change.

“Which one?”

Neither, she rolled her eyes. The corner of his mouth lifted. For one brief moment, the tension inside the car eased. Then Luca’s phone rang, he answered immediately.

“What?”

A man’s voice came through the speaker. “We found the driver’s vehicle.” Luca straightened, where?

Three streets from the cathedral. “Driver?”

“Dead.”

Ava’s blood ran cold. Luca’s expression became unreadable, anything else? “One thing.”

“What?”

The driver’s phone was still inside the vehicle. And he received a message five minutes before the attack. Luca’s jaw tightened, read it. The man hesitated, “It said, " The bride is the key.” Ava’s heart stopped. Luca looked directly at her as the call ended..

Neither spoke. Finally, Ava whispered, “What does that mean?”

I don’t know.

“But you have an idea.”

Luca didn’t answer. The SUV passed through enormous iron gates. Ava looked outside, the estate stretched across acres of land. Tall stone walls surrounded the property. Security cameras covered every entrance. Guards stood beneath the rain, watching the vehicles approach. The mansion itself looked more like a fortress than a home.

The SUV stopped, Luca stepped out first then he opened Ava’s door. She hesitated, “What?”

You said this is your house, how many people live here? Yes it is my house and not many people live here. She glanced at the guards, it doesn’t look like it. Luca extended his hand, “Come.” Ava ignored his hand and stepped out herself. He raised an eyebrow, as she walked past him, I can walk.

“I noticed.”

They entered the mansion. The interior was breathtaking, dark wood, marble floors, massive windows, and elegant furniture. But there was something strangely cold about it. No family photographs, no flowers, no personal belongings, absolutely nothing that suggested someone actually lived there.

Ava looked around, “Your house is beautiful and it’s also depressing. Luca looked at her, thank you. “That’s an unusual compliment.”

I wasn’t complimenting you.”

I know.

A woman in her sixties approached them. She wore a simple black dress and carried herself with quiet authority. “Mr. De Luca,” Luca nodded.

“Mrs. Moretti.”

Her eyes moved toward Ava. For the first time, her stern expression softened. “Mrs De Luca.” Ava almost flinched, the title sounded strange, new and permanent.

“Hello,”Mrs. Moretti smiled. I’ve prepared the east wing. Ava looked at Luca, “East wing?”

Your room.

“I thought we were married.”

We are.

So why aren’t we sharing a room? Luca’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Do you want to?” Ava’s face heated.

“No.”

“Then we are agreed.” Mrs. Moretti looked suspiciously amused. Ava cleared her throat, I need to call my father.

“You can’t, your phone has been compromised.

Shit!! Fuck sake! “What?”

Luca held out his hand, give it to me, Ava. No, absolutely not. He stared at her and she stared back. Then he sighed.“Fine.”

He turned away, use the house phone.

She blinked, “That’s it?”

What did you expect? A fight? I don’t fight with my wife. The words made her heart skip. Before she could respond, Luca walked away. Ava watched him disappear down the hallway. Mrs. Moretti approached her, you should be careful.

Ava turned, “About what?” The older woman glanced toward the hallway. Mr De Luca isn’t what people say. Ava’s stomach tightened, that's what everyone keeps telling me. Mrs. Moretti lowered her voice, they are wrong.

Then what is he?

The woman hesitated.“Someone who has spent his entire life protecting people who don’t deserve it.” Before Ava could ask another question, Mrs. Moretti walked away. Ava stood alone, she looked toward the hallway where Luca had disappeared. Then she noticed something, a door at the end of the corridor was slightly open, inside was a study.

Ava walked toward it. She knew she shouldn’t but curiosity won. She pushed the door open, the room was dark except for the desk lamp. Files covered the desk, photographs were pinned across the wall. Ava stepped closer, her breath caught, she recognized Elena. There were photographs of her sister everywhere, Elena leaving restaurants, Elena entering hotels thenElena meeting different people. Then Ava saw something that made her blood run cold.

A photograph of herself, taken three weeks earlier. She was leaving work, someone had been watching her. Ava reached for it. “What are you doing?”

She spun around, Luca stood in the doorway. His expression was colder than she’d ever seen it. Ava pointed at the wall, “Why do you have photographs of me?” He didn’t answer.

“How long have you been watching me?”

Still nothing.

Ava stepped toward him. “Answer me.” Luca walked into the room and closed the door behind him. You weren’t supposed to see this.

That isn’t an answer.

He looked at the photographs, then back at her. I started watching you six months ago. Ava’s heart pounded, “Six months?”

Yes.

“Why?”

Luca’s gaze hardened. Because Elena wasn’t the woman I was supposed to marry. Ava frowned, what does that mean? He walked toward the wall and removed one photograph then he handed it to her. It showed Ava standing beside her mother. Ava stared, her mother had been dead for fifteen years.

This was taken the week before she died. Ava looked at Luca in confusion, what does my mother have to do with you? Luca’s voice dropped, everything. Ava couldn’t breathe, he stepped closer. Your mother didn’t die in an accident. The photograph slipped from Ava’s fingers.

“What?”

Luca looked into her eyes, “She was murdered.”

Ava shook her head.

“No.”

I know what your family told you about your mother_. “My mother died in a car accident” she yelled. That’s the story they gave you.

“You’re lying.”

I’m not.

“Then who killed her?”

Luca’s expression became unreadable. That’s what I’ve been trying to find out for fifteen years. Ava stared at him, why? His eyes darkened, because your mother was with my father the night he was murdered. Ava’s heart stopped, and suddenly, the message written on Elena’s letter made terrifying sense.

The man you call your enemy is not the man you should fear.

Luca took one step closer. “Your family has been lying to you, Ava.”

She backed away, about what? He looked toward the photographs, about why both our families have been connected for years. Then his phone rang, he answered. His expression changed immediately.

“What happened?”

Ava watched the color leave his face. He listened in silence, then he lowered the phone.

“What?”

Ava’s voice trembled.

Luca looked directly at her. They found your father. Her heart jumped, “Where?”

His answer was barely audible. “At the Bennett estate.” Ava exhaled in relief, then Luca added, he is alive. She almost smiled. “Thank God.”

But there’s a problem.

“What?”

Luca’s eyes hardened, he is refusing to come home. Ava frowned, why?

“Because he says if he returns…” Luca paused, he will be killed by his own daughter. Ava’s blood ran cold, “What?”

Luca looked at her. Your father claims Elena sent him one final message. Ava swallowed, what did it say? Luca’s voice dropped.

She told him that if you married me, he stared into her eyes. “…you would be the one who dies.”