Chapter 10 - The Night Luca Broke His Own Rule
Luca moved Hazel to a safe house.
She hated it.
“You’re locking me away.”
“I’m keeping you alive.”
“That sounds familiar.”
He understood immediately.
Daniel.
Luca stepped back.
“You’re right.”
Hazel blinked.
“That was suspiciously easy.”
“You expected an argument?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. You’re impossible.”
“Better.”
Luca gave her the choice.
Stay.
Leave.
Take guards.
Refuse them.
For the first time, protection became something Hazel controlled.
She chose two guards.
And Luca.
That night they talked about their fathers.
Luca admitted he had spent his life trying to become hard enough to inherit an empire he never wanted.
Hazel asked what he would choose without it.
“A house somewhere quiet.”
“That’s boring.”
“I’ve earned boring.”
“Dog?”
“Two.”
“Children?”
Luca went silent.
Hazel’s cheeks warmed.
“Forget I asked.”
“I’d want them.”
Their eyes met.
“Someday,” he added.
Hazel looked away.
The possibility frightened her because she liked it.
A storm knocked out power.
Hazel laughed.
“If someone says ‘cut the lights’ right now, I’m moving to Canada.”
Luca smiled.
Then someone attacked.
The safe house erupted.
Salerno’s men had found them.
Luca broke his own rule.
He had always promised never to leave Hazel unprotected.
But when the attackers set fire to the lower floor, he pushed her through an emergency tunnel alone.
“Run.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Hazel.”
“No.”
He grabbed her face.
“I love you.”
Everything stopped.
Hazel stared.
Luca seemed almost angry with himself.
“I wasn’t supposed to say it like this.”
“Then say it again later.”
His eyes changed.
“That’s the plan.”
He turned back toward the fire.
Hazel ran.
At the tunnel exit, a car waited.
The driver opened the door.
Hazel stopped.
Daniel sat inside.
“Get in.”
“No.”
“Hazel, Luca sent me.”
She hesitated.
Then Daniel showed her Luca’s black signet ring.
The one Hazel had returned.
Her blood went cold.
“Where did you get that?”
Daniel looked behind her.
“Hazel, get in now.”
She turned.
Luca was standing at the tunnel entrance.
May you like
But a gun was pressed against his head.
And the man holding it was Antonio Moretti.
