The villa's gardens glowed under lanterns strung between olive trees, casting golden reflections on the stone paths. Alessia had slipped away from the main terrace, craving a quiet moment, but the night seemed determined to keep her on edge.
She didn't have to wait long. Bianca appeared like a whirlwind, sparkling dress swaying, her heels clicking sharply against the cobblestones.
"Alessia!" Bianca called, her voice saccharine. "I was looking for Luca. Have you seen him? Surely he's with someone… more charming than you."
Alessia's hands tightened slightly at her sides, but she met her rival's glare calmly. "I believe he's capable of choosing for himself," she said, cool and measured.
Bianca laughed, sharp and false. "Oh, how sweet. The little Romano girl thinks she's… special. Don't get too comfortable. Luca appreciates beauty and… alliances. I'm more than qualified."
Before Alessia could respond, a shadow fell across the path. Luca stepped between them, arms crossed, eyes narrowed like a predator protecting his territory.
"Enough, Bianca," he said quietly, but his voice carried authority that cut through the warm night air. "You will not speak to her like that again."
Bianca tilted her head, feigning innocence. "I was only… joking."
"You were insulting her," Luca replied, tone low and dangerous. "And you will not test my patience tonight."
Alessia felt a flush of pride and something else—a flutter she hadn't expected. The way he protected her wasn't about possession. It was about respect. And the awareness that she mattered to him in a world where most people were expendable.
Bianca, realizing she wasn't going to intimidate Alessia, huffed and stormed off toward the main terrace, muttering under her breath. Alessia exhaled slowly, heart racing.
"You okay?" Luca asked, his voice softer now, almost intimate.
"I'm fine," she said, trying to steady her breath. "She's… exhausting."
He stepped closer, the distance between them narrowing. The moonlight caught the edge of his jaw, the green in his eyes more intense than ever.
"You don't need to deal with her," he murmured. "Not if you don't want to."
Alessia's pulse quickened. She could feel the heat radiating from him, the tension in the air pulling them together. "I… I'm not used to someone stepping in like that for me," she admitted, voice low.
Luca tilted his head slightly, his expression softening. "I'm not used to anyone standing up to me like that either," he said. "But you… Alessia, you're different. I can't explain it."
For a moment, the world shrank to just the two of them: the scent of the sea, the faint rustle of the olive trees, the soft glow of lanterns. Alessia felt the pull, the dangerous thrill, and she realized she didn't want to resist—not entirely.
She lifted her gaze, meeting his eyes, and he closed the distance almost imperceptibly.
"I…" she began, heart pounding, but before she could finish, a voice shattered the moment.
"Luca! You need to see this!"
A man from Luca's entourage ran into the garden, urgency in his eyes. Luca stiffened immediately, his entire demeanor shifting from intimate to lethal in an instant.
"What is it?" Luca demanded.
"There's trouble at the dock," the man said. "Unmarked boats… armed men. They're asking for you."
Alessia's stomach dropped. She had known danger hovered near him, but seeing it so close, so real, made her heart race with fear—and something else: adrenaline, excitement, and worry.
Luca's hand brushed hers almost absentmindedly as he stepped back, tension coiling like a spring. "Stay here," he ordered, voice sharp.
"I'm coming with you," Alessia said immediately, stepping forward.
He looked at her, eyes narrowing, concern flickering across his face. "No. It's too dangerous."
"Then I'll stay here and do nothing while you risk yourself?" she shot back, defiance flashing in her gaze. "I'm not afraid."
For a long moment, he studied her, weighing the stubborn, fierce fire he had come to respect—and maybe desire. Finally, he said, low and almost reluctantly:
"Fine. Stay close. And don't get in the way."
Alessia felt her pulse spike—not just from fear, but from the intensity of the moment.
As they hurried toward the edge of the villa, Luca's hand found hers, gripping it tightly—but protectively, warning her, grounding her.
And Alessia realized: the summer wasn't just about sunshine and romance anymore. It was about danger, desire, and a connection she couldn't—and didn't want to—ignore.
Because in Luca DeMarco's world, there were rules she didn't understand… and risks she couldn't escape.
But maybe, just maybe, she was ready to face them… with him