chapter 3

Bound in Blood

The car cut through the dark street like a blade, its tires whispering against the wet pavement inside, the air was thick with silence, tension stretching between Elena and Luca like fraying wire.

She has just given him a name.

Matteo Rossi.

Her father's second in command.

The man who had been like an uncle growing up and now, the man she suspected has betrayed them all.

Luca hadn't said a word since she uttered the name, but she could feel the weight of his thoughts pressing against her. His fingers tapped rhythmically against his knee, his silver eyes locked on the city blurring past the window.

Finally, he spoke.

"If you are wrong about this", he said, voice quiet but sharp, "I'll make you regret it".

Elena's nails dug into her palms. "I'm not wrong".

He turned to her then, studying her with the same intensity. " You did bet a man's life on that."

She held his gaze. "Wouldn't be the first time".

Luca's lip curled into something that wasn't quite a smirk. He leaned back against the leather seat, exhaling slowly.

"I will handle it."

 A flicker of unease twisted in her gut. "What does that mean?"

"It means you don't need to worry about what happens next".

Her heart thudded. "I didn't give you that name so could put a bullet in his head".

Luca arched his brow. "Then why did you?".

She hesitated.

Because she needed answers. Because if Mateo had betrayed them, he had to have a reason. Because if she had just signed his death warrant, she needed to know if she was right. 

"I want proof," she said. "Before you do anything ".

Luca was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Fine".

Relief, loosened in her tight knot in her chest. 

But something about the way he agreed so easily unsettled her.

The car pulled into the underground parking lot of a high rise building, and Luca stepped out without another word.

Elena followed, heels clicking against the concrete as they entered a private elevato. 

 When the doors slit shut, she turned to him. "What now?"

"You stay here"

She frowned. "And where exactly is here?".

"My penthouse."

Elena crossed her arms. "And what, I'm just supposed to wait around while you go off and hunt down Matteo?"

Luca didn't look at her as he punched in a security code. "Something like that."

She let out a sharp laughter. "Yeah, that's not happening." 

Then he turned. Silver eyes flashing. "Do you have another option?"

Elena stepped closer, tilting her chin-up. "Yeah, you take me with".

Lucas ja ticked. "No."

"No?" She scoffed. "I just hand you the name of a traitor, you owe me a seat at the table".

His gaze darkened.' you're not in a position to make demands."

She met his state head-on. "And you're not in a position to shut me out. You said it yourself, those men weren't after my father, they were after you. So that means this isn't just your war it's mine now too".

For a moment, Luca just stared at her, then to her surprise, he laughed a low, quiet sound, like he was genuinely amused.

"You've got balls, "I'll give you that"

Elena held her ground. "So?"

Luca sighed, shaking his head, "Fine you want it? Because what you asked for, wife". 

She ignored the way that word sent an unsteady pulse through her chest.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open, revealing the penthouse.

Floor to ceiling windows overlooked the glittering city, the skyline reflecting off the sleek blade marble floors.

Elena barely had time to take it in before Luca grabbed a phone from the counter dialing number.

"Bring him in," he said, then hung up.

Her stomach clenched. "You have him already?" 

Luca leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "I don't waste time."

Elena swallowed hard.

Minutes later, the elevator door opened again. Two of Luca's men stepped in dragging bound and bloodied Matteo Rossi between them.

Elena's breath hitched.

Matteo's dark eyes flicked to her, pain showed in his face.

"Elena," he rasped.

Her pulse pounded. "Matteo".

Luca's voice was cold. " Start talking". 

Matteo's gaze flicked to him. "I don't answer to you".

Luca smirked. "No? Then maybe you will answer to her".

He stepped aside, leaving Elena to face Mateo.

Her stomach twisted.

If she was wrong about this, she had just condemned a man who had once held her hand when she scraped her knee as a child.

She took a slow breath.

"Tell me the truth", she said, voice steady. "Did you know".

Matteo's throat bobbed.

"Elena, I –"

His hesitation was enough.

The air in the room changed. 

Luca's expression didn't shift, but Elena felt it, an unspoken agreement between them.

He was guilty.

She stepped closer. "You betrayed my father".

Matteo exhaled shakily. "It wasn't supposed to be like this".

"Then how was it supposed to be?"

His eyes flicked to Lucas, then back to her.

"Your father wasn't the target".

She swallowed. "I know".

Matteo's shoulders sagged.

"But you knew what would happen," she continued, voice cold. "You knew he did get caught in the crossfire". 

A long silence. Then finally—

"Yes".

The confession sent a dagger through her chest.

Elena took a slow step back.

Luca watched her carefully, but he said nothing.

This was her moment, her choice.

Matteo looked at her with something like regret.

"Elena, you have to understand –"

"I don't" her voice was quiet, but it cut like a blade.

And she turned to Luca.

Luca tilted his head. " What do you want me to do with him?"

Elena's throat tightened.

A week ago, she would have never imagined standing here, with blood on her hand and the power to decide a man's fate.

But she wasn't the same woman she had been a week ago.

She looked Matteo in the eyes.

And made her choice.

"Kill him". 

Matteo's breath stilled.

Luca's lip curled into something dark.

"As you wish". 

As the gunshot rang out, and with it, the last piece of the girl Elena used to died too.