Chapter 6

Blood and Smoke

The scent of gunpowder still lingered in the air.

Elena stared at the lifeless body slumped over the chair, blood pooling beneath him. A shiver ran through her, but she kept her expression unreadable. She had witnessed death before, but there was something about this moment—about watching Luca execute a man so effortlessly—that struck a nerve.

Not fear.

Something else.

Respect.

He had pulled the trigger without hesitation, without second-guessing. It was a reminder of the kind of man he was. Ruthless. Calculated. Unshaken.

And now, so was she.

Luca turned to his men, his voice a quiet command. "Burn it down."

They moved without question. Within seconds, gasoline splashed across the floor, the acrid scent filling Elena's nostrils.

Luca took her arm gently, guiding her toward the exit. "We don't need to be here when this place goes up."

She nodded, stepping over the blood trail as if it were nothing. She didn't even flinch when one of Luca's men flicked a match onto the gasoline-drenched floor.

The moment they stepped outside, the building roared with fire. Flames licked up the sides of the warehouse, black smoke billowing into the night sky.

Elena turned her face slightly, the heat brushing against her skin.

Another piece of evidence burned to the ground. Another loose end tied up.

But it wasn't over.

Not even close.

The Warning

Luca's grip tightened on her wrist as he led her to the waiting SUV. His men were already positioned around them, their movements swift and efficient. The doors slammed shut behind them as the car pulled away from the burning wreckage.

Silence filled the space between them.

Elena turned her gaze to Luca, studying his profile. He was deep in thought, his fingers tapping absently against his thigh. The only sign that something was bothering him.

"They're watching."

The words of the dead man echoed in her mind.

Luca had brushed it off back there, but she knew him well enough now to know that he was already planning his next move.

"Do you believe him?" she asked.

Luca's silver eyes flicked toward her. "About what?"

"The syndicate. That they're watching."

He didn't answer right away.

Instead, he reached for the bottle of whiskey nestled in the console and poured himself a drink. He took a slow sip before finally responding.

"They were always watching," he said, voice even. "The difference is, now we know it."

Elena exhaled sharply, leaning back against the leather seat. "Then what's the next move?"

Luca smirked slightly, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "We make them show their hands."

She frowned. "How?"

Luca set his glass down and turned to her fully, his gaze unreadable.

"By making them think we're weak."

The Trap

The next morning, Elena sat in Luca's penthouse, listening as he laid out his plan.

"We spread the word that we're vulnerable," he explained, pacing the room. "That my men are scattered, that we're on the defensive. The syndicate will see an opportunity and take the bait."

Elena crossed her arms. "And when they do?"

Luca's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "We remind them why no one touches what's mine already."

Elena's breath hitched slightly at his words, but she refused to let him see the effect he had on her.

He was staking his claim, on his empire, on his war.

On her.

And a part of her wasn't sure if she hated it or if she craved it.

A Dangerous Invitation

By evening, the plan was already in motion. Luca's men leaked false intel, letting whispers spread through the underground like wildfire. If the syndicate had eyes on them, they'd take the bait soon.

It didn't take long.

A message arrived.

A handwritten note, delivered by an unknown courier.

Luca unfolded the paper, his jaw tightening as he read the words aloud.

"If you want to talk, come alone. The rooftop of the Bellagio Hotel, Midnight."

Elena's stomach twisted. "It's a trap."

Luca smirked, tossing the note onto the table. "Of course it is."

She narrowed her eyes. "Then why go?"

His silver gaze locked onto hers. "Because I don't run from fights."

Her chest tightened. He was reckless, but not stupid. If he was willing to walk into a trap, it meant he believed he could control the outcome.

Still, something about this felt wrong.

"You're not going alone," she said firmly.

Luca arched his brow. "Elena..."

"I mean it." She stepped closer, her voice steel. "You said this is our fight. That means I go, too."

His eyes darkened as he studied her, the tension between them thickening.

Finally, after a long pause, he nodded once. "Fine."

But Elena knew, this meeting wouldn't just change the course of the war.

It would change everything she had always believed in.The scent of gunpowder still lingered in the air.

Elena stared at the lifeless body slumped over the chair, blood pooling beneath him. A shiver ran through her, but she kept her expression unreadable. She had witnessed death before, but there was something about this moment—about watching Luca execute a man so effortlessly—that struck a nerve.

Not fear.

Something else.

Respect.

He had pulled the trigger without hesitation, without second-guessing. It was a reminder of the kind of man he was. Ruthless. Calculated. Unshaken.

And now, so was she.

Luca turned to his men, his voice a quiet command. "Burn it down."

They moved without question. Within seconds, gasoline splashed across the floor, the acrid scent filling Elena's nostrils.

Luca took her arm gently, guiding her toward the exit. "We don't need to be here when this place goes up."

She nodded, stepping over the blood trail as if it were nothing. She didn't even flinch when one of Luca's men flicked a match onto the gasoline-drenched floor.

The moment they stepped outside, the building roared with fire. Flames licked up the sides of the warehouse, black smoke billowing into the night sky.

Elena turned her face slightly, the heat brushing against her skin.

Another piece of evidence burned to the ground. Another loose end tied up.

But it wasn't over.

Not even close.

The Warning

Luca's grip tightened on her wrist as he led her to the waiting SUV. His men were already positioned around them, their movements swift and efficient. The doors slammed shut behind them as the car pulled away from the burning wreckage.

Silence filled the space between them.

Elena turned her gaze to Luca, studying his profile. He was deep in thought, his fingers tapping absently against his thigh. The only sign that something was bothering him.

"They're watching."

The words of the dead man echoed in her mind.

Luca had brushed it off back there, but she knew him well enough now to know that he was already planning his next move.

"Do you believe him?" she asked.

Luca's silver eyes flicked toward her. "About what?"

"The syndicate. That they're watching."

He didn't answer right away.

Instead, he reached for the bottle of whiskey nestled in the console and poured himself a drink. He took a slow sip before finally responding.

"They were always watching," he said, voice even. "The difference is, now we know it."

Elena exhaled sharply, leaning back against the leather seat. "Then what's the next move?"

Luca smirked slightly, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "We make them show their hands."

She frowned. "How?"

Luca set his glass down and turned to her fully, his gaze unreadable.

"By making them think we're weak."

The Trap

The next morning, Elena sat in Luca's penthouse, listening as he laid out his plan.

"We spread the word that we're vulnerable," he explained, pacing the room. "That my men are scattered, that we're on the defensive. The syndicate will see an opportunity and take the bait."

Elena crossed her arms. "And when they do?"

Luca's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "We remind them why no one touches what's mine already."

Elena's breath hitched slightly at his words, but she refused to let him see the effect he had on her.

He was staking his claim, on his empire, on his war.

On her.

And a part of her wasn't sure if she hated it or if she craved it.

A Dangerous Invitation

By evening, the plan was already in motion. Luca's men leaked false intel, letting whispers spread through the underground like wildfire. If the syndicate had eyes on them, they'd take the bait soon.

It didn't take long.

A message arrived.

A handwritten note, delivered by an unknown courier.

Luca unfolded the paper, his jaw tightening as he read the words aloud.

"If you want to talk, come alone. The rooftop of the Bellagio Hotel, Midnight."

Elena's stomach twisted. "It's a trap."

Luca smirked, tossing the note onto the table. "Of course it is."

She narrowed her eyes. "Then why go?"

His silver gaze locked onto hers. "Because I don't run from fights."

Her chest tightened. He was reckless, but not stupid. If he was willing to walk into a trap, it meant he believed he could control the outcome.

Still, something about this felt wrong.

"You're not going alone," she said firmly.

Luca arched his brow. "Elena..."

"I mean it." She stepped closer, her voice steel. "You said this is our fight. That means I go, too."

His eyes darkened as he studied her, the tension between them thickening.

Finally, after a long pause, he nodded once. "Fine."

But Elena knew, this meeting wouldn't just change the course of the war.

It would change everything she had always believed in.