Elegbede_Habeeb

The first time they met, it felt like fate. The second time, it felt like a warning.

She was running from a past that refused to die. He was chasing a future that seemed just out of reach. When their worlds collided, it was more than just love—it was an obsession, a wildfire that threatened to burn them both alive.

But love isn’t always salvation. Sometimes, it’s destruction in disguise.

Bound by Fire: Ashes of Desire

Luca stood in the center of his war room, a dimly lit space filled with weapons, maps, and a wall of surveillance feeds tracking every corner of the city. The air was thick with tension as his most trusted men gathered, their expressions grim.

Elena sat at the far end of the room, her arms wrapped around herself. She hadn't spoken since they found the dress. But Luca saw the fire in her eyes—the fear was there, yes, but so was rage.

Dante leaned against the table, loading his gun. "We need a plan."

Luca exhaled sharply. "We don't wait for Adrian to come to us. We strike first."

One of his men, Nico, frowned. "We don't even know where he is."

Dante tossed a folder onto the table. "We do now. He's been spotted at an abandoned estate on the outskirts of the city. He's setting up something, and I don't plan on waiting around to find out what."

Luca smirked. "Then we burn it down."

Elena suddenly stood. "I'm coming with you."

Luca's amusement vanished. "No, you're not."

She lifted her chin. "You don't get to decide that."

"No." She stepped closer, her hands trembling but her voice steady. "You think I don't want him dead? You think I don't want to face the man who stole years of my life?" Her gaze burned into his. "I need to be there."

Luca clenched his jaw. Every instinct told him to protect her, to keep her as far from Adrian Vega as possible.

But then he saw it—the sheer determination in her eyes.

She wasn't a damsel in distress. She was a survivor.

After a long silence, Luca exhaled. "Fine. But you stay behind us."

Dante sighed, shaking his head. "This is either the best or dumbest idea we've ever had."

Luca loaded his gun, his expression dark.

"Either way, Adrian Vega dies tonight."

Next Chapter: The Inferno—Luca, Elena, and Dante lead an all-out assault on Adrian Vega's stronghold, but nothing could prepare them for the horrors waiting inside.

Blood and Fire