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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

The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor.

Elena sat beside Luca's bed, her fingers gently tracing over his bandaged hand. He was asleep, his breathing deep and steady. The bruises on his face had started to fade, but the cuts on his chest and side told the story of the fire, of the battle, of the night they barely survived.

Elena exhaled, her heart still heavy from everything that had happened. The moment Dante had carried her out of that burning hell, she had fought him, desperate to go back for Luca. And when he had finally stumbled through the flames, bleeding but alive, she had felt something inside her crack open.

A soft knock at the door made her look up.

Dante stepped inside, his face uncharacteristically serious. "He wake up yet?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. The doctor said he needs rest."

Dante leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "He'll be fine. You know Luca—he's too damn stubborn to die."

Elena smiled faintly but said nothing.

Dante hesitated before speaking again. "The fire… it destroyed everything. There's nothing left of Adrian."

Elena exhaled. "I don't know. I keep thinking it's over, that we're finally free, but… it doesn't feel real yet."

Dante nodded. "I get it. But you are free, Elena. He's gone. You and Luca… you get to move forward now."

Elena swallowed hard. "And what about you?"

Dante smirked. "Me? I'll be fine. Someone has to keep an eye on you two lovebirds."

Before she could respond, a low groan came from the bed.

Luca's eyes fluttered open, his gaze unfocused before finally landing on her. A slow, tired smile pulled at his lips.

Elena choked out a laugh, fresh tears filling her eyes. "Hey yourself."

His fingers tightened around hers. "You okay?"

She let out a shaky breath. "You almost died, and you're asking if I'm okay?"

Luca smirked. "Guess that means you missed me."

A tear slipped down her cheek as she leaned in, pressing her forehead to his. "I love you, Luca."

His eyes darkened, something deep and raw flickering in them. His voice was hoarse but firm.

Dante made a dramatic gagging noise from the doorway. "Alright, that's enough. He just woke up, don't kill him with your emotions."

Luca chuckled, his grip never loosening on Elena's hand.

For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt like she could finally breathe.

Next Chapter: A New Beginning—With Adrian gone, Luca and Elena face a new challenge—what does life look like after survival?

After the Ashes