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

The dust was still settling, the air thick with the smell of smoke and gunpowder. The explosion had been a diversion. Ghost had planned every second of this.

Luca's pulse was steady, but his eyes burned with fury. This wasn't just about survival anymore. It was personal.

Sofia groaned as she pushed herself up from the floor, coughing from the debris. Blood trickled from her lip where Ghost had struck her. She was pissed.

Henry's voice crackled through the earpiece. "I lost him. Cameras are useless. He's moving too fast."

Luca wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind sharpening. No more waiting.

"Sofia, cover the exits. Henry, override the fire doors. We're boxing him in."

A faint laugh echoed from the shadows.

"Smart, DeLuca. But not smart enough."

A gunshot rang out. Luca ducked, rolling behind an overturned table. A second shot whizzed past his ear, embedding into the wall behind him.

Luca turned off his earpiece, blocking out Henry and Sofia's voices. This fight wasn't about strategy anymore. It was about instinct.

Luca moved fast, weaving through the ruins of the hotel, his gun raised.

The cold barrel of a silenced pistol pressed against the back of his head.

Luca's jaw clenched. He had underestimated Ghost's speed.

Ghost chuckled. "You really thought you could trap me?"

Luca smirked. "No. I thought you'd get close enough for this."

In one motion, Luca twisted, slamming his elbow into Ghost's ribs. The assassin staggered back, and in that split second, Luca spun, his gun aimed at Ghost's chest.

Ghost reacted instantly, swiping Luca's arm to the side as he fired. The bullet grazed Ghost's shoulder, but it didn't slow him.

Ghost fought with surgical precision, every movement controlled and deadly. Luca fought like a man with nothing to lose.

They traded blows, fists and elbows connecting with raw force. This wasn't a fight between a killer and a target.

Luca caught Ghost's wrist mid-strike, twisting it hard enough to make him drop his gun.

Luca didn't hesitate. He drove his knee into Ghost's ribs, then shoved him against a crumbling pillar.

For the first time, Ghost was breathing hard.

Luca's finger hovered over the trigger. "Who sent you?"

Ghost smirked, blood dripping from his mouth. "You already know."

The bastard had set this up from the beginning.

Ghost gasped, his body jerking back. His hand pressed against his stomach, blood seeping through his fingers.

He staggered, looking at Luca with something close to amusement. "Guess I wasn't fast enough."

Sofia and Henry found Luca standing over Ghost's body, his expression unreadable.

Sofia let out a shaky breath. "Then let's get the hell out of here."

His mind was already somewhere else.

If Raines wanted a war… he'd get one.

Next Chapter: Hunting the Puppet Master – With Ghost dead, Luca sets his sights on Raines. But the real enemy has been watching from the shadows… and he's ready for Luca.

The Final Move