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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 SUV tore down the empty road, the roar of the engine drowning out Evelyn's rapid heartbeat. Luca lay motionless in the backseat, his breathing shallow. Every second that passed, his skin grew colder.

"No, no, no," she muttered, glancing at him through the mirror. Her fingers gripped the wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Dante cursed under his breath. "He's not gonna make it like this."

"We're almost there," Evelyn shot back. She wasn't sure if she was saying it for him or for herself.

The safe house was only fifteen minutes away. But what if he didn't have fifteen minutes?

What if she lost him before they even got there?

His eyes barely fluttered open. His lips parted. A whisper. So faint she almost didn't hear it.

Tears burned behind her eyes. The sound of her name—so weak, so fragile—almost broke her.

"I'm here," she said, voice shaking. "I'm right here."

Luca swallowed painfully. Blood stained his lips. "Don't cry."

A choked laugh slipped from her lips. He was dying, and he was still trying to take care of her.

Dante twisted in his seat. "Evelyn, I swear to God, if you don't drive faster—"

She slammed her foot down on the gas.

The trees blurred past them, the world outside a streak of shadows and headlights.

The safe house was a rundown cabin tucked away in the woods, hidden from prying eyes. The second Evelyn pulled up, she threw the car into park and flung the door open.

Dante was already dragging Luca out of the backseat. His shirt was soaked through with blood.

Evelyn pushed open the door and ran to the small medical setup Henry had stashed there for emergencies. There wasn't much—but there was enough.

Dante laid Luca on the table. His eyes had shut again. His breathing was ragged.

Panic clawed at her throat. She couldn't lose him. She wouldn't.

Her hands shook as she grabbed gauze, scissors, anything she could find.

He was already there, pressing down on the wound. Blood seeped through his fingers.

She pressed her hands to his chest.

Dante's face paled. "Evelyn, do something!"

She tilted his head back, pressed her lips to his, and breathed.

Her chest tightened. She slammed her fists against his chest. "Don't you dare leave me!"

Dante cursed under his breath, reaching for the defibrillator Henry had left behind. "Clear!"

A jolt. Luca's body arched off the table.

Evelyn sobbed, gripping his face. "You idiot," she whispered. "You scared the hell out of me."

A weak smirk played at his lips. "Still here, sweetheart."

For the first time that night, she let herself breathe.

Next Chapter: A Love Written in Blood

A Heartbeat Away from Forever