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 didn't have time to think. Another shot rang out, splintering the crate inches from his head. Move. Now.

He launched himself behind a rusted shipping container, adrenaline surging through his veins. Dante lay motionless a few feet away, blood pooling beneath him.

Luca clenched his jaw. There was no time to mourn. He'd deal with Dante later—if he even had the chance.

The docks were a death trap. Wide-open spaces. Few exits. Whoever was out there had him cornered. He had to find cover and figure out who the hell was pulling the trigger.

He peeked out from behind the container. Silence.

Then—a flicker of movement. A figure on the rooftop of an old warehouse. The sniper.

Luca inhaled sharply. One sniper meant there was backup. Valerio never worked alone.

Tick-tock, Luca. Make it interesting for me.

Rage boiled inside him. Valerio was playing with him. Toying with him like a predator before the kill.

Luca darted toward a stack of crates, staying low. Another shot rang out, barely missing him. He slid behind cover, breathing hard. Think, dammit. He had no gun, no backup. Just his instincts.

His mind worked fast. The sniper had the high ground. That meant Luca had to either flee or get up there and take them out.

He checked his surroundings. A ladder bolted to the side of the warehouse. His best chance.

Run fast. Climb faster. Kill first.

Gunfire erupted behind him. Wood shattered, metal clanged, but he didn't stop. He grabbed the ladder, hauling himself up just as another shot whizzed past his ribs.

He reached the roof and rolled onto the cold metal. The sniper was reloading.

The sniper barely had time to react before Luca slammed into him, knocking the rifle away. They tumbled, fists flying. The sniper was trained—quick, brutal. But Luca fought like a man with nothing left to lose.

A punch to the ribs. A knee to the jaw. The sniper staggered.

Luca grabbed the rifle, flipped it, and pressed the muzzle against the man's temple.

"Who sent you?" His voice was ice.

Luca's finger twitched on the trigger. He wanted to pull it. Wanted to end this.

Luca's heart pounded. He was outnumbered. Again.

The Price of Survival