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 tension in the room was suffocating. The knock came again, this time more forceful, followed by a voice.

"Luca Romano. We know you're in there."

Vaughn exchanged a sharp glance with Julian. "Time's up," he muttered, tightening his grip on his gun.

Luca stepped forward before anyone could stop him. "Let me handle this."

Rayna grabbed his wrist. "Are you insane?"

He turned to her, eyes steady. "If I run now, I'll be running forever. That's not who I am anymore."

Vaughn cursed under his breath but didn't argue. Instead, he gestured to Julian and Rayna, motioning them to take positions in case things went south.

Luca strode to the door and pulled it open.

Outside, a team of heavily armed men stood waiting. Their leader, a man in a black tactical suit with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward. His cold eyes scanned Luca before he smirked.

"Well, well. The man of the hour."

Luca didn't flinch. "Who sent you?"

The man chuckled. "Like I'd tell you." He tilted his head. "I'll give you one chance. Come with us quietly, and maybe you'll make it out of this alive."

Luca's lips curled into a smirk of his own. "Not interested."

The air shifted. The soldiers reached for their weapons, but before they could react—

A blinding explosion erupted from the alleyway, sending a shockwave through the street.

Vaughn had thrown the first grenade.

The moment of chaos was all Luca needed. He lunged forward, landing a punch straight into the leader's jaw, sending him staggering back.

Gunfire erupted as Julian and Rayna joined the fight. Vaughn, moving like a ghost, took down two men before they even realized what had happened.

Luca grabbed one of the fallen soldiers' guns and spun, firing precise shots. He wasn't the same man who had spent his life avoiding fights. He was in it now, fully.

Rayna ducked behind a car, firing back with calculated precision. Her heart pounded, but she wasn't afraid. Not anymore.

Julian, always the strategist, had already mapped an escape route. "We can't stay here!" he yelled over the gunfire.

Luca knocked out another opponent before turning to him. "Then let's go."

With Vaughn covering them, they darted through the smoke and fire, disappearing into the shadows.

This wasn't just survival anymore.

No Turning Back