Chapter 4: A Dangerous Agreement

The villa fell into an uneasy silence. Alessia sat curled up on the worn leather couch, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Her gaze flickered toward Luca, who stood with his back to her, staring out of the window. His broad shoulders were tense, his hands shoved into his pockets as if he were trying to contain the storm that brewed within him.

He hadn’t spoken much since his return, and Alessia didn’t know whether to be grateful for the reprieve or frustrated by his stony silence. She hated how he dominated every space he entered, how his presence seemed to suffocate her, yet at the same time, she felt oddly safer when he was near. It was infuriating.

“Do you always brood like this, or is it just for special occasions?” Alessia finally broke the silence, her tone sharp. She wasn’t in the mood for his cold detachment anymore. If they were stuck together, they might as well address the tension simmering between them.

Luca turned his head slightly, just enough for her to see the edge of his jawline, sharp enough to cut glass. “You think this is brooding?” he asked, his voice low and calm, but there was a dangerous undertone to it. “You’ve seen nothing yet.”

Alessia rolled her eyes, her anger bubbling to the surface. “Oh, I’ve seen plenty. You standing there like some tragic anti-hero, barking orders, making decisions for everyone around you. Do you ever stop to think that maybe—just maybe—you’re not the center of the universe?”

Luca turned fully now, his dark eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. He took a slow step toward her, then another, until he was looming over her. The faint light from the single lamp in the room cast shadows across his face, making him look even more dangerous.

“I’m the center of *your* universe right now,” he said, his voice a quiet threat. “Because if I weren’t here, you’d already be dead. So maybe show a little gratitude before you open that mouth of yours again.”

Alessia’s pulse quickened, but she refused to back down. “Gratitude? For what? For dragging me into this nightmare? For treating me like some pawn in your little power games? Newsflash, Luca—I didn’t ask for any of this.”

“And yet here you are,” Luca shot back, his voice rising slightly. “Alive. Breathing. Because of me. So forgive me if I don’t feel like apologizing for keeping you alive.”

Their faces were inches apart now, the air between them charged with a tension that was impossible to ignore. Alessia’s chest rose and fell rapidly as she glared up at him, her anger warring with the strange, unwelcome pull she felt toward him.

“Alive doesn’t mean free,” she said through gritted teeth. “You’re just another cage, Luca. Just another man telling me what to do, where to go, how to live.”

Luca’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, Alessia thought she saw something flicker in his eyes—guilt, maybe? Regret? But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the same cold, unyielding mask he always wore.

“This isn’t about freedom,” he said quietly. “This is about survival. And if you’re smart, you’ll stop fighting me and start listening.”

Alessia’s fists clenched at her sides. She hated the way he talked to her, hated the way he made her feel small and powerless. But what she hated most was the way her body betrayed her, the way her heart raced whenever he was near, the way her skin prickled under his gaze.

“I’m not your puppet,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I don’t care what world you come from or what rules you live by. I won’t be controlled by you.”

Luca leaned in closer, his face so close to hers now that she could feel the heat of his breath against her skin. His dark eyes burned with something dangerous, something that sent a shiver down her spine.

“Then you’d better grow up fast,” he said, his voice a low growl. “Because in this world, the only people who aren’t controlled are the ones who are six feet under.”

Alessia’s breath hitched, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it. For a moment, she thought he might say more, might do something, but instead, he pulled back and turned away, leaving her sitting there, trembling and furious.

---

The tension lingered in the air long after Luca had retreated to the other side of the room. Alessia sat on the couch, her mind spinning. She hated herself for letting him get under her skin, for letting him intimidate her, but most of all, she hated the way he made her feel—like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, one wrong step away from falling into something she couldn’t control.

She needed air. Without saying a word, Alessia stood and made her way toward the door. She didn’t know where she was going—she just needed to get away from him, from his suffocating presence and his infuriating arrogance.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Luca’s voice stopped her in her tracks. She turned to find him watching her, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable.

“Out,” Alessia said defiantly. “I need some space.”

“You’re not leaving,” Luca said flatly.

Alessia’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he said, his tone calm but firm. “It’s not safe.”

Alessia let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, I see. So now you’re not only my babysitter but also my prison warden. Great.”

Luca didn’t respond, his gaze steady and unyielding. Alessia felt her frustration boil over. She was done being told what to do, done feeling like a prisoner in her own life.

“Move,” she said, her voice shaking with anger. “I’m not a child, Luca. You don’t get to order me around.”

Luca stepped closer, his expression darkening. “You’re not leaving this villa, Alessia. Not tonight. Not until I’m sure it’s safe.”

“And who made you the boss of me?” Alessia shot back, her voice rising. “Just because you’re my stepbrother doesn’t mean you get to control me!”

Luca’s eyes flashed with something dangerous, and before Alessia could react, he closed the distance between them in two quick strides. His hand shot out, gripping her wrist firmly but not painfully. The sudden contact sent a jolt of electricity through her, and she froze, her breath catching in her throat.

“You don’t get it, do you?” Luca said, his voice low and intense. “This isn’t about control. This is about keeping you alive. Do you have any idea what they’ll do to you if they get their hands on you? Do you?”

Alessia stared up at him, her heart pounding. She wanted to pull away, to scream at him, but she couldn’t. The intensity in his eyes held her captive, and for the first time, she saw the cracks in his armor—the fear, the anger, the guilt that he tried so hard to hide.

“I didn’t ask for this,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I didn’t ask to be part of your world.”

“I know,” Luca said quietly, his grip on her wrist loosening. “But you are. And whether you like it or not, that means I’m the only thing standing between you and them.”

For a moment, the room was silent, the tension between them almost unbearable. Alessia’s gaze flickered to Luca’s lips, and she hated herself for the way her heart fluttered at the thought of what it would feel like to kiss him. She quickly looked away, her cheeks burning.

Luca let go of her wrist and stepped back, his expression shuttering once again. “Get some rest,” he said gruffly. “We’ll talk more in the morning.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Alessia standing there, her emotions a chaotic mess.