She had reached for him, wanting to understand the parts of him he kept hidden, but Luca had pulled away.It wasn’t just distance; it was rejection.And that rejection made one thing painfully clear—his views on marriage and relationships only went so far.He wanted her body, maybe even her loyalty, but not her questions.Not her heart or her understanding.
Ava wanted all of him, every rough edge, every scar, every secret.She wanted trust.She wanted to believe in something lasting, something real.But how could she build that with a man who could shut her out so completely?
The elevator descended, its mirrored walls closing in around her, reflecting back her own strained expression.She held her tears at bay, conscious of the ever-present security cameras.But the moment the doors slid open and she stepped into the cool night air, the facade cracked.By the time she reached her car, the first tear escaped, hot and bitter, quickly followed by another.
She slipped into the back seat of the SUV and slammed the door, her breathing uneven.“You’re an idiot for falling for Luca,” she whispered to herself, the words jagged with hurt.The engine purred to life, but even the steady hum couldn’t drown out the heaviness in her heart.“Please take me home,” she said to the driver, praying that the man and the guard in the front seat wouldn’t tell Luca about her tears.
Her phone buzzed in her purse, vibrating insistently, but she didn’t look at it.She knew who it was.She couldn’t face him.Not now.Not when everything inside her felt raw and broken.
She pressed a hand to her mouth as the SUV pulled out of the parking lot, ignoring the way her phone lit up again and again.The ache in her chest grew heavier with every passing block, the realization cutting deeper with each mile.Tonight had shattered something fragile between them.She had expected more from Luca—wanted more.But what had she truly been expecting from a man who couldn’t even share the simplest part of himself?
Chapter 16
RikoTanakawatchedfromthe shadows as Ava emerged from Luca’s penthouse, her steps deliberate and heavy with emotion.He had been waiting for this moment, watching her every move.There was something intoxicating about seeing her leave Luca’s fortress-like home, the one place that Riko had never managed to penetrate.
He felt his pulse quicken, but not for the usual reasons.He could see the bodyguards surrounding her—tall, intimidating men who moved like shadows, constantly scanning the surroundings.Ava had no chance of getting away from Bernardi, not with all of those men surrounding her.
Riko clenched his fists, irritation bubbling under the surface.He had planned for this moment, but he couldn’t even get close.There was no opening, no gap to slip through.Ava moved like she was untouchable, her every movement guarded by Luca’s men.He followed her car at a discreet distance, seething as he drove, but it was useless.
She was going home.
He sighed heavily.There was no way to make a move now.He needed time.But time was something he didn’t have.His boss wasn’t going to wait forever.If Riko didn’t show progress soon, if he didn’t have something to show for his efforts and the expenses incurred already, someone would lose fingers—maybe even toes.Maybe more.
His mind spun with the consequences.What was he even doing?Playing cat and mouse with a woman who had no idea how important she was to this game.She was a pawn, a piece of the puzzle that was just one step closer to unraveling the whole mess.And if he didn’t act soon, his career, his life, and his future would be over.His boss wasn’t the type to accept delays and Riko knew what had happened to the guy who had failed to wrestle port control away from Max Diatras.The man was now short several fingers and both of his big toes.People’s limbs were in jeopardy in the Yakuza organization when they failed.
Riko cursed under his breath and punched the steering wheel.He would not fail!He couldn’t!
With a last glance at the woman’s small house, Riko pulled away.For over an hour, he drove around the city.At first, he wasn’t sure what he was doing, but eventually he ended up at one of the construction sites that Bernardi owned.
Looking out at the site, a new plan began to take shape.One that might work even better!
This site was a bit further from the city, tucked in an area that wasn’t as heavily watched.It was quiet here, and that’s what he needed—the stillness, the solitude.
As he walked the perimeter of the construction site, he took mental notes.The area was dimly lit by the overhead floodlights.It wasn’t the best lighting, but it wasn’t the worst either.Perfect for what he had in mind.The shadows would provide cover, and there were gaps, blind spots.It would be easier to slip in undetected if he played his cards right.
He kept walking, keeping an eye out for street access points, security cameras, neighborhood windows where someone might notice illicit nighttime activities.There was a narrow gravel road on the north side that could be useful, a way to get in and out without drawing attention.The main entrance was guarded by a few workers—more than usual, probably because of the expensive equipment on-site—but nothing Riko couldn’t handle.
He made his way around the other side of the site, assessing the street access.There was a low fence around most of the perimeter, but it wasn’t a significant deterrent, probably just there to stop casual trespassers.With the right tools, it wouldn’t be difficult to scale.
His thoughts raced with calculations, focusing on angles and hiding points.There were places here, hidden in plain sight, where he could play out the final scene in this play.The surrounding area was a bit dilapidated, but that only made it more vulnerable.It was a place where something could happen and not immediately be noticed.
He stepped back, standing tall and looking over the site, assessing the materials, the structure, the braces, and the building’s angles.His gaze swept across the foundation, checking for weaknesses.Luca might be powerful, but Riko knew even the strongest buildings had weak points.
Everything would be fine.He just needed to be patient.He had a plan now.The clock was ticking, but he had time.
For now.
Chapter 17
Lucawasseethingwithfrustration, his anger a roiling storm inside him.He had just gotten her back, just gotten to the point where they could have shared something real, and she’d walked out.Why the hell had she walked out?
His fists clenched as he paced in his penthouse.He was ready to paddle her adorable butt, to force her to face what they both felt, but damn it, she had just vanished.
Initially, Luca had thought she was heading to the bathroom.They hadn’t used protection, so she presumably needed to clean herself up, right?He felt a pang of guilt—she was on birth control, but still, he should’ve used protection.What was wrong with him?
Then after five minutes and she hadn’t returned, Luca’s irritation morphed into full-blown panic.He began searching the bathrooms, one after another.Each door he opened only fed his confusion—she wasn’t there.Where the hell was she?He stalked out of the bathroom and asked his guards.Finally, one of them admitted, his eyes downcast, that he’d unlocked the elevators for her and she’d left.
Luca’s rage flared.He nearly knocked the man out on the spot.But he knew that it wasn’t the guard’s fault—he had done as he was told.But still, Ava was gone.
