Chapter 4 The Enemy At The Gate

The air in the mansion was electric, charged with tension as Moretti and his men stood at the gates. Elena's eyes flickered between Luca and the intruders, her heart racing. She didn't know who these people were or why they were here, but the cold intensity in Luca's expression was enough to tell her this wasn't a friendly visit.

Moretti leaned casually against the hood of one of the SUVs, but the relaxed posture didn't fool Elena. His presence radiated danger.

"Luca," Moretti called out with a smirk, his voice smooth but laced with menace. "You've been busy."

Luca's shoulders stiffened, though his tone remained calm. "You're trespassing, Moretti. State your business or get off my property."

Moretti chuckled, a dark and humorless sound. "No need to get hostile. I'm just here to talk. Let's call it... a friendly warning."

Luca's jaw tightened, but he didn't move from where he stood, his body a wall between Elena and the intruders.

"You've got three minutes," Luca said flatly.

Moretti's gaze drifted past Luca, landing on Elena. His smirk widened. "Ah, and who's this? Quite the find, Luca. I didn't know you were taking in strays."

Elena bristled at his words, but before she could say anything, Luca's voice cut through the air like a blade.

"Keep her out of this," Luca warned, his tone ice-cold.

Moretti raised his hands in mock surrender. "Touchy, touchy. I'm just curious. Seems like an odd time for you to be distracted with... personal matters."

Luca took a deliberate step forward, his presence radiating menace. "If you have a point, make it."

Moretti's smirk faded, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. "Word on the street is you've been losing control. Your alliances are shaky, your men are restless, and your enemies... well, let's just say they smell blood."

"I don't answer to you," Luca said, his voice dangerously low.

"No," Moretti agreed, "but you might want to start watching your back. A storm is coming, DeLorenzo, and when it hits, even your fortress won't be enough to protect you."

The words hung in the air, a veiled threat that sent chills down Elena's spine.

Luca's lips curled into a cold smile. "Thanks for the warning. Now get out before I show you how secure my fortress really is."

Moretti held Luca's gaze for a long moment, the tension between them crackling like a live wire. Then, with a shrug, he turned to his men.

"Let's go," he said casually, climbing back into his SUV.

The convoy pulled away, the sound of tires crunching on gravel fading into the distance.

---

Luca turned to Elena, his expression unreadable. "Go back inside."

"What the hell was that about?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

"Now, Elena," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"No," she snapped, surprising even herself with the force of her defiance. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

Luca's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, she thought he might explode. But instead, he let out a frustrated sigh, raking a hand through his dark hair.

"Fine," he said, his voice tight. "You want answers? Here's the short version: Moretti is the head of a rival family. He's been looking for an excuse to move against me for years. That little visit was his way of trying to rattle me."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"It doesn't," Luca said firmly. "Which is why you're going inside."

Elena crossed her arms, refusing to budge. "If it doesn't have anything to do with me, then why was he so interested in who I am?"

Luca's expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "Because people like Moretti will use anything they can to get leverage. And right now, you're a potential weakness."

Her heart sank at his words, but she refused to show it. "I'm not your weakness."

"No," he said, his voice soft but laced with steel. "But that won't stop him from trying to make you one. Which is why you need to stay out of sight and out of trouble."

Elena opened her mouth to argue, but Luca cut her off.

"This isn't a game, Elena," he said, stepping closer. "If Moretti-or anyone else-thinks they can use you to get to me, they won't hesitate to hurt you. Is that what you want?"

"No," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Then do as I say," Luca said, his tone softening slightly. "Stay inside. Stay safe."

Elena hated the way his words made her feel-trapped, powerless, and somehow... protected. She didn't want his protection, didn't want to be another pawn in his twisted world. But the fear in his eyes was real, and it scared her more than she cared to admit.

---

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Elena stayed in her room, her mind racing with everything that had happened. She couldn't shake the image of Moretti's smirk, the way his eyes had lingered on her like a predator sizing up its prey.

Luca's warning echoed in her mind, but so did her own defiance. She couldn't stay locked away forever, waiting for someone else to decide her fate.

When night fell, she made her decision.

---

Elena waited until the mansion was quiet, the hum of activity giving way to silence. She slipped on a pair of sneakers she'd found in the closet-simple, practical, and perfect for what she had planned.

The window opened easily, and she climbed out onto the ledge, her heart pounding in her chest. The drop to the ground wasn't far, but the thought of what might happen if she was caught sent a shiver down her spine.

You can do this, she told herself. You have to.

She lowered herself carefully, her hands gripping the edge of the windowsill. Her feet found purchase on the trellis below, and she began to climb down, the cool night air biting at her skin.

When she reached the ground, she crouched behind a hedge, scanning the area for guards. She'd watched their patrols earlier, noting the gaps in their movements. If she timed it right, she could slip through unnoticed.

Her heart raced as she darted from one shadow to the next, her breath coming in shallow gasps. The main gate was heavily guarded, but she'd spotted a side exit earlier-a smaller, less conspicuous gate that seemed to be used for deliveries.

As she approached, she froze, her stomach dropping. A guard stood near the gate, his back to her but close enough to notice if she made a sound.

Elena's mind raced, searching for a distraction. She picked up a small rock and hurled it into the bushes nearby. The rustling sound made the guard turn, his hand moving to the weapon at his side.

Now or never.

Elena darted toward the gate, her hands trembling as she fumbled with the latch. It clicked open, and she slipped through, her pulse pounding in her ears.

The cool night air enveloped her as she ran, the mansion fading into the distance behind her. She didn't know where she was going or what she would do, but one thing was certain: she was free.

For now.

---

Back in the mansion, Luca stood by the window of his study, his gaze fixed on the moonlit garden. His phone buzzed on the desk behind him, but he ignored it, his thoughts elsewhere.

"Boss," a voice called from the doorway.

Luca turned, his expression unreadable.

"She's gone," the guard said, his tone hesitant.

Luca's jaw tightened, a flash of something dark crossing his face. He turned back to the window, his hands clenching into fists.

"She thinks she can run," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous.

The guard shifted uncomfortably. "Do you want us to bring her back?"

Luca's lips curved into a cold smile. "No. Let her run. She'll learn soon enough."

His gaze hardened, the glint in his eyes a mixture of fury and something darker.

"She's mine," he said softly, the words carrying the weight of an unspoken promise. "And no one escapes me."

To be continued...