Chapter 10 The Contract Signed

The room felt suffocating, the air thick with tension as Francesca stepped into Luca's office. Her stomach twisted with unease, and her breath came shallow, matching the beat of her racing heart. She had tried to ignore it, tried to stay focused on her daily tasks, but today, the weight of Luca's world settled around her like a storm cloud she couldn't outrun. No longer could she escape it. No longer could she pretend she wasn't entangled. "Are you alright?" Luca's voice broke through her thoughts, smooth and calm.

He stood at the window, his back to her, yet somehow still aware of every shift in the room. Francesca fidgeted with the edge of his desk, biting her lip in an attempt to steady herself. She couldn't mask the tremor in her hands. "I'm not sure. I don't think I can pull this off." Luca's gaze flickered toward her, unreadable. "What do you mean?" Her chest tightened. This wasn't just about work. It wasn't about the routine anymore. "I'm not just a waitress anymore, am I? This world you live in... it's not just business. It's dangerous." The silence that followed stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Luca's expression remained impassive, but Francesca could feel the weight of his presence in the air. He had anticipated this moment. But perhaps, not so soon. His voice was quiet, but steady, laced with a kind of quiet power. "You're right," he admitted. "This is more than a job. Everything's involved. I won't lie to you about that." Francesca's hands shook. She struggled to meet his gaze, her heart pounding louder in her chest with every passing second. She saw something in his eyes that sent a chill down her spine: an intensity, a fire-familiar, dangerous. Luca was in control, but she could feel the cracks beneath the surface. "I'm not like you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I have no place here." The vulnerability that flashed across Luca's face was fleeting, gone as quickly as it had appeared. He took a step toward her, his eyes softening just for a moment. "I don't want you to be part of this world," he said quietly, but his voice lacked conviction. "But you're already in it." Francesca's mind screamed for answers, but the words escaped her. What had she gotten herself into? This wasn't just a job. This wasn't just about her role in Luca's life. She was tangled up in something dark, something bigger than she could comprehend. And now there was no turning back. Later that night, Francesca found herself standing before Luca, the distance between them growing more apparent with each word spoken. The unease she had been pushing down all day erupted now, pulling her into a confrontation she could no longer avoid. "You're acting strange," she said, crossing her arms defensively. "Why? Could you please explain why it seems like you're suddenly taking on a protective role? Luca didn't move, sitting on the leather couch with an unreadable expression, his fingers tapping the armrest. "Like what?" Francesca's eyes narrowed, frustration building in her chest. "You've been treating me like I'm some fragile thing, something to be protected. I didn't ask for that." The silence between them stretched, filled with an undercurrent of tension. Luca's gaze never left her, but he didn't answer immediately. Then, finally, he spoke, his voice low and steady. "I'm just trying to keep you safe." Although his words were sincere, they did not resonate with her. Something in his tone lacked depth, and she sensed there was more to the story. "Safe?" she repeated, her voice edged with bitterness. "I'm not some delicate thing that needs defense. Wouldn't you agree that I understand what's happening? Luca's eyes darkened, something dangerous flickering in them as he leaned forward, the air between them charged with a sudden intensity. "You don't," he said in a quiet voice, almost too quiet to hear. "And it's better if you don't ask too many questions." Her stomach churned. He was building walls between them, and she wasn't going to let him shut her out. "Luca, I want the truth," she demanded, her voice firm. "Everything." A half-smile curled at the corner of Luca's lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You won't like the truth," he said, his voice steady, but the warning in his words was clear. "Some things are better left unsaid." Francesca's chest tightened. "You're not answering me," she said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination. Luca's expression grew more intense. "Stop asking questions you don't want the answers to. It's better for you that way." But Francesca couldn't let it go. The weight of the unknown was too much to bear. The silence between them was unbearable. "What is it? Could you please let me know what information I should not be aware of? Luca didn't answer; instead, his gaze lingered on her, dark and unreadable. The tension in the air crackled like static, the space between them suddenly became too close, too charged. Finally, Luca broke the silence, his voice low, almost apologetic. "You don't know what you're asking for." The words pierced her deeply. There was something dangerous about the way he said it. She was already in too deep. The walls around Luca's world were closing in on her, and she was powerless to stop it. The following day, Luca's behavior changed again, but not in the way Francesca expected. He had always been distant and commanding, but today, there was something else-something that felt too much like control. It felt overly demanding. Francesca was cleaning the bar when she felt him behind her, his presence almost overwhelming. She didn't need to look to see if it was him. His heat radiated off him, pulling her in like gravity. "Take the night off," he said, his voice sharp but with an undercurrent of something softer. Francesca turned, a frown forming on her face. "What? I'm fine. I don't need a night off." His gaze was unwavering. "It's not a suggestion. Take the night off. I'm telling you." Her mind raced with confusion, trying to process his demand. "Why?" she asked, though she could already sense the tension building in the room, tightening the air. "Because I don't want you here when business starts," Luca replied, his voice low, the warmth from before gone. "It's safer for you to stay away." Francesca's breath became trapped in her throat. Was this about concern for her safety, or was it about control? Was he pushing her away to protect her or to hide her from something darker? Even as she tried to protest, something deep inside her made her want to listen to him, to follow his command. Her words faltered as Luca stepped closer. "You don't know what's coming," he warned, his tone hardening. His gaze darkened, and for the first time, Francesca felt the weight of the world Luca inhabited. The space between them was electric, charged with danger. The sense of control he wielded over her was growing stronger with every word. "You don't get it," Luca added, his voice lowering to a near whisper. "You can't walk away from this world. It's too late for that." Francesca's chest tightened, the truth sinking in like a stone. She had already crossed the boundary. There was no turning back. Luca's eyes softened just slightly, a flicker of regret flashing in his gaze. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the stoic mask he always wore. "It's too late now," he said, his voice tinged with finality. Francesca stood frozen, caught between the man she thought she knew and the man she was beginning to fear. Would she ever be able to escape this world, or had she already sealed her fate?