Sophie's POV
The night didn't leave me. Even after I got home, even after I sank into my couch and tried to convince myself that everything was fine it lingered. The tension. The gunshots. The way Luca had moved, sharp and alert, like he was born into chaos.
And Mitchel, calm, untouchable. Like none of it could reach him. I told myself I should be afraid of that. But I wasn't.
That was the part that scared me, his voice, his presence, the way he looked at me like he already understood something about me I hadn't figured out myself. And then there was Luca, something about him felt… off. Not just the night but the way he looked at Mitchell. The way his jaw tightened when Mitchell got close to me. The way his silence felt louder than everyone else in the room.
Luca. Leaning against the bar like he belonged to the shadows more than the light. His eyes found mine immediately. And my chest tightened. There was no surprise in his expression. Just… expectation. Like he'd been waiting for me. "Luca," I said, walking toward him, my voice steadier than I felt. "We need to talk."
His gaze didn't leave mine. Not for a second. "I know," he replied. A chill ran through me. "You know?" He pushed himself off the bar slowly, his movements controlled, deliberate. "I know everything that's going on," he said. Something in the way he said it made my stomach twist. "That doesn't make any sense," I said. "You've been acting strangly. And "I, You shouldn't be suspicious." The words cut me off. I blinked. "Excuse me?" "You heard me." There was no anger in his voice. That made it worse. "Luca, I'm not here to argue with you. I just want to understand" "You won't..." He muttered, His eyes darkened slightly, like he was holding something back. "Because you're already too far in."
My heart skipped.
"Too far into what?" He stepped closer. And for a second, I forgot how to breathe. "This," he said quietly. "Him." My chest tightened at the way he said it. Mitchell. "You don't even know him," Luca continued. "Not really." "But you do?" I shot back. The moment the words left my mouth, something shifted. His jaw tightened, his eyes flickered. And just like that I knew I'd hit something real.
"Yes," he said.
Not defensive, not hesitant. Certainly. "I do." Silence stretched between us, heavy and uncomfortable. I swallowed. "Then what is this really about?" He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he studied me. Like he was trying to decide something. Then, quietly, "I was there before all of this."
My brows furrowed. "Before what?"
"Before the money. Before the power." His voice lowered. "Before you." The words landed heavier than I expected. "I'm not trying to replace anyone," I said, softer now. "That's not how this works." His tone sharpened just slightly. "You don't walk into his life and just… exist. Everything shifts." I shook my head, confusion mixing with something else I didn't want to name. "Why do you care so much?" That question hung in the air between us. And for the first time,
Luca hesitated.
It was brief and almost unnoticeable but I saw it. And in that moment, the pieces started to fall together in a way that made my chest feel tight. Because the look in his eyes. It wasn't just anger. It wasn't just loyalty. It was something deeper. Something raw, something personal. "You're a distraction," he said finally, his voice colder now. But it didn't match what I had just seen. Not even close. I took a slow step closer, my voice quieter. "That's not the real reason." His eyes snapped back to mine.
Sharp and warning.
"Don't do that." "Do what?" I asked, even though I knew. "Try to understand something you're not ready for." But it was too late. Because I already did. Not everything. But enough. "You're not just protecting him," I said softly.
Silence. Heavy and dangerous.
"You're protecting something else." His jaw clenched. And there it was again that crack in his composure. "You should go, Sophie." He didn't deny it. That was all the confirmation I needed. My heart started to race, not from fear this time but from realization. "Does he know?" I asked.
That I love him.
Luca's entire expression hardened instantly. "Leave." One word. But as I stood there, looking at him, I understood something I hadn't before. This wasn't just about me and Mitchell. This wasn't just about danger or power or the world I had stepped into. This was about Luca.
About what he felt, about what he refused to say, and suddenly, everything made sense in the most unsettling way. Because of the tension I felt last night. The looks, the silence. The way Luca reacted It wasn't just rivalry, it wasn't just loyalty, It was jealousy.
Not the kind you could laugh off. Not the kind that fades. The kind that destroys things. Slowly, carefully, from the inside out. And as I turned to leave, one thought echoed in my mind I hadn't just walked into Mitchell's world. I had stepped into something much more dangerous. A love that was never meant to include me.
Lying back on the couch, I discovered it was just a dream, I stared at the wall clock and it was already morning, I jumped out of the bed and headed towards the bathroom, where I was able to save my head thought, all through the night with a cool water and soap
massage over my head.