Chapter 4 Lines Crossed

The door handle twisted with an unsettling slowness, the metallic click reverberating through the tiny storage room like a gunshot. Lily's grip on Luca's arm tightened reflexively, her breath caught in her throat as her heart hammered against her chest. She could feel him tense beneath her touch, his body coiled like a predator ready to strike.

Luca raised a single finger to his lips, his dark eyes locking onto hers with a silent command: *Don't make a sound.*

The door creaked open just an inch, the shadows of boots visible through the sliver of light spilling into the room. "She couldn't have gone far," a gruff voice said from the hallway. Lily recognized it as belonging to one of the Castellano enforcers, his tone clipped and impatient.

"Check every door. Mr. Castellano wants her found."

Her stomach dropped at the mention of Luca's name. Did they know he was here too, or were they simply acting on his earlier orders? The ambiguity only served to deepen her unease.

The enforcer's shadow grew larger, his footsteps inching closer. The tension was suffocating, the silence so profound that even Lily's shallow breathing felt deafening. Just as she thought the door was about to be flung open, Luca moved.

With cat-like precision, he closed the gap between himself and the door, his hand gripping the edge of it just as it began to swing wider. "She's not in here," he said sharply, his voice firm and commanding.

The enforcer hesitated. "Sir?"

"I said, she's not in here," Luca repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument. He pushed the door shut, his movements calm but deliberate. "Keep looking."

There was a pause, and Lily held her breath, every muscle in her body rigid as she waited for the enforcer's response. Finally, the sound of retreating footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing fainter with each passing second. When silence returned, Lily exhaled shakily, the adrenaline coursing through her veins making her head spin.

Luca turned back to her, his expression unreadable. He didn't say anything at first, his dark eyes scanning her face as though searching for something she wasn't sure she could give him. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and steady, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "You're going to tell me the truth now," he said. "No more games."

Lily straightened, her grip on her clutch bag tightening as she met his gaze. "You don't give orders to me," she said, her voice trembling despite her attempt to sound defiant.

Luca's lips twitched, though it wasn't quite a smile. "Oh, I think I do," he said, his tone laced with dark amusement. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming as he loomed over her. "You're in my house, at my party, sneaking around where you shouldn't be. That gives me every right to demand answers."

Lily's heart raced, her mind scrambling for an escape route physically or verbally. But the heat in Luca's gaze, the way his intensity seemed to wrap around her like a tangible force, made it impossible to think clearly. He wasn't just dangerous-he was magnetic, and that terrified her more than anything else.

"I'm a journalist," she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Luca's expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes amusement, perhaps, or maybe curiosity. "A journalist," he repeated, his voice flat. "And what exactly were you hoping to find here, *Ms. Journalist*?"

Lily hesitated, her pulse pounding as she debated how much to reveal. She could lie, but he was too sharp, too perceptive. He'd see right through her. But telling the truth meant exposing herself completely, and that was a risk she wasn't sure she could take.

"I'm investigating your family," she admitted finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "The murders, the corruption I know you're behind it."

The silence that followed was deafening. Luca's expression remained neutral, but the air around them seemed to grow colder, heavier. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that sent a chill down her spine. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think I do," Lily said, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "I've seen the evidence. I know about the deals, the cover-ups. I know you're involved."

Luca's jaw tightened, and for a moment, she thought he might actually lash out. But instead, he took a step back, his gaze never leaving hers. "You're playing a dangerous game," he said quietly, his tone almost regretful. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into."

"I know enough," Lily shot back, though her voice wavered slightly. "Enough to bring your family down."

Luca's lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. "Is that so?" he said. "And what exactly were you planning to do with this... evidence of yours?"

Lily hesitated, her fingers tightening around her clutch bag. She didn't answer, but the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes must have given her away. Luca's gaze dropped to the bag, and his smile widened ever so slightly.

"Let me guess," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You were going to plant something in one of our offices. A flash drive, maybe? Something incriminating?"

Lily's chest tightened, panic surging through her as she realized how close he was to the truth. She took a step back, but Luca closed the distance effortlessly, his hand darting out to grab her wrist before she could pull away. His grip was firm but not painful, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through her.

"Let go of me," she demanded, though her voice lacked the force she intended.

"Not until you tell me the truth," Luca said evenly. His dark eyes bored into hers, and she felt as though he could see every secret she was trying to hide. "Who sent you?"

"No one sent me," Lily said, her voice trembling. "I'm here on my own."

Luca's grip on her wrist tightened slightly, and his gaze darkened. "You expect me to believe that?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "That you just happened to walk into the lion's den with no backup, no plan?"

"It's the truth," Lily said, her voice steadier now. "Believe it or not, some of us care about exposing the truth."

The corner of Luca's mouth twitched, though it wasn't quite a smile. "And you thought you'd expose the truth by sneaking around my house?"

"I didn't have a choice," Lily said, her chest heaving as she tried to steady her breathing. "No one else is willing to stand up to you."

Luca's gaze softened ever so slightly, though his grip on her wrist remained firm. For a moment, the intensity in his eyes gave way to something else something she couldn't quite place. "You're brave," he said quietly. "I'll give you that."

"Bravery has nothing to do with it," Lily said, her voice trembling. "This is about justice."

Luca's lips curved into a faint, almost sad smile. "Justice," he repeated, as though the word itself were foreign to him. He released her wrist, stepping back but never breaking eye contact. "You have no idea what you're up against."

"Then show me," Lily said, surprising even herself with the boldness of her words. "If you're so certain I don't understand, then prove it."

Luca studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "You want the truth?" he said softly. "Fine. I'll show you."

Before Lily could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway again, and Luca's expression darkened. "We need to move," he said, his voice low but urgent.

Lily hesitated, her pulse racing as she debated whether to follow him. But something in his eyes the sincerity, the conviction-made her decision for her. With a deep breath, she nodded, and together, they slipped out of the storage room and into the shadows.