Chapter 1 The Chase

The night was dark, oppressive even.

Alessia's breath came in ragged gasps as she tore through the empty streets, her legs threatening to give way beneath her.

Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the sweat that plastered her hair to her skin.

Her entire body trembled, but she couldn't stop-not now. She had escaped her captors, but they were on her heels.

The distant sound of heavy footsteps thundered against the pavement behind her.

Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest, fear gripping every fiber of her being.

"Get her!" one of the men yelled, his voice cutting through the silence of the night.

Alessia choked back a sob, her swollen lips trembling.

She stumbled but caught herself before hitting the ground.

Her bare feet stung from the rough terrain, and every movement sent sharp pains through her bruised and battered body.

"Please..." she whispered to no one in particular. Her voice was hoarse, barely audible.

"Just let me get away..."

She tripped again, this time hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through her knee, and when she stood, her limp was more pronounced.

Blood trickled down her shin, staining the ripped fabric of her pants.

She turned her head, and the sight of the men closing in sent a new wave of terror through her.

"I won't go back," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

Her hands shook as she pushed herself forward. The street was eerily quiet, no sign of life around.

Just darkness, and the sound of her pursuers closing the distance.

Her escape had been sheer luck.

The men guarding her had been distracted, arguing over something trivial, and she had seized the moment to run.

Now, though, it felt like her luck was running out.

Alessia's lungs burned as she forced herself to keep going.

Ahead, a faint light appeared in the distance-a flicker of hope in the overwhelming darkness.

Her legs screamed in protest, but she pushed on, the light drawing her in.

The light grew brighter, blinding as she stepped into its full glare.

She raised her hands instinctively, shielding her face, but the exhaustion was too much.

Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the cold pavement.

The light was from a car. Its engine hummed as it came to an abrupt stop, just a few feet from where Alessia lay.

Inside the car, Enzo Vittorio's sharp, piercing eyes widened in horror.

His jaw clenched as he stared at the crumpled figure on the ground.

"Matteo, stop the car!" Enzo barked, his deep, gravelly voice laced with urgency.

"It's already stopped, sir," Matteo, the driver, replied, his hands still gripping the steering wheel.

"But what was she thinking, running out like that?"

Enzo glared at him.

"How the hell am I supposed to know? Get out and check on her."

Matteo hesitated, but a single look from Enzo had him unbuckling his seatbelt and stepping out of the car.

Alessia lay motionless, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath.

Matteo approached her cautiously, his footsteps echoing in the stillness.

"Miss? Are you okay?" Matteo crouched down, his voice softer now.

Before Alessia could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention.

Three men emerged from the shadows, their expressions predatory as they closed in.

"She's ours," one of the men growled, his eyes narrowing at Matteo. "Back off."

Matteo straightened, his eyes narrowing. "Is that so?"

Enzo, still seated in the car, watched the exchange through the tinted window.

His brow furrowed as he took in the scene.

The men's aggressive postures and Alessia's battered appearance told him everything he needed to know.

"Sir..." Matteo's voice was tense as he glanced back at the car.

Enzo pushed the door open and stepped out, his imposing frame casting a long shadow under the streetlights.

His tailored suit stretched over his broad shoulders, and a faint scar ran from the side of his neck down to his shoulder, adding to his already intimidating presence.

"Is there a problem here?" Enzo's voice was calm but carried a dangerous edge.

The men faltered for a moment, their confidence wavering under Enzo's steely gaze.

"This doesn't concern you," one of them said, though his voice lacked the bravado of before.

"She owes us. We're just here to collect."

Enzo's lips curled into a cold smile.

"She owes you?" He stepped closer, his eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Funny. From where I'm standing, it looks like you've already taken enough from her."

"Look, buddy-"

"You want her?" Enzo cut him off, his tone sharp. "Then you'll have to go through me."

The men exchanged uneasy glances before one of them lunged forward, a knife glinting in his hand.

Enzo sidestepped the attack with ease, his movements fluid and precise.

He grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it sharply until the knife clattered to the ground.

A sickening crack followed as Enzo dislocated the man's shoulder, and the thug screamed in pain.

Matteo moved quickly, intercepting another attacker with a well-placed punch to the gut.

The man doubled over, gasping for air, but Matteo didn't relent.

He grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against the side of the car.

The third man hesitated, clearly rethinking his choices. Enzo noticed the hesitation and smirked.

"You're welcome to join them," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

The man growled and charged, but Enzo met him head-on.

A single punch to the jaw sent him sprawling to the ground.

Within minutes, the fight was over.

The thugs, battered and defeated, scrambled to their feet and disappeared into the darkness.

Enzo adjusted his suit, brushing off invisible dust as he turned his attention back to Alessia.

She hadn't moved, her body still trembling as she lay on the ground.

"Matteo," Enzo said, his tone firm. "Get her into the car."

Matteo hesitated. "Sir, are you sure-"

"Just do it," Enzo snapped. His gaze softened as it fell on Alessia.

She looked so fragile, so broken.

Whatever her story was, he couldn't leave her here.

Matteo nodded, carefully lifting Alessia into his arms and placing her in the back seat of the car.

Enzo climbed in after her, his sharp eyes scanning her face as the car sped off into the night.

He didn't say a word, but different thoughts ran through his mind.

"Who was she? And what had she gotten herself into?"