Chapter 2 Messier

Evelyn still has a headache as she slowly regains consciousness. Every breath felt like she was pulling glass through her chest, and the sharp bite of smoke stuck to her nose and lungs. She was not sure where she was because her ears were still ringing from the explosion sound.

With gunshots, shouting, and flames licking the warehouse walls, everything was a blur, and darkness followed.

She opened her eyes against her will. Overhead, there were bright lights, the hospital's sterile odor, and a rigid sheet covering her. A sharp pain in her side protested as her body attempted to sit up.

"Easy," A deep, serene, yet weary voice said.

She turned to see Luca Romano sitting next to the bed. His face was never smiling, but his eyes were red-rimmed, and his shirt was stained with blood.

"You're awake." He said,

Wetting her dry throat, Evelyn swallowed. "What-what happened?"

"You fainted after the blast. We hardly made it out."

"Matteo?" Her voice cracked as she asked.

Luca took a moment to respond. His mouth clenched, and his gaze averted.

"No," she said in a whisper.

She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. Matteo didn't survive it. She felt bad. He died because he wanted to save her. She hated being powerless and detested the thought of owing anyone anything. Because of Luca, she was alive and in a hospital bed right now.

"What made you save me?" She asked without turning to face him.

"I'm not sure." Luca remained motionless.

Luca knew her already. She was the niece Dmitri talked about. The one he must marry. Now, it's no longer because of the deals alone.

Evelyn finally shifted and winced. "Now what?" she inquired.

With a slow exhale, Luca reclined in the chair. "Now? We handle the consequences. Tonight, both families lost loved ones. There is a breach of trust. There has been bloodshed.

"And?"

He looked at her quickly, his eyes narrowing a little. "You get better. So we can proceed. That's all."

"With what?" She bit her lip to keep the pain in her chest from getting worse. "With the deals or what?"

A nurse peeked in through the creaky door. "Miss Stone, we'll need to do some more tests."

Luca got up. "I'll be back," he said and didn't look back at her as he went out of the room.

Evelyn watched him leave the room, her heart full of anger and fear.

One thing was sure, though: whatever deal had caused this chaos was far from over.

After the blood test, Evelyn was moved into another private room. It looks more like a fancy room than a hospital ward. The nurses kept mute when Evelyn asked why she was being transferred. She figured someone had instructed it. Luca maybe.

A deep, dangerous-edged voice came from behind her, causing her to flinch. Her brain fumbled for reasoning and an explanation; nothing made sense anymore, and her skin grew cold.

She slowly turned. Luca is here again. He stood shirtless, his face deep in perspiration, his jaw and chest covered in blood. His breathing was steady, and his grey eyes blazed like embers as though he hadn't just torn through men like paper. His clothes are covered in more blood than before.

"How did you..." she retreated, whispering.

"There's no time for that."

"What are you?" Her voice broke, half a whisper, half a scream.

"Luca's gaze narrowed. "The last man who asked that didn't live long enough to finish the question." Evelyn's back struck the wall, and her legs trembled. He moved a step closer.

"I'm not expecting to see you here again, Luca Romano...."

"You've just become leverage." Luca cuts in

"Leverage?" she choked. "My father's..."

"Alive? Barely. But he won't be in control for much longer. And for him to stay alive and for the smooth running of business between the two families, there's a price to pay.

Is this a takeover by you? Did you plan this?"

"We'll refer to it as a reorganization of the underworld." Luca grinned without humor.

Evelyn's heart continued to beat rapidly. "You got to the top by killing people?"

"I saved you."

"I didn't get it from you."

"No," he said plainly. "But that doesn't mean you're useless right now."

"I am not a pawn." She cried.

He moved so fast that she didn't notice him until his hand touched the wall next to her head. His breath brushed her cheek as his body enclosed her. Evelyn, you are not a pawn. You're getting married.

Like lightning, the word shattered through the atmosphere.

"What?" she exclaimed.

"Your father has more debt now than just the deals. With the Romano line, he struck a blood deal. He dies if he breaks it. The blood remains in his veins after you marry me.

"This is crazy." Evelyn gave a head shake.

"Your family has ruled the East for far too long. The North and the East will now unite.

"By way of me?"

"The only person he values enough to use is you. And I am the only one with the strength to keep you safe from what lies ahead."

Her eyes were burning from tears, but she would not let them spill. "You think I'll agree to marry a monster?"

"I'm a monster. However, I fulfill my commitments. Luca's eyes grew gloomy.

"And what precisely are the conditions of this commitment?" Evelyn's voice faltered as she spoke

"A year. You will be my wife in public. In private, I'll abide by any guidelines you require to feel secure. He paused. "You'll survive. Your dad will survive. However, only if you are mine.

Fear and anger clashed as she looked up at him. Every action in her life had been meticulously planned to preserve her wealth, influence, and legacy. She was now cornered by a man who wasn't just a Mafia Don. He was something more than she thought was real.

"What if I say no?" She whispered.

Her face was tilted toward his as his hand touched her chin. Then I'll bring you a box containing your father's heart. No one in your family is free after that.

She lost the air in her lungs to the icy finality in his voice.

Abruptly, a loud, metallic, heavy sound reverberated through the hallway. Luca looks in that direction with his head moving. She felt goosebumps on her arms as he let out a low-pitched growl.

He faced her once more.

"We move in the morning." Then, like smoke, he vanished into the darkness.

Chest heaving, Evelyn fell to the floor. Her phone, which was amazingly still in her pocket, buzzed before she could collect her thoughts. The screen was illuminated by a single message.

"Avoid getting married to him. He is cursed."

Luca didn't go very far. Leaning against the wall, he breathed out slowly as if he had been waiting to release it for ages as he entered the hallway.

It was too quiet in the hospital-the kind where your thoughts were too loud. The night was pressing down on him like a brick to his chest as he rubbed his hand over his face.

A nurse passed by. He didn't raise his head. He detested this section. When there was nothing left but the mess and the guilt, now that the smoke had cleared and the bullets had stopped flying.

One of his men, hovering close by, said, "Boss, any orders?"

Luca shook his head. Not yet. Just give me a minute.

The man stepped back and nodded.

His father was barking commands while pacing the hospital hallway with a phone to his ear. Luca was aware of what would happen next: retaliation, a meeting behind closed doors, and revenge. But he was unable to consider all of that at the moment.

Evelyn was all he could think about. She appeared to be alive despite being bruised and shaken while lying in that bed on the way. He had no idea why it bothered him that much. His world did not include her. Not at all. However, there was something about her that stuck.

She was led out once more, most likely for testing again, as the nurses opened the door. He saw her face with a furrow in her brow that suggested she was still struggling to take in every word he said to her.

He wiped his face again, worried about too many things.

However, he was aware that the deal they believed they had struck that evening in the Stones' Mansion was about to get messier.