Page 31 of Tormented Hearts

She feels herself melt into him, her body pressing against his, her hands tangling in his hair as he kisses her with a desperation that makes her heart ache. She is lost, caught in the whirlwind of his desire, her own fears, her own doubts swept away by the force of his need.

When he finally pulls back, they are both breathing hard, their foreheads resting together, the air between them thick with unspoken words, with unfulfilled promises.

“You’re mine,” Luca whispers, his voice fierce, possessive. “Say it.”

Phoenix’s heart pounds, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps as she looks up at him, her eyes searching his. She nods, her voice a soft, trembling whisper.

“I’m yours.”

Luca’s eyes darken, his grip tightening as he pulls her closer, his mouth crashing down on hers once more, a fierce, possessive kiss that leaves no room for doubt.

And as the night closes in around them, Phoenix feels herself slipping further into the darkness, into the fire that was Luca Tempo, her heart caught in the flames, burning, breaking, becoming something new, something dangerous, something beautiful.

LUCA 16

The warehouse was dark, lit only by the glow of flickering overhead lights and the occasional spark from a dying cigarette. Luca sat at the head of a long steel table, his expression hard as he listens to Miguel’s report.

Before Luca can respond, the door to the warehouse creaks open, and a figure steps inside. Luca’s jaw tightens the moment he sees her.

Bianca.

She is dressed to kill—literally. A tight black dress clings to her curves, and her long dark hair cascades over her shoulders. Her lips are painted a deep red, and there is a predatory gleam in her eyes as she saunters toward the table, her heels clicking on the concrete floor.

“Luca,” she purrs, her voice smooth and dangerous. “I thought I might find you here.”

Luca’s expression doesn’t soften as he watches her approach. Bianca is trouble—she always has been. She has been a part of his world for years, a woman who has risen through the ranks of the Tempo family thanks to her cunning and ruthlessness. But she has never been content with her position. She wants more. And she has always wanted Luca.

“Bianca,” Luca says coolly, his eyes narrowing. “What are you doing here?”

She smiles, her red lips curving into a dangerous smirk as she slids into a chair beside him. “I heard you’ve been busy,” she replies, ignoring the tension in the room. “Making quite the mess of things for the Romero’s.”

Luca’s jaw clenches, his patience already wearing thin. Bianca had a way of inserting herself into situations where she didn’t belong, and Luca didn’t trust her. Not one bit.

“What do you want?” Luca asks, his voice cold.

Bianca’s smile widens, and she leans in closer, her fingers brushing lightly over his arm. “I want to help,” she purrs, her eyes gleaming with something dangerous. “You know I’ve always had your back, Luca. We could make a great team.”

Luca pulls his arm away, his eyes hardening. He knew what Bianca wanted—she had been angling for his attention for years, trying to worm her way into his life, his bed, his power. But Luca had never let her get close. He couldn’t afford distractions, and Bianca was nothing if not a dangerous distraction.

“I don’t need your help,” Luca answers flatly, his voice laced with warning.

Bianca’s smile falters for a split second, but she recovers quickly, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Oh, but you do,” she continues, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “Especially with your little... songbird getting in the way.”

At the mention of Phoenix, Luca’s entire body tenses. His eyes flash with anger as he turns to face Bianca fully. “Leave Phoenix out of this.”

Bianca’s smirk returns, but there is something dark in her gaze. “She’s already in this, Luca. You’ve made sure of that.”

Luca’s fists clench, but before he can respond, Miguel steps in, his voice tense. “We’ve got more important things to deal with than this.”

Luca shoots one last cold look at Bianca before turning back to Miguel. He didn’t trust her, but right now, his focus needed to stay on the business at hand. Bianca could wait.

The tension in the city had reached a boiling point. Luca’s strikes had left the Romero’s on the verge of collapse, their leadership crippled, their operations in shambles. Every day, more of their men were either turning up dead or defecting, unwilling to go down with a sinking ship.

It was only a matter of time before their new leader made a move—one final desperate attempt to salvage what was left of his empire. Luca could feel it coming, like the calm before the storm.

And then, the call came.

Luca was in his office, reviewing the latest reports from his men, when his phone buzzed. He glanced at the number and frowned—it was one of his contacts, a neutral party with ties to both the Tempo and Romero families.

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