Page 14 of Tormented Hearts

LUCA 8

The uneasy peace in the penthouse is shattered by the persistent ringing of Luca’s phone. He is lying in bed with Phoenix, his fingers stroking her naked back as she rests her head on his bare chest, a rare moment of quiet between them, when the sound cuts through the room like a knife.

Luca’s expression darkens immediately as he reaches for the phone, his body tense before he even answers. There are only a few people who call him directly, and none of them bring good news.

“Tempo,” he barks into the phone, his tone as sharp as the tension that now fills the air.

Phoenix watches him, her pulse quickening. She has seen this side of Luca before—the side that is cold, calculating, and ruthless. It is the side of him that rules the Tempo Mafia with an iron fist, the side that reminds her just how dangerous he truly is. She doesn’t know what the call is about, but she can feel the change in the atmosphere, the way Luca’s entire demeanour shifts in an instant.

Luca’s expression darkens further as the voice on the other end of the line spoke. His jaw clenched, and the veins in his neck stand out as he listens, every muscle in his body coiled with tension. Whatever was happening, it was bad.

“Is Gabriel with you?” Luca asks, his voice low but filled with authority. There was a brief pause, and then he nods, though his eyes burned with frustration. “Keep him there. I’ll be there soon.”

He ended the call without another word, his hand gripping the phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white. For a moment,he didn’t move, just laid there, staring at the ceiling as though trying to rein in the storm of emotions that threatened to break free.

Phoenix sits up from where she has been laying against him, her heart pounding. “Luca, what’s going on?”

Luca turns to her, his dark blue eyes filled with a fury that was barely contained. “The Romero Familia,” he says, his voice cold and clipped. “They’ve made their move.”

Phoenix’s stomach drops at the mention of the Romero name. She had heard bits and pieces about the rivalry between the Tempo and Romero families—whispers of violence, betrayals, and blood feuds that stretched back for years. But she hadn’t realized just how dangerous it truly was until now.

“What did they do?” she asks, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Luca’s jaw tightens as he shoves the phone into his pocket. “They attacked one of my clubs. Gabriel was there.”

Phoenix’s breath hisses in shock. “Is he okay?”

Luca nods, though the tension in his shoulders doesn’t ease. “He’s fine. But this isn’t just about Gabriel. The Romero’s are trying to start a war.”

Luca was already moving, his mind calculating every possible outcome, every potential move the Romero Familia might make. War wasn’t just a possibility—it was inevitable. The Romero’s had been pushing the limits for months, testing Luca’s patience, seeing how far they could go before he retaliated. But this? This was a declaration. They wanted blood, and Luca wasn’t about to let them spill his.

Phoenix followed him as he got up and dressed moving through the penthouse, gathering his things. “What are you going to do?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Luca glances at her, his eyes softening just a fraction. “I’m going to end this,” he says simply, his voice filled with a dark promise. “Once and for all.”

Phoenix’s heart races. She knows what that means. Luca wasn’t just going to fight back—he was going to take the Romero’s down, no matter the cost. And that terrified her. Not just because of the violence, but because she could see how easily Luca slipped into this world of power and bloodshed. It was who he was, who he had always been.

But there was something else, something more personal that gnawed at her. If Luca was going to war, then the danger wasn’t just to him—it was to her too. She had seen how possessive he was, how fiercely he guarded what was his. The Romero’s would know about her. They would use her against him if they could.

“Luca, what about me?” Phoenix asks, her voice small but filled with concern. “If they’re targeting you, they’ll come for me too.”

Luca froze for a moment, his eyes locking onto hers. The anger in his gaze shifted, replaced by something darker, more protective. He crosses the room in two long strides, his hands cupping her face as he leans in close, his breath warm against her lips.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he growls, his voice fierce. “You’re mine, Phoenix. And no one—no one—is going to take you from me. If they even dream of coming after you I will exterminate the name Romero from this earth.”

Phoenix swallows hard, her heart racing at the intensity of his words. She believes him. She had seen what Luca was capable of when he was angry, and she had no doubt that he would burn theworld to the ground if it meant keeping her safe. But that didn’t make the fear go away.

“I won’t lose you,” Luca whispers, his voice softer now, filled with a vulnerability he rarely showed. “Not to them, not to anyone”

Phoenix’s throat tightens as she looks into his eyes. She has never seen him like this before—so raw, so afraid of losing control. She reaches up, placing her hand over his, her fingers curling around his wrist. “Then don’t.”

Luca holds her gaze for a long moment before he leans in, pressing a hard, possessive kiss to her lips. It was a promise, a vow that he would protect her at all costs. But there was something else there too—something that told her this wasn’t just about her safety. This was about Luca’s need for control, his fear of losing her and everything he had worked so hard to build.

When he finally pulled away, Luca’s expression had hardened again, the vulnerability buried beneath the mask of the mafia boss. “Miguel will stay with you,” he says, his voice firm. “He’ll protect you while I deal with the Romero’s.”

Phoenix’s heart sank. She didn’t want Luca to leave, not when the threat of danger loomed so large. But she knew there was no stopping him. This was his world, his fight, and nothing she said would change that.

“Be careful,” Phoenix says, her heart tight with fear at the danger he could encounter.

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