Page 27 of Tormented Hearts

Luca’s chest tightens at the thought of sending Phoenix away, of hiding her somewhere far from the violence of his world. It was the logical solution, the only way to ensure her safety. But the idea of being apart from her, of not being there to protect her himself—it was unbearable.

"I can’t just hide her away, Miguel," Luca says, his voice low. "She’s not a prisoner."

Miguel raises an eyebrow. "She’s already a target. You think the Romero’s care about whether she’s a willing participant in this or not? They’ll use her to get to you, Luca. They already tried once."

Luca’s fists clench, he had killed Enzo without hesitation, but it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. The next in line for the Romero Familia would rise into Enzo’s position and then try to attack us for taking out Enzo.

"So what’s the plan?" Miguel asks, watching Luca carefully. "Because keeping her here, in the middle of this, isn’t going to end well. For either of you."

Luca doesn’t answer right away. He stands up, pacing the room, his mind torn between his duty to his empire and his desireto protect the woman he has come to care for more than he had ever thought possible. The two worlds he had spent his life controlling were colliding, and Luca didn’t know how to keep them both from falling apart.

"I need to talk to her," Luca says finally, his voice rough. "She deserves to know what’s happening."

Miguel nods, though his expression remains tense. "Just remember, Luca—if you want to keep her, you have to find a way to keep her safe. You can’t do both if you don’t make a decision soon."

Luca swallows hard, his chest tight with the weight of the truth in Miguel’s words. He couldn’t have it all. He couldn’t keep Phoenix by his side and protect her from the dangers of his world. But the thought of sending her away, of letting her go, was a decision he wasn’t ready to make.

When Luca returned to the bedroom, Phoenix was awake, sitting up in bed with the blanket pulled around her shoulders. She looks small, fragile even, but the moment their eyes meet, Luca sees the strength in her gaze. She isn’t just a victim in this war. She is a survivor.

"Luca?" Phoenix’s voice is soft, but there is a tension in it that tells him she knew something was wrong.

Luca sits down on the edge of the bed, his hand reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair from her face. He doesn’t know how to tell her what he needs to say. He doesn’t know how to explain the impossible choice he was facing.

"We need to talk," Luca says quietly, his voice rough with emotion.

Phoenix nods, her eyes searching his face. "What’s happening?"

Luca takes a deep breath, his heart heavy as he looks at her. "The Romero’s aren’t done. They’re regrouping. And they’ll come for you again sooner or later."

Phoenix’s breaths, her eyes widening slightly, but she doesn’t flinch. "So what do we do?"

Luca’s chest tightens. "I want to keep you safe. But that means... I might need to send you away. Somewhere far from here. Somewhere they can’t find you."

Phoenix stares at him, her eyes filling with a mix of shock and pain. "You want me to leave?"

"I don’t want you to leave," Luca says quickly, his voice thick with emotion. "But I can’t protect you if you’re here, Phoenix. I can’t do both. And if something happens to you..." His voice breaks slightly, his eyes intense. "I won’t lose you."

Phoenix’s heart aches at the helplessness in Luca’s voice, at the raw emotion she sees in his eyes. She can see the conflict in him, the way he is torn between his duty to his empire and his desire to protect her. But she also knows that leaving him now, after everything they had been through, wasn’t something she could do.

"Luca," Phoenix whispers, her voice trembling. "I don’t want to leave you. I don’t care about the danger. I care about you. I know you will find a way to keep me safe."

Luca’s breath catches in his throat, his chest tightening as he looks at her. He has spent his entire life believing that love was a weakness, that attachments would only bring him pain. But with Phoenix, everything is different. She has become his anchor, his reason for fighting, his reason for surviving.

"I don’t deserve you," Luca whispers, his hand cupping her face as he leans in closer. "But I’m not letting you go."

Phoenix smiles as Luca’s lips brush against hers, the kiss filled with a mix of desperation and need. She melts into him, her body trembling as she clings to him, her heart racing with the weight of everything they were facing.

When they finally pull apart, Luca rests his forehead against hers, his breath shaky. "I’ll protect you," he whispers. "No matter what."

PHOENIX 15

It had been a rare stretch of peace in the days following the attack. The constant hum of danger that has surrounded them since the Romero’s ambush has faded, if only temporarily. Luca has spent the last several days overseeing his men, tightening security around his operations, and making sure every corner of his empire was secured. But tonight, for the first time in what felt like forever, Luca wants a break. And more than that—he wants to give Phoenix one, too.

They had been holed up in the penthouse for days, and though Phoenix has insisted she was fine, Luca could sense the tension in her, the way she seems to carry the weight of the attack with her, even in the safety of his home. She needs a night out. And, if he is honest with himself, so does he.

So, when Luca suggests they go out to one of his clubs, Phoenix hesitates at first, but eventually agrees. She has spent so much time trying to reconcile with the world Luca lives in, and this felt like a way to see both sides of him—the man who ruled an empire, but also the man who was trying, in his own way, to give her something normal.

The club was one of Luca’s most exclusive spots, a high-end place known for its luxury and discretion. It was a world away from the violence and danger that seemed to follow them everywhere else, and as they arrived, Phoenix finds herself relaxing, just a little, for the first time in days.

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