Page 64 of Their Reckless Thief
Another car.Shit.
I floored it again, speeding through the streets with precision, but the distant roar of a motorcycle engine caught my attention. I glanced in the rearview mirror again, and my heart dropped.
Just as the sedan edged closer, nearly kissing my bumper, a sleek motorcycle shot out of a side street, darting between me and the car.
“What the fuck?” I muttered.
The rider was all shadows, dressed in black from head to toe, the dark visor of the helmet hiding their face.
I barely had time to react before the rider accelerated, pulling ahead with a burst of speed. The roar of the bike’s engine echoedoff the buildings, a low, guttural growl that sent a shiver down my spine. And then, just as suddenly, the rider spun the bike around in the middle of the road—a move so fluid, it looked almost like a dance. The bike skidded to a stop, now facing the oncoming car. I watched, my heart lodged in my throat, unable to process what the hell they were doing.
The sedan didn’t slow down, its driver clearly intent on ramming through the obstacle. But then the rider lifted one gloved hand, the other steady on the handlebars. In the dim streetlights, I could barely see the subtle motion of his fingers, like he was conducting some kind of invisible orchestra. The shadows around him seemed to ripple, dark tendrils coiling and stretching toward the car as if drawn by an unseen force.
I blinked, trying to make sense of what I was seeing, but before I could comprehend it, the air itself seemed to twist. The car chasing me veered sharply to the left as though an unseen hand had yanked it off course. The front end lifted off the ground, tires screeching, and then it was airborne. My eyes widened in disbelief as the car flipped in midair, spinning like a toy tossed by a petulant child. It somersaulted once, twice—each roll accompanied by the sound of crumpling metal—before crashing down on its roof with a deafening thud.
I barely managed to keep control of my own car as I swerved to avoid the wreckage. The sedan lay in the middle of the road, a smoking, crumpled mess, its headlights flickering weakly. For a moment, everything was still. The only sound was the rasp of my own breath and the thundering pulse in my ears.
What the hell just happened?
“Viv, someone just… what the fuck just happened?”
There was no response from Vivian, just the sound of my own shallow breathing.
The motorcycle pulled up beside my car. I glanced to my left, spotting a familiar tattoo curling around the right hand and wrist of the rider.
Luca.
Those dark, intense eyes locked with mine. He gestured for me to pull over, and for some reason—maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was the fact that I knew Luca could kill me with a flick of his wrist—I obeyed.
I pulled the car to the side of the road as Luca swung his leg off the motorcycle with practiced ease. He strode over to my car, his expression unreadable as he opened my door.
“Out for a joyride, Celeste?” His voice was low and smooth, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.
I stared at him, still trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. “What thefuck, Luca?”
“You really think I’d let someone else take you out on my watch? I’m the only one who gets to kill you, sweetheart.” He cocked an eyebrow, his shadows rippling faintly around him. “Now, do you want to tell me what the hell you’re doing here, or do we need to have another conversation with Vincenzo?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but the only thing I could think was:Fuck.
I couldn’t stop shaking.
Vivian’s voice crackled in my ear, but it felt like it was coming from a mile away. “Celeste, don’t let him take your earpiece this time. Do you hear me? You need to stay in control.”
Stay in control.
My breathing was shallow, uneven. The world was spinning, my heart pounding in my chest. The edges of my vision were beginning to blur and go dark. I could barely focus on the sound of Luca’s voice as he stood by my car door, waiting for me to move.
I fumbled for the vial of Phantomine in my jacket pocket, my fingers trembling as I brought it up to my lips. But before I could tilt it back, Luca’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with surprising gentleness but unrelenting force.
“No,” he said firmly, shaking his head.
I stared at him, half-dazed, still trying to catch my breath. My mind screamed for the drug and the calming rush it would bring, but Luca didn’t let go. His eyes, dark and unreadable, held mine with an intensity that rooted me to the spot.
“My apartment is just down the block,” he said, his voice low but authoritative. “Come with me. Get your bearings. Then we’ll talk.”
I hesitated. Every instinct told me not to trust him. Luca was dangerous… cold, calculating. I couldn’t forget that he’d just flipped a car like it only weighed a few pounds. The man could end me in an instant.
Part of me wanted to try and run even though I knew it was a work in futility. I couldn’t outrun a monster.
