The night swallowed them whole.
Rain poured in sheets as Damian pulled Isabella through the narrow back alley, his coat already soaked, his hand never leaving hers.
Every step splashed through puddles that shimmered under dim streetlights.
Behind them, engines roared and shouts echoed through the maze of warehouses. The hunt had begun.
"Keep your head down," Damian ordered, his breath harsh against her ear.
She didn't argue now. Her lungs burned, her hair plastered to her face, but she kept up with his pace, her pulse racing in time with his.
When they reached a black SUV hidden between rusted shipping containers, Luca was already inside, engine running.
"Took you long enough," Luca muttered as they dove in.
"Drive," Damian snapped.
The vehicle screeched out of the dockyard, tires kicking up water and grit. Isabella twisted in her seat just in time to see two headlights appear in the rearview mirror and then a burst of gunfire cracked through the night.
"Down!" Damian barked, yanking her head below the window as bullets shattered the glass behind them.
Luca veered sharply, the car fishtailing before catching grip again.
"Are they following?" Damian asked, loading another clip into his gun.
"Not for long," Luca said grimly, swerving into a side street and hitting a hidden switch on the dash.
The car's taillights dimmed, vanishing into the night.
After several breathless minutes, the gunfire faded. Silence reclaimed the storm.
Isabella stayed curled against the seat, trembling.
Damian reached out, his hand brushing over her shoulder firm, grounding. "You're safe. Breathe."
Her eyes lifted to meet his. His hair was damp, his jaw clenched, his shirt open just enough to show the rise and fall of his chest.
There was blood on his sleeve not his, she prayed.
She wanted to hate him. She wanted to scream at him for dragging her into a world she never asked for.
But the words refused to come. All she could feel was the dizzying heat that came whenever he touched her.
"Where are we going?" she managed to whisper.
"Somewhere they can't find us," Luca said, eyes on the road.
The SUV wound up a lonely mountain road until finally, it stopped before an old stone house shrouded by pine trees.
The storm battered the roof, thunder rolling across the hills like warning drums.
Damian got out first, scanning the area before opening her door. "Inside. Quickly."
She hesitated. "Whose house is this?"
He glanced at her, rain streaking down his face. "Mine."
That single word sent a tremor through her. Not the mansion, not the polished halls and servants.
This place was stripped bare, private. It felt like a secret no one was supposed to see.
Inside, the cabin was dimly lit, rustic but clean.
A fire crackled weakly in the stone hearth, throwing orange light across the room. Luca checked the windows, then nodded. "We're clear. For now."
Damian peeled off his wet jacket and tossed it aside, rolling up his sleeves. "Get some rest," he told Isabella quietly.
"I can't rest," she said, hugging her arms around herself. "Not after everything. Not until you tell me why those men were after us."
He turned slowly, his gaze locking with hers. "Because you exist."
Her stomach dropped. "What?"
He stepped closer, the firelight catching the sharp angles of his face. "They think you're leverage. Antonio's daughter. My weakness. And they're not wrong."
Her breath caught, chest tightening. "You're saying they want me to get to you?"
He nodded once. "And to him."
The mention of her father's name was a blade twisting in her chest. "You're both keeping secrets. Both making me a pawn in this war I don't even understand."
Damian's voice dropped, rough. "You think I want that? You think I enjoy knowing the woman I.." He stopped himself, jaw flexing. "You shouldn't even be here, Bella."
"Then why am I?" she shot back. "Why didn't you leave me behind?"
For a heartbeat, the storm outside was the only sound.
Then he took another step toward her, slow, deliberate. His hand lifted, brushing a raindrop from her cheek.
"Because every time I try," he said softly, "I remember what it felt like to lose you even before I had you."
Her pulse fluttered violently. "Damian…"
He moved closer until the air between them vanished, the firelight reflecting in his eyes like molten gold.
"You can hate me, Bella. You probably should. But you can't lie to yourself about what's happening between us."
Her breath trembled. The space between words was filled with heat and danger, with everything they'd been fighting to deny.
"I don't even know what this is," she whispered.
"Yes, you do." His voice was a whisper of smoke. "You feel it. Every time you look at me, every time I touch you."
Her lips parted, trembling. He leaned in just enough for his breath to brush her skin not a kiss, but the promise of one.
"I told you once," he murmured, "that monsters don't get to have good things. But maybe… maybe you're the only thing I ever wanted to keep."
She didn't move. Couldn't.
Lightning flashed through the windows, and the room fell silent again, the storm outside raging just as fiercely as the one building between them.
Then a sound broke the tension.
A faint click from outside.
Both froze. Damian's eyes went sharp instantly. He grabbed his gun and motioned to Luca.
"Stay here," he ordered Isabella.
She caught his arm. "Damian.."
He looked down at her hand on his sleeve, eyes softening for just a moment.
"Lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me."
Then he was gone into the rain, into the danger that never seemed to stop chasing them.
Isabella stood trembling by the fire, the echo of his words still burning through her.
She didn't know if he was her captor or her protector anymore only that every time he walked away, it felt like something inside her was being torn apart.