Chapter Four: Entering the Fortress
The ride to Luca's estate felt longer than it truly was. Elena sat quietly in the back seat, her hands resting stiffly on her lap while the security vehicle moved through London's night. The city lights blurred against the windows, casting pale reflections across her face. Every sound felt sharper than usual, every shift in the car a reminder that her life had been pushed into something she never imagined.
She replayed the events of the last hours in her head. The studio attack. The proposal. The cold but steady look in Luca's eyes when he said marriage was the only way to protect her. The quiet, heavy ceremony. His voice when he told her she was safe now. None of it felt real yet. The world had tilted too quickly, and she had barely managed to hold on.
When the car finally slowed, Elena straightened. Beyond the tinted glass, tall iron gates rose like silent guardians. As they opened, the car rolled into a long driveway lined with trimmed hedges and small lights that glowed along the ground. At the far end sat Luca's estate, grand yet strangely quiet, a place built for control rather than warmth.
As they stopped at the entrance, Luca stepped out first. He turned and held the door for her, the polite gesture sharp against the silence. She took his hand lightly as she stepped out, her fingers brushing his for only a moment. He let go almost immediately, returning to the composed expression he wore like armour.
Inside, the estate was large and minimalist. High ceilings, pale walls, clean lines, and expensive furniture arranged with military precision. It was beautiful, but it felt empty. Elena sensed the loneliness in the echo of her footsteps.
"You will stay in the guest suite for now," Luca said as he moved ahead, his voice low and steady. "It has its own bathroom and workspace. If you need anything, tell me or one of the staff."
She nodded slowly. "Thank you."
He stopped near the hallway and turned to her. His eyes held that same quiet intensity that always seemed to see more than she wanted to reveal.
"You are safe here," he said again, a little softer this time. "No one gets in without going through layers of security. I will not allow another incident like today."
The sincerity in his voice made her chest tighten. She looked away, unsure how to respond.
A woman in a black suit appeared near the stairs. One of his team. Her posture was sharp, her steps precise.
"Mr Hale, the perimeter scan is complete," she said. "No anomalies."
"Good." Luca nodded once. "Elena, this is Camilla. She will oversee the night team."
Camilla gave a respectful nod, her expression unreadable. Elena managed a polite smile.
Luca motioned for Camilla to take over, but before stepping away, he looked back at Elena briefly. Something flickered in his expression, a moment of hesitation so small it nearly went unnoticed.
"If you need anything, Elena, I am in the next wing," he said quietly.
She nodded again, and he disappeared down the hall, his presence leaving the air strangely colder.
Camilla led her to the guest suite, opened the door, and waited for her to step inside before withdrawing. Elena stood there alone, taking in the room. It was warm, softer than the rest of the house, with a large bed, delicate lighting, and a balcony overlooking the garden.
She sat on the edge of the bed, exhaling slowly. The silence wrapped around her again, but this time it felt heavier.
She was now married to a man she barely knew. A man who lived behind walls thicker than the ones surrounding this estate. A man whose life was molded by discipline and danger. A man who had chosen responsibility over openness.
And yet, the memory of how he pulled her out of danger replayed in her mind. The steady grip of his hand on her wrist. The calmness in his voice when her fear had almost swallowed her. The fleeting gentleness when he explained why he needed to protect her.
He was distant. Controlled. But not uncaring.
A soft knock startled her. "Elena?"
Luca's voice.
She stood quickly, smoothing her clothes before opening the door.
He stood there with a small first aid kit in his hand.
"You bruised your arm earlier," he said. "I noticed on the drive."
She blinked, confused. "It is nothing serious."
"I know," he replied. "Let me check it anyway."
She stepped aside to let him in. He placed the kit on a small table and gestured for her to sit. She did, and he knelt beside her, rolling up her sleeve with careful hands. His touch was steady, professional, but unexpectedly gentle.
The bruise was faint, but visible. A reminder of how close danger had come.
"It will fade soon," he said quietly. "I should have reacted faster."
Her brows rose slightly. "You saved me. You reacted exactly when you needed to."
He paused. His eyes lifted to hers, and for a moment, the stern protector slipped away. What remained was something she had not seen in him before. Something human. Something almost vulnerable.
He cleared his throat and stood. "You should rest. Tomorrow we will review your schedule. And we will make some adjustments."
"Adjustments?"
He met her gaze again. "You are a target now. Your movements must be planned."
A chill passed through her, but she nodded.
He hesitated once more at the doorway.
"Elena…"
"Yes?"
"I know this is overwhelming." His voice dropped slightly. "But I meant what I said. I will not let anything happen to you."
Her breath caught, not from fear, but from the quiet certainty in his tone.
"Goodnight," he added finally, stepping out.
The door closed behind him, and Elena sat unmoving for a moment, her pulse unsettled.
Tonight, in the stillness of Luca's fortress, she understood something she had not realized before.
Her world had not only changed
.
It had shifted into his.
And she was beginning to feel the weight of that truth..