A Night to Remember A Night to Remember
Mia Carter was used to long nights. As a nurse in one of the busiest hospitals in the city, exhaustion was just part of the job. She had spent the last twelve hours on her feet, tending to patients, handling emergencies, and barely getting a moment to breathe.
By the time she stepped out of the hospital, the night air felt like a blessing. It was cool, crisp, and quietâtoo quiet.
She sighed, rubbing her temples as she started down the familiar route home. The bus stop was two blocks away, but when she checked the schedule, her stomach sank. She had just missed the last one."Great," she muttered.
The only option now was to walk. It wasn't her first choice, but she wasn't the type to be scared easily. Mia had spent years looking out for herself, never depending on anyone to save her.
But that night... fate had other plans.
Taking a shortcut through the alley near her apartment complex, Mia quickened her pace. She wasn't afraid of the dark, but she wasn't stupid either. Years of working late shifts had taught her to stay alert, trust her gut.That's when she heard it.Footsteps. Heavy. Uneven.She turned her head slightly, just enough to catch a glimpse of two men behind her.
Her heart picked up speed.
"Hey, sweetheart," one of them slurred, his voice laced with drunken confidence.
Mia ignored them and walked faster.
"Aw, don't be like that," the other one taunted. "We just wanna talk."
Adrenaline surged through her veins. She balled her fists, ready to fight if she had to. But before she could react, a new voice sliced through the night.
Cold. Commanding. Dangerous.
"She said no."
Mia turned sharply.
A man stepped out of the shadows, dressed in a sleek black suit. He moved like a predatorâcontrolled, lethal, confident. His dark hair was slicked back, his sharp jawline tense, and his gray eyes locked onto the two men like they were already dead.
"Walk away," he warned, his Italian accent unmistakable.
The two men hesitated. "And who the hell are you?"
The stranger didn't answer. He didn't need to.
Within seconds, the air shifted. One of the men lunged, and Mia barely had time to blink before he was on the ground, groaning in pain. The other tried to run, but the stranger was fasterâgrabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the brick wall.Mia sucked in a breath.
This man wasn't just dangerous. He was trained.
The second attacker whimpered before scrambling away, dragging his injured friend with him.
Silence fell.
Mia stared at her unexpected savior. His suit was still immaculate, like he hadn't even broken a sweat.
He exhaled slowly before turning to her."Are you hurt?"
His voice was deep, smooth like velvet.
Mia forced herself to find her words. "I... No. I'm okay."
He nodded, his eyes scanning her like he was making sure. Then, without a word, he
shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
It was warm. Expensive. And it smelled like danger.
"You shouldn't walk alone at night," he said.
Mia swallowed. "Yeah, well, I didn't exactly have a choice."
A ghost of a smirk touched his lips. "Next time, make one."
She frowned. "Who even are you?"
He studied her for a beat, as if deciding whether or not to tell her. Thenâ
"Lorenzo De Lu."
Her breath hitched.
Even if she wasn't involved in that world, she had heard the name before. Everyone had.
Lorenzo De Lu. The boss of the DeLuca crime family.
And he had just saved her life.
A/N: This is my first story ever so please leave feedback back ð