A Name That Holds Power
A/N: HII SISTERS, enjoy!
Mia stood frozen, the weight of Lorenzo De Luca's name sinking into her bones like ice water.
She had heard it beforeâwhispered in caution, spoken in fear. The De Luca family was one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the city. And standing right in front of her, draping his expensive jacket over her shoulders like it was nothing, was the man at the very top.
Her breath hitched. "De Luca?"
Lorenzo's gray eyes remained unreadable, his expression cool and detached, as if he was used to the way people reacted to his name.
"Yes."
Mia's pulse pounded, but she forced herself to stand her ground. "You're... you're theâ"
"I know who I am." His voice was quiet but firm, cutting off her sentence like a blade.
Right. He didn't need a reminder.
Mia swallowed, her instincts screaming at her to put as much distance as possible between herself and the man in front of her. But another part of herâthe reckless, stubborn partâremained rooted to the spot.
Because no matter how dangerous he was, he had just saved her.
And right now, he was looking at her like he wasn't quite sure why he had done it.
Lorenzo studied her, his gaze sharp and assessing. "You shouldn't be out here alone."
She bristled. "I can handle myself."
His lips quirked, but it wasn't amusementâit was something darker, something knowing.
"Clearly." He tilted his head toward the alley where the two men had run off, beaten and broken.
Mia scowled. "I didn't ask for your help."
His expression didn't change. "And yet, here you are. Still breathing."
Damn him.
She hated that he was right. Hated that her heart was still racingânot just from fear, but from the way his presence seemed to command every ounce of space around him.
She pulled his jacket tighter around her, not sure whether it was for warmth or just to put some kind of barrier between them.
"Well... thanks, I guess."
Lorenzo said nothing at first. Then, finallyâ"I'll walk you home."
Mia blinked. "Excuse me?"
"It's late," he said simply. "And now that I've seen what lurks in these alleys, I'd rather not leave you alone."
Mia stared at him, searching for some ulterior motive. A man like him didn't do things without reason.
"Why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
Lorenzo held her gaze, unreadable as ever. "Call it a debt."
She frowned. "A debt?"
He nodded. "You owe me your life. This is how you repay me."
Mia's lips parted in disbelief. "You think I owe you?"
His smirk was slight, but it was there. "I know you do."
The arrogance. The audacity.
She should have told him to go to hell. She should have refused. But instead, she found herself walking alongside him, his long strides easily matching hers.
As they made their way through the quiet streets, Mia stole a glance at him. Lorenzo De Luca. The name alone should have sent her running.
But for some reason, she didn't want to run.
And that terrified her.
A/N: I do plan on keeping the chapters short until later on, SORRY â¹ï¸ but I will upload often so hope please continue reading and leaving feedback!!