Chapter 9 - THE UNSPOKEN CONTRACT
The hallway fell quiet once more, though the heavy tension between Luca and Elena had altered permanently.
Luca stood before her, his posture straight, his muscular chest rising and falling under the soft hallway lighting. He reached down, adjusting the clean white bandage across his upper torso, his dark tattoos framing the surgical dressing.
He looked at Elena, his expression guarded, but no longer cold.
"Go to your quarters for the night, Elena," Luca said softly, his tone carrying an unusual, quiet consideration that no staff member in the mansion had ever heard from him. "You're done with your shift."
Elena looked at him, her heart still racing, her mind spinning from the sheer intensity of the last five minutes. She looked at the heavy paper folder still held tightly in her hand—the document that had saved her family from ruin.
"Mr. Rossi..." Elena started, stepping away from the marble wall.
"Luca," he interrupted quietly, his dark eyes locking onto hers with absolute seriousness. "When we are in these quarters, it's Luca."
Elena paused, a small, genuine smile touching her lips for the first time all evening.
May you like
"Goodnight, Luca," she said softly.
Luca gave a single, firm nod of his head, watching her as she turned and walked down the marble hallway. He remained standing in the warm light of the corridor, his eyes following her until she disappeared around the corner, his hand resting against his jaw where her lips had touched his skin moments before.
