denly felt too small, the air too thick, as Luca Castellano's imposing figure closed the gap between them. His dark eyes

rately, his lips curling into a faint smirk as though mocking her attempt at a cov

was no way he knew who she really was-not yet, at least. All she needed was to buy herself some tim

idence she didn't feel. She tilted her chin upward, meeting his gaze with

" Luca asked, arching a dark eyebrow. His voice was calm, almost c

t," she said simply, shrugging as though it were the mo

ess that made her feel as though he could see right through her. The weight of his attention was suffocating, y

s voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Y

very instinct she had screamed that she was in over her head. But she refused to let him

," she said lightly, though her

h intrigued and skeptical. "You're a terrible liar," he said, his

hasis on the name driving home that he didn't believe it for a second. Sti

door. His proximity was overwhelming, his presence a force that seemed to consume the air aroun

oring into hers. "And why you're here. Or..." His voice trailed off, and thou

e had two choices: confess and hope for mercy or double down on her lie and

ze flicked toward the noise, his expression darkening, and Lily seized the opportunity. Without thinking, she slipped u

arked, his voice s

y against her chest. She could hear the sound of men shouting behind her, their footsteps growing louder as they gave

luck did

en. He reached for her, but Lily ducked under his arm, twisting away before he could grab her. She b

e's sprawling gardens, their manicured hedges illuminated by soft golden lights. It was beautiful, but there was no time

ap

er eyes landed on the trellis attached to the balcony railing, its latticework clim

onto the trellis. The wooden structure creaked under her weight, but she ignored it, her focus entirely on mak

ce growled from abo

nto hers. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his g

he said evenly, as thoug

hot back, her voice trembling

" he said, his tone softening ev

ond. But the longer she hung there, the more she realized he might be right. The trellis w

ca said, his voice low and stea

gled to hold herself up. "Trust you?" she said, glarin

ho you are," he said si

yes-curiosity, perhaps, or maybe even sincerity. But it wasn't enough to era

to splinter under her weight. Panic surged through her, but before she could r

, his gaze steady as he began

inous creak, and she realized she didn't have a choice. With a shaky bre

ied to catch her breath. Luca crouched beside her, his dark eyes scan

d quietly, his voice laced with something she coul

t. But the intensity in his eyes held her captive, and for the first t

down the hallway, and Luca's jaw tightened. "They're coming," h

ng him felt like stepping into a trap, but the alternative wasn't any better. Wit

said, his voice l

r, Lily couldn't shake the feeling that she'd ju