Bound By Blood

Chapter 6: Caught in the Crossfire

(Sophia’s POV)

Sophia’s heart still raced from the kiss, but her mind was on what was happening downstairs. The crash, the raised voices—it was all too real. The romance, the beauty of this place, was overshadowed by the dark world that lurked just beneath the surface. And she was in the middle of it.

When Luca returned, his face was drawn tight, worry etched into every line.

“Are you okay?” he asked, moving toward her quickly, scanning her as though checking for damage.

Sophia nodded, but the adrenaline from both the kiss and the confrontation downstairs was still coursing through her veins. “What happened?”

“Rossetti goons,” Luca muttered, brushing a hand through his hair. “It’s nothing. Just a show of force. Marco handled it.”

She exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Handled it?”

Luca’s expression darkened, but he didn’t elaborate. She could guess what he meant. She knew how Marco operated by now—his ways were rougher, less gentle than Luca’s. And though it scared her, there was an undeniable pull she felt toward him, even when she tried to push it away.

The door swung open, and Marco entered, his presence filling the room like a storm cloud. His eyes flicked to Luca, then to her, narrowing slightly as he took her in.

“You shouldn’t be wandering around,” he said coldly, his tone sending a shiver down her spine.

Sophia lifted her chin, refusing to let him intimidate her. “I wasn’t wandering.”

Marco’s lips twitched into something like a smirk, but there was no warmth in it. “Stay close to Luca. It’s safer that way.”

He turned to leave, but something inside Sophia snapped. She wasn’t just some fragile girl they could toss around like a chess piece.

“I’m not afraid of you, Marco,” she said, her voice steady.

Marco froze, his back still to her. For a long moment, he didn’t move. Then, he turned slightly, his eyes locking on hers, dark and unreadable. “You should be.”