CHAPTER ONE
1026 Words
### The Storm
Emma stood in the center of her bedroom, unaware that it would be the last peaceful night of her life
Outside, the city hummed beneath a darkening sky. Rain clouds covered the stars, and the distant sound of church bells blended with the growing storm.
Inside her room, everything felt perfect.
Warm.
Quiet.
Safe.
Her wedding dress hung from the wardrobe, glowing softly beneath the light.
Ivory.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Tomorrow, she would become Mrs. Marco Moretti.
The thought still felt impossible.
She picked up her phone for what had to be the tenth time that night. A message sat waiting on her screen.
Still can’t believe tomorrow is finally here.
She smiled before sending it.
Seconds later, Marco replied.
Believe it.
In less than twelve hours, you’ll officially be stuck with me.
Emma laughed softly.
You’re assuming I won’t run away first.
His answer came immediately.
Too late.
I’ve already imagined the rest of my life with you. No refunds.
A smile tugged at her lips.
Sometimes she wondered how she had gotten so lucky.
Marco had spent the last two years making her feel loved in all the little ways that mattered. He remembered everything — how she hated olives, how she cried during sad movies, how she couldn’t sleep without a nightlight.
He knew her.
Or at least…
She believed he did.
Emma pressed her phone against her chest.
Tomorrow everything would change.
She walked toward the window and opened it. Cool air rushed inside as the first drops of rain fell against the glass.
The city below continued moving, unaware of the storm approaching.
A couple hurried down the street beneath an umbrella. A mother called her child indoors. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked into the darkness.
It should have felt peaceful.
But something inside her felt wrong.
Not fear exactly.
More like a quiet warning.
A feeling she couldn’t explain.
Emma frowned.
“Wedding nerves,” she whispered.
That had to be it.
The news had warned everyone about the storm. The worst one of the season.
Heavy rain.
Strong winds.
Power outages.
Maybe the weather was simply getting into her head.
She turned back toward her dress.
Tomorrow she would walk down the aisle.
Tomorrow she would see Marco waiting for her with that smile she loved.
Tomorrow she would begin the life she had always dreamed of.
A home.
A family.
A peaceful future.
Her phone vibrated.
Marco.
Get some sleep, future Mrs. Moretti.
I want the most beautiful bride in Italy tomorrow.
Emma rolled her eyes.
That’s a lot of pressure.
His reply came quickly.
Good thing you already are.
She smiled.
Then typed the words she always meant.
I love you.
She pressed send.
The message failed.
No signal.
Emma frowned.
That was strange.
Before she could think about it, the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then the entire house went dark.
Thunder exploded overhead, shaking the windows.
Emma grabbed her phone and turned on the flashlight.
The beam cut through the darkness.
Then she heard it.
Three slow knocks.
Knock.
A pause.
Knock.
Another pause.
Knock.
Emma froze.
At almost eleven at night…
Who could possibly be at the door?
The knock came again.
Harder.
Her heartbeat quickened.
She thought of her father sleeping down the hall.
Her mother, away preparing for tomorrow’s wedding.
Marco, following the Moretti family tradition of spending the night before the wedding apart from his bride.
So who was outside?
Another knock echoed through the house.
Emma swallowed and stepped into the hallway.
The wooden floor creaked beneath her feet.
Every shadow seemed unfamiliar.
Every sound seemed louder.
She slowly descended the stairs, holding her phone tightly.
At the bottom stood the front door.
Rain battered the stained-glass window above it, casting strange patterns across the walls.
Emma hesitated.
Maybe someone needed help.
Maybe it was nothing.
Taking a deep breath, she unlocked the door.
The wind rushed inside.
Rain hit her face.
And then she saw him.
A tall figure stood on the porch, dressed in a black coat soaked by the storm.
Water dripped from his dark hair.
His expression was cold.
Unreadable.
Emma knew exactly who he was.
Lucien Blackwood.
Marco’s older brother.
The man who rarely spoke.
The man whose silence made entire rooms uncomfortable.
The man whose eyes missed nothing.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then he spoke.
“Get your coat.”
Emma blinked.
“I’m sorry?”
“You have sixty seconds.”
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Then I’m taking you out of this house.”
She stared at him, waiting for the joke.
There wasn’t one.
“Lucien… what are you talking about?”
He didn’t answer.
His eyes moved past her, scanning the house behind her.
Something changed in his expression.
Urgency.
Fear.
“Emma.”
Hearing her name from him sent a chill through her.
“Please.”
She went still.
“I don’t have time to explain.”
Thunder crashed above them.
Lucien’s voice lowered.
“If you stay here…”
He paused.
“…you won’t live long enough to wear that dress.”
The world seemed to stop.
Emma gripped the door tightly.
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Lucien didn’t argue.
He simply stared at her.
“Sixty seconds.”
“Marco knows you’re here?” she demanded.
His jaw tightened.
“I know.”
Those two words frightened her more than anything else.
Before she could respond, he moved.
Quickly.
Her phone slipped from her hand as he knocked it away.
It hit the floor.
Emma stepped back, startled.
“Lucien—”
“Run,” he whispered.
She froze.
“What?”
His eyes locked onto hers.
“Try.”
And somehow, that frightened her more than a threat.
Because Lucien Blackwood looked like a man who already knew how this would end.
Outside, the storm raged louder.
Inside, Emma realized something terrifying.
The man standing in front of her wasn’t trying to scare her.
He was trying to save her.
And that was the most frightening part of all...........
- Writer
