He Had Planned for me
1240 Words
Bella's POV
We pulled up in front of an astonishing mansion, the kind I had only ever seen in magazines. Tall iron gates. Endless windows glowing with warm golden light. Marble steps leading up to a doorway that looked like it belonged in a palace.
It dawned on me slowly, like a cold realization creeping through my bones.
This man wasn't just powerful.
He was extremely rich.
The car door opened before I could gather my thoughts. Cold rain brushed my skin as I stepped out, my coat clinging tightly to my body, soaked through.
My heart still hadn’t slowed.
I followed him inside.
The moment we stepped into the living room, warmth wrapped around me. The room was enormous—high ceilings, cream walls, dark wood floors, and furniture that looked expensive enough to buy a house.
Yet none of that mattered.
All I could focus on was him.
He moved like he owned the world.
“Shadow, take her.”
His voice was calm but commanding as he addressed a young man standing near the staircase. The man was huge—broad shoulders, sharp jaw, and dark eyes that scanned me carefully.
“Where’s he taking me?” I blurted, stepping back instinctively from the man approaching me.
Luca turned slowly.
The look in his eyes made my stomach tighten.
“Pretty doll,” he said softly, almost amused, “you do not have any power or control here.”
His voice dropped lower.
“You will do exactly as I say.”
Something strange twisted inside my chest.
I hated the way his voice made my skin prickle.
I hated it even more that a small, traitorous part of me liked it.
This man was used to giving orders.
Used to people obeying.
Used to people fearing him.
Tears kept falling down my face before I could stop them.
The room blurred as grief and terror flooded me again.
My father.
The sound of the gunshot.
His body hitting the ground.
Blood.
So much blood.
Before I realized it, Luca was standing directly in front of me.
Too close.
His hand lifted slowly and his fingers wrapped around my chin, tilting my face upward.
The touch was firm but not painful.
“Save those tears for later, Bella,” he murmured, studying my face.
“You're going to need them.”
His eyes searched mine, dark and unreadable.
There was no guilt there.
Not even the slightest hint of regret for what he had done.
And yet…
God.
There was something about the way he moved.
The confidence.
The quiet power.
The way the entire room seemed to revolve around him.
He moved like he was some kind of Greek god carved from stone.
Dangerous.
Untouchable.
“Why did you bring me here?” I shouted suddenly, my voice shaking as anger pushed past my fear.
My hand shot up, finger pointing toward him like a blade.
For a brief second, silence filled the room.
I quickly scanned the space around me, my eyes darting toward the tall windows—but they were covered in heavy cream-colored curtains.
No escape.
No way out.
Fear burned through me again as the realization settled deep in my chest.
This man could kill me in the blink of an eye.
And no one here would stop him.
My mind flashed back to the alley.
My father collapsing.
His body falling into a pool of blood.
A broken sound escaped my throat.
Luca’s gaze darkened slightly as he watched me fall apart.
Then he leaned down just enough for his voice to brush against my ear.
Low.
Dangerously soft.
“You're here,” he said, “because I decided you should be.”
His thumb brushed lightly beneath my chin as if he was inspecting something valuable.
“And because, Bella Romano…”
His eyes held mine, intense and unwavering.
“You belong somewhere much more dangerous than you realize.”
For a moment no one moved.
Then Luca released my chin.
“Shadow,” he said without looking away from me.
“Take her upstairs.”
The huge man stepped forward again.
I shook my head immediately, backing away from him. “No— wait! Where are you taking me?”
Shadow didn’t answer. His expression remained blank, professional, like this was just another job to him.
Luca sighed softly behind me, almost bored.
“Bella,” he said calmly, “this isn’t a discussion.”
Before I could react, Shadow gently but firmly took hold of my arm.
“Come on,” he muttered quietly, not unkindly.
My heart was racing as he guided me toward the grand staircase. I glanced over my shoulder one last time.
Luca was still standing exactly where I had left him.
Watching me.
His eyes followed every step I took like a predator observing prey.
A chill ran down my spine.
Shadow led me down a long hallway upstairs before stopping in front of a large wooden door.
He pushed it open.
“This will be your room,” he said.
The room was enormous. A king-size bed sat in the center with soft grey sheets, and a fireplace glowed quietly on the far wall. A huge window overlooked the dark city skyline.
This wasn’t a prisoner’s room.
It looked more like something out of a luxury hotel.
Shadow walked to the wardrobe and opened it.
Inside were neatly arranged clothes—dresses, sweaters, shirts… even shoes.
My stomach twisted.
“You should have a shower and change,” he said, pulling out a soft black sweater and placing it on the bed. “You’ll catch a cold.”
I hugged my wet coat tighter around myself.
“Why are there clothes here?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly.
Shadow paused.
For a second it looked like he was debating whether he should answer.
Then he said quietly,
“Because Mr. Moretti plans ahead.”
The words sent another wave of unease through me.
“How long…?” I whispered.
But Shadow was already walking toward the door.
He stopped before leaving.
“Oh,” he added, glancing back at me, “and Bella?”
My throat tightened.
“Don’t try to run.”
His voice wasn’t threatening.
It was certain.
“You won’t make it past the gate.”
The door clicked shut behind him.
And suddenly I was alone.
The silence in the room felt suffocating.
Slowly, I turned in a circle.
The enormous bed.
The fireplace.
The wardrobe full of clothes.
Everything looked untouched.
Prepared and waiting.
My fingers trembled as I stepped closer to the wardrobe again.
I reached for one of the sweaters and pulled it from the hanger.
A small white tag hung from the collar.
At first I didn’t think anything of it.
But when I looked closer, my breath caught.
Written neatly in black ink were two words.
Bella Romano.
My heart stopped.
Not scribbled.
Not rushed.
Written carefully.
Like whoever placed it there expected me to find it.
My eyes lifted slowly, scanning the rest of the clothes.
Sweaters.
Dresses.
Coats.
All perfectly arranged.
All my size.
A cold realization spread through me.
This wasn’t something thrown together tonight.
This room had been prepared.
For me.
My chest tightened as the truth slowly settled in.
Luca Moretti didn’t just kidnap me tonight.
He had been planning this.
Planning me.
For a long time.
- Writer
