BILLIONAIRES VENDETTA

CHAPTER 10: THE PRICE OF POWER

Luca’s POV - Waking Up to Natalie’s Alarm

The harsh, shrill beeping of the alarm clock sliced through the quiet of the bedroom, and Luca’s eyes snapped open. His mind, still heavy with sleep, was slow to process the source of the disturbance. His first thought was that it was his alarm—until he realized it wasn’t. It wasn’t his, it was hers. The intrusive sound belonged to Natalie’s bedside clock, an annoyance that had no regard for time or the preferences of its owner.

He groaned in frustration, his hand shooting out to silence the device. But as he squinted at the time, irritation only grew. It was early. Too early.

Why the hell does her alarm go off at this hour? he thought bitterly. And why the hell didn’t it wake her up?

Luca turned toward the couch, where Natalie lay still, the soft rise and fall of her chest indicating she hadn’t been disturbed at all. She slept like a rock. Her back was to him, her body curled in on itself beneath a blanket she’d apparently thrown over herself at some point in the night. She looked so peaceful, too peaceful. Her dark hair cascaded around her face in gentle waves, a stark contrast to the image she presented when awake—guarded, serious, almost too composed for a woman married to a man like him.

For a long moment, Luca stood there, staring at her. His eyes traced her features—the curve of her cheek, the way her lips parted slightly as she breathed, the faintest hint of vulnerability that he rarely saw. It was strange, almost intimate, to witness her in this quiet, unguarded state. He told himself it didn’t matter. That she was just a pawn in the larger game, a tool to keep the Russians off his back.

But still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to her. Something... human, beneath all the walls she put up. He wasn’t sure if he liked it or hated it.

His gaze shifted to the clock again. It wasn’t even five in the morning. He should’ve been asleep, too, preparing for the day ahead. He was Luca, after all—the mafia boss who never let anything or anyone throw him off course. But standing there, in the dim light of the early morning, Luca felt something else creeping up on him—frustration. And annoyance.

Shaking his head, he turned toward the door, planning to just return to bed and forget about the alarm, but then something stopped him. A thought. A fleeting curiosity. He glanced back at her once more.

For a split second, he caught himself smiling.

What the hell is wrong with me?

He quickly wiped the smirk off his face, and just as he was about to walk away, her voice broke through the quiet.

“Why are you staring at me?” Natalie asked, her voice thick with sleep.

Luca froze, his heart skipping a beat. He had been caught. He opened his mouth to form a response, but nothing came out at first. He cursed inwardly, his mind scrambling for something that didn’t sound like he was caught red-handed.

“I wasn’t staring,” he said, his tone sharper than he intended. “Your alarm woke me up. I was just… wondering how you sleep through it.”

Natalie’s eyes fluttered open, and she blinked a few times, still half-dazed. The soft light from the window illuminated her features, but Luca couldn’t read her expression. She looked so innocent in that moment—like a stranger. He quickly pushed that thought away. She wasn’t a stranger. She was his wife now, whether she liked it or not.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Luca couldn’t help but let out a small sigh. “It’s fine. You’ve got a strong tolerance for noise, I’ll give you that.”

Natalie stretched her arms above her head, looking every bit like a sleepy, unsuspecting woman in the midst of an ordinary morning. But Luca knew better. There was nothing ordinary about this—about her.

“Are you getting up now?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Luca replied. “We should head downstairs. I’m sure you’ve got your day to start.”

Natalie nodded, slowly getting to her feet. As they walked downstairs together, Luca found himself studying her every movement. It wasn’t out of affection, but of observation. She was still trying to find her place in this house. In his life. He couldn’t tell whether she was still hesitant, or whether she was just that good at hiding it.

The tension in the room when they entered the dining area was palpable. Adriano and Daniel were already seated, both of them giving slight nods of acknowledgment as Natalie joined them at the table.

Adriano’s face was unreadable, but Luca could sense the small flicker of curiosity in his eyes. The same flicker that always seemed to linger when it came to Natalie—whether it was about her role in this marriage or her unknown loyalties, he wasn’t sure.

Daniel, however, had a much more obvious reaction. He barely made eye contact with Natalie, his jaw set, as if he were bracing for something. He didn’t look happy about her presence, and Luca couldn’t blame him. After all, Daniel had never wanted this marriage. He was never meant to have a sister-in-law, not this one, not under these circumstances.

Luca sat at the head of the table, his eyes scanning the room. He hadn’t planned on dealing with this tension this early in the morning, but there was no getting around it.

“Adriano,” Luca said, breaking the silence. “Starting tomorrow, you’re off chauffeur duty. Daniel will be taking Natalie to work from now on.”

A strained silence followed. Daniel’s body tensed, his hand gripping his coffee cup a little too hard. He didn’t say anything, but Luca saw the flicker of discomfort in his eyes.

Adriano, on the other hand, didn’t seem too pleased with this decision either. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, his voice even but carrying an edge of concern.

“Of course I’m sure,” Luca replied curtly. “Natalie needs her brother more than anyone else right now. It’s his job to make sure she’s safe.”

Adriano’s eyes flicked to Natalie, and then back to Luca. He nodded, though his discomfort was obvious. Luca wasn’t about to back down, though. He needed Daniel close—needed him under his watch, where he could keep a closer eye on him. This was his way of asserting control, not just over the situation, but over his family dynamics.

Natalie didn’t speak up. She didn’t even blink at the change in arrangements, though Luca noticed the slight crease between her brows. She was probably wondering if she could trust Daniel to follow through with what was expected of him, just like Luca was. But there was little room for doubt, not now. Not when there was so much riding on this.

Luca’s Business Trip Plans

Later in the day, after they’d all settled into their respective routines, Luca found himself in his study, going through some papers and finalizing details for an important upcoming business meeting in Europe. The Russians were pushing for more, the pressure mounting with every passing day. The only way to keep up appearances was to play the game even harder.

He was getting ready to leave for the trip, a few days away from the family business and the wedding chaos. He had to attend to matters on the European front—new territory to stake claim to, new allies to secure.

Natalie entered the room as he was wrapping up a call with one of his associates.

“I’ve got a plan for us,” Luca said, glancing up as she approached. “We’re heading to Europe next week.”

Natalie raised an eyebrow. “What? You’re serious?”

Luca nodded. “I’m serious. It’s an important trip. And I’m bringing you with me.”

She blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Wait, what?”

“You’ll take a leave of absence from the hospital,” Luca continued, his tone firm but not unkind. “Tell them it’s for your honeymoon.”

Natalie stared at him for a moment, her lips pressing together as if she were going to argue. But then she just shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

Luca didn’t flinch. “You don’t have a choice in this. We both know that.”

Natalie huffed but said nothing more.

“Pack your bags,” he said. “We leave soon.”

That evening, as Natalie made her way upstairs to the room that would now be hers, Luca’s phone buzzed on his desk. He looked down at it, his stomach dropping as he saw the new message.

It was from an unknown number, a chilling reminder that he wasn’t as safe as he thought.

The message read:

"Enjoy your honeymoon, Luca. We’ll be keeping an eye on your new bride."

The attached photo was unmistakable. It was a snapshot of Natalie from earlier in the day, as she sat at the breakfast table, a moment of her life that now felt like an exposed weakness.

Luca’s jaw clenched, his fingers tightening around the phone. The Russians had more control than he realized—and now they..... Mum was right, I might've just put her in more danger than I imagined.