His Bride,Their Prey

Chapter 12

I held onto Lucien's jacket, still trying to steady my breathing.

The ballroom was slowly settling down, but the tension remained thick in the air.

Then

Marco rushed back into the ballroom.

His expression was grim.

Lucien immediately looked toward him.

"What happened?"

Marco stopped in front of him.

"We searched the surrounding buildings."

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

"And?"

"The shooter escaped."

My stomach tightened.

"Escaped?"

Marco nodded.

"There were two of them."

Lucien remained silent for a moment.

Two.

I glanced toward the shattered windows.

Two people had been waiting for the perfect moment to attack.

Marco continued.

"They knew exactly where to position themselves. By the time my men reached the rooftops, they were already gone."

Lucien's expression remained unreadable.

Then he calmly adjusted his cuff.

"Don't worry about it."

Marco looked at him.

Lucien's gaze shifted toward the shattered windows.

"It would seem they're professionals."

His voice was almost disturbingly calm.

I stared at him.

"You're not worried?"

His eyes returned to mine.

"Of course I am."

He stepped closer.

"But panicking won't do any good."

His fingers gently closed around mine.

"And whoever they are..."

His eyes darkened.

"They made one mistake."

I swallowed.

"What mistake?"

Lucien looked at the shattered glass scattered across the floor.

"They missed."

A cold silence followed.

Then Marco's expression hardened.

"Sir..."

Lucien looked at him.

"Get the estate secured."

Marco nodded.

"Yes, sir."

He turned to leave.

Lucien's hand remained wrapped around mine.

And somehow...

The calmness in his voice frightened me more than the gunshots had.

---

The ballroom doors suddenly opened.

Sophia rushed inside, Bianca right behind her.

The moment I saw Sophia, I couldn't hold myself together anymore.

"Sophia!"

I ran straight into her arms.

She immediately wrapped them around me.

"Oh, dear..."

Her hand moved gently over my hair.

"Are you okay?"

I shook my head against her shoulder, trying to steady my breathing.

"I-I was so scared."

Sophia pulled back and held my face between her hands.

"Did you get hurt?"

"No."

She looked me over anyway, checking my arms and shoulders.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"I'm fine."

Sophia let out a relieved breath and pulled me back into her arms.

"Thank God."

Bianca stood beside us, still looking pale.

"I heard the gunshots from the other side of the estate."

I looked at her.

"There were two shooters."

Bianca's eyes widened.

"Two?"

I nodded.

Sophia's expression tightened.

"Who would do something like this?"

"I don't know."

My voice came out quieter than I intended.

I glanced toward the shattered windows.

"I just..."

I swallowed.

"I thought I was going to die."

Sophia's arms tightened around me.

"Don't think about that now. You're safe."

I nodded slowly.

Then I felt someone approaching.

I looked over Sophia's shoulder.

Lucien.

He had his usual unreadable expression, but there was something different in his eyes.

He stopped a few feet away.

His gaze moved over me.

His eyes lingered on me for another second.

Then that familiar smirk appeared.

I frowned.

"What?"

He tilted his head.

"Nothing."

"You're smiling."

"I am?"

"Yes."

His smirk widened.

"I was just remembering something."

"What?"

He stepped closer.

"You telling me not to go."

My face immediately heated.

"I was scared."

"I noticed."

"I thought you were going to get shot."

"And you were worried about me."

I rolled my eyes.

"I was worried about the situation."

"Of course."

"Don't start."

"I'm not starting anything."

"You're already annoying me."

He chuckled.

"Good. You're feeling better."

I stared at him.

I didn't know whether I wanted to slap him...

Or laugh.

Sophia glanced between us.

Then she smiled faintly.

"Bianca, come with me."

Bianca nodded.

The two of them began walking away.

I watched them disappear through the doors.

Then I turned back to Lucien.

He was still watching me.

"What?"

"Nothing."

I sighed.

"You're impossible."

He shrugged.

"And you're terrible at hiding when you're worried."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Don't push your luck, Moretti."

His smirk returned.

"There she is."

I hated how relieved I felt hearing him say that.

---

The sound of approaching footsteps caught my attention.

Marco appeared through the ballroom doors.

His eyes immediately landed on Lucien.

Then on me.

Then back at Lucien.

A small chuckle escaped him.

I frowned.

"What?"

Marco shook his head.

"Nothing."

Lucien gave him a warning look.

Marco's amusement only grew.

"The Don wants to see you."

Lucien's expression immediately became serious.

"Now?"

Marco nodded.

"Immediately."

Lucien glanced toward me.

Then he called for Sophia and Bianca.

Sophia and Bianca came rushing in.

"Yes?"

"Take her upstairs."

Sophia nodded.

Lucien turned back to me.

"You need to get out of this dress and clean up."

I glanced down at myself.

He wasn't wrong.

There were tiny pieces of glass scattered across the train of my gown.

"Fine."

Lucien looked toward Sophia and Bianca.

"Take care of her."

Bianca immediately stepped forward.

"Of course, sir."

Lucien gave me one last look before following Marco.

I watched him disappear.

The ballroom suddenly felt colder.

Bianca turned toward me.

"Come this way, Miss Rossi—"

She stopped.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Oh..."

A teasing smile appeared.

"I mean... Mrs. Moretti."

I groaned.

"Don't."

Sophia laughed softly.

"You'll have to get used to it."

"I don't think I ever will."

Bianca gestured toward the stairs.

"Come on, Mrs. Moretti."

I reluctantly followed them.

We climbed the staircase, but instead of taking me toward the room I'd been staying in, Bianca continued down another hallway.

I frowned.

"Where are we going?"

Neither of them answered.

They stopped in front of a large set of double doors.

Bianca opened them.

I stepped inside.

Then froze.

I looked around.

"This isn't my room."

Sophia and Bianca exchanged a glance.

Then both of them smiled.

My suspicion grew.

"Why did you bring me here?"

Bianca folded her hands in front of herself.

"Because you're Mrs. Moretti now."

I stared at her.

"So?"

Sophia's smile widened.

"So you won't be sleeping in your old room anymore."

My eyes widened.

"Wait."

I looked around again.

"This is Lucien's room?"

Bianca nodded.

I slowly turned back toward them.

"You're joking."

"Nope."

Sophia walked over and gently squeezed my shoulder.

"You're married now, dear."

I stared at the enormous bed.

My stomach suddenly twisted.

"But he's not even here."

"Exactly."

Bianca smiled.

"You have time to get comfortable before he returns."

My face heated.

"Sophia!"

She laughed.

"Relax. Nobody is asking you to do anything."

Bianca nodded.

"Besides, after what happened today, you deserve some peace."

That immediately softened me.

Sophia kissed my forehead.

"Take a shower. Rest. We'll see you later."

They left before I could argue.

The doors clicked shut.

I stood there alone.

In Lucien Moretti's bedroom.

I slowly looked around.

His room was nothing like mine.

Dark colors.

Minimal decoration.

Expensive furniture.

Everything was neat and painfully organized.

I sighed.

"This is going to be a long night."

---

Lucien's POV

The doors to my father's study closed behind me.

Alessandro stood near the window, staring out over the estate.

He didn't turn around.

"You've been married for less than an hour."

I said nothing.

"And someone has already attempted to kill your wife."

My jaw tightened.

"We'll find them."

"I'm sure you will."

He finally turned.

His expression was as cold as ever.

"The attack changes nothing."

I frowned.

"What exactly does that mean?"

He walked toward his desk.

"You don't have much time Lucien."

I stared at him.

"Father—"

"You need to produce an heir as soon as possible."

My jaw clenched.

"Did you not just see what happened at the ballroom?"

"I did."

"And you're already talking about an heir?"

"Especially because of what happened ballroom."

I stepped closer.

"Elena isn't some solution to every problem this family has."

His eyes hardened.

"No. But she is your wife."

Silence.

He continued.

"You were married for a reason, Lucien."

I knew exactly what he meant.

The contract.

The bloodline.

The heir.

Everything had been decided before Elena ever stepped into this estate.

But something about hearing it now irritated me.

"She needs time."

"Time is a luxury we don't have."

I looked away.

Then a thought surfaced.

Vessel.

The word immediately brought back Damiano's voice.

You're quite beautiful for a vessel.

My fingers curled into fists.

I hated it.

I hated the way that word sounded when attached to Elena.

As if she were nothing more than a body carrying the future of the Moretti bloodline.

As if her fears, her opinions, her life...

meant nothing.

"She's not a vessel."

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

Alessandro's eyes narrowed.

"I didn't say she was."

"You didn't have to."

He studied me for a moment.

Then something almost resembling amusement flickered across his face.

"You seem rather protective of your new wife."

I ignored the remark.

"Why Elena?"

The amusement disappeared.

Silence.

I watched him carefully.

"You've never cared this much about anybody."

His expression remained unreadable.

"Her family is suitable."

"That's not an answer."

"It is the only one you need."

I shook my head.

"No."

His gaze sharpened.

"Then what are you asking?"

"Why her?"

Another silence.

Then Alessandro said quietly,

"What do you know about her mother?"

My brows furrowed.

"Her mother?"

"Yes."

"Nothing."

His eyes remained on mine.

"You never asked?"

"Should I have?"

He looked away.

"Perhaps."

Something about his reaction made my suspicion grow.

"What does her mother have to do with this?"

Alessandro's expression hardened.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"Father."

"Some things are better left buried."

I stared at him.

That wasn't an answer.

It was a warning.

And somehow...

it only made me want the truth more.

I turned toward the door.

"I'll handle Elena."

"See that you do."

My hand stopped on the doorknob.

"And the heir?"

Alessandro's voice was firm.

"Don't keep the family waiting."

I said nothing.

I opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

But one thought stayed with me.

Elena was supposed to be my wife.

Not a vessel.

Not a bargaining piece.

Not merely the woman carrying the Moretti heir.

And yet...

the more I learned about her,

the more I began to suspect that she had been brought into my life for reasons even I didn't understand.