DANGEROUSLY YOURS MR.VALE

CHAPTER 4

Sienna's Pov

The next morning, I woke up in the massive Vale mansion bedroom alone. Luca had slept on the couch. Or at least he said he did.

I found him in the study, staring at his laptop.

“Show me,” I demanded.

He looked tired. “You really don’t quit, do you?”

“No. Show me the crash files, or I will start asking questions around the house where staff can hear.”

He sighed and turned the screen toward me. Encrypted records. Dates, wire transfers, a name I recognized….Roman Vescovi…tied to the private jet company.

“Victor paid to have the plane sabotaged?” I whispered.

“Evidence points there,” Luca said. “But it’s not enough yet. I need more.”

I leaned closer to the screen, my eyes scanning the rows of numbers. “This transfer here… two weeks before the crash. That’s huge. And look, it’s routed through three different shell companies. How did you even find this?”

“I’ve been inside the system for a long time,” Luca replied quietly. “Victor thinks he’s untouchable. He doesn’t know I’ve been draining small amounts and documenting everything.”

I pointed at another line. “And Roman Vescovi’s name keeps popping up. Is he working with Victor? Or was he just hired for the dirty work?”

“Both,” Luca said. “Victor uses him when he needs someone disposable. That’s why your brother’s debt was convenient for them. It gave them leverage over you right when I needed you close.”

I shook my head, trying to process it all. “So my brother was just a pawn in your game, too? You knew about Noah’s problems before you even sat down at that café, didn’t you?”

Luca didn’t deny it. “Yes. I did my research. But paying off the debt wasn’t just a strategy. It was the only way to pull you in safely.”

“So you admit it,” I said, anger rising. “You used my brother’s mess to trap me. What would you have done if I had said no to your crazy marriage offer? Let them hurt him?”

“I knew you wouldn’t say no,” Luca answered. “You love your brother too much. I counted on that.”

My phone buzzed. Unknown number. I answered.

“Sienna Hart?” a man said. “Your brother Noah is with us again. Mr. Vescovi wants another payment. Double. Or we send pieces.”

The line died.

I dropped the phone. “Noah’s gone again. They took him.”

Luca’s face hardened. He pulled me against him without thinking. “I’ll handle it.”

“Why do you even care?” I asked into his chest, voice cracking. “This was supposed to be fake.”

He didn’t answer right away. When he did, his voice was rough. “Because I’m starting to wish it wasn’t.”

I pulled back, stunned. “Wait… what? You can’t just say something like that. Yesterday, you were warning me not to dig too deep, telling me this was all business and revenge. Now you’re wishing it was real? Which one is it, Luca? I can’t keep up with you.”

Luca rubbed his face, looking exhausted. “I don’t know anymore, Sienna. This was supposed to be simple. Marry you, control the story, take down Victor. But every time I look at you, the plan gets messier. You weren’t supposed to matter.”

I stared at him, heart racing. “And yet here we are. My brother is missing again, someone broke into our home, and you’re suddenly catching feelings? This is dangerous. For both of us. What if this distraction gets us killed?”

“I know,” he said, his voice low. “That’s why I tried to keep my distance last night. But when you walked into that reception looking terrified but still holding your head high… something shifted. I’ve spent three years feeling nothing. Then you show up, and I can’t shut it off.”

“Do you even hear yourself?” I whispered. “You’re a man living a stolen life. You have no right to start feeling things for me right now. Not when my brother’s life is on the line again. How do I know this isn’t another manipulation?”

“It’s not,” he said firmly, meeting my eyes. “I wish it was. It would be easier. But I’m telling you the truth, Sienna. For the first time, I’m actually telling you the truth.”

Before I could press him further, the housekeeper knocked on the study door.

“Sir, there’s a problem. Someone broke into the east wing last night. The security team is downstairs waiting for you.”

We both went quiet. I remembered the hidden room I’d found yesterday—the one with my own surveillance photos.

Luca’s eyes met mine. “Stay here.”

“Like hell,” I said and followed him.

We hurried down the hallway together. My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.

“Luca, if someone broke in, it has to be connected to us,” I said quickly. “The photos I found, the files…" This can’t be a coincidence. Do you think it’s Victor? Or Roman men?”

“Keep your voice down,” he muttered. “The staff doesn’t need to hear your theories. But yes… it’s probably one of them. Or both.”

I grabbed his sleeve as we walked. “What if they found more than just my pictures? What if they took evidence that could prove who you really are? We should call the police or something.”

“No police,” he said sharply. “That would only bring more questions. I have my own people I can use. But first, we need to see how bad the damage is.”

We turned the corner, and my stomach dropped. “This is crazy. Yesterday, I thought the biggest problem was pretending to be your wife in public. Now we have kidnappers, break-ins, and someone writing threats on the wall. How are we supposed to survive a whole year of this?”

Luca glanced at me, his expression tight. “We survive by staying together. No more solo investigating. No more secrets. If we’re going to beat them, we do it as a team.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “A team? Yesterday, you were treating me like a liability. Now we’re suddenly partners? You expect me to trust you after all the lies?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Because right now I’m the only one standing between you, your brother, and a bullet. Like it or not, we’re stuck with each other.”

Before he could reply, we reached the hidden room. The door was wide open. Files were scattered everywhere. My surveillance photos were gone. And on the wall, written in red marker: *I know who you really are, Luca.*

Luca went very still.

I grabbed his arm. “We need to run. Right now. Whoever wrote this knows the truth. They could tell Victor any minute. We should grab some cash and go.”

He turned to me slowly. “No. We fight. But first… I need you to trust me completely.”