BOUND BY VOWS

Chapter 6

The Price of Control

Luca was going to break her.

Not in the way her father wanted.

Not in the way the world expected.

No.

He was going to break her in a way that made her crave the fall.

And Alessia knew it.

Because she had seen it in his eyes last night—when she had walked away, leaving him aching, furious, and barely in control.

But she had made a mistake.

She had given him a reason to chase.

And Luca DeLuca never lost a chase.

*********************************************************

The morning after, Alessia barely had a moment to breathe before she felt him again.

Not in person.

Not yet.

But in the way the household moved.

The way whispers followed her.

The way her father watched her with narrowed eyes at breakfast, as if he had picked up on the tension thrumming between her and

the man who was supposed to be securing their alliance.

Alessia sipped her coffee, keeping her expression serene.

She could feel Luca's presence before she saw him.

And when he finally entered the dining room, he didn’t look at her.

Didn’t acknowledge her.

But she felt the weight of his silence more than she would have felt his touch.

It was a warning.

A promise.

And she had no doubt—before the day was over, he would collect.

It happened faster than she expected.

She had barely made it back to her room when the door shut behind her with a quiet, deliberate click.

She turned, her pulse spiking.

Luca leaned against the door, watching her.

Calm.

Controlled.

But there was something lethal in the way he loosened the cuffs of his sleeves.

Something dangerous in the way he stepped forward, closing the space between them.

Alessia refused to back down.

"You’re angry," she murmured, tilting her head. "How predictable."

Luca's mouth twitched, but it wasn’t amusement.

It was something darker.

"You think this is a game, bella?" he murmured.

She smiled. "Isn't it?"

He was on her in an instant.

Not rough.

Not violent.

But precise.

A hand at her waist. The other tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"You played last night," he murmured, his breath brushing against her lips. "Now it's my turn."

Her stomach tightened.

She knew she should pull away.

Push back.

But her body betrayed her.

Her breath hitched as his fingers trailed along the edge of her collarbone, slow, teasing, making her hyper-aware of every inch of space between them.

Or lack thereof.

"Luca—"

"You walked away from me last night." His voice was smooth, like velvet and steel. "But you won't do it again."

Alessia swallowed hard. "And if I do?"

A slow, wicked smirk curved his lips.

"Then I'll make sure next time, you beg to stay."

Heat coiled low in her stomach.

But she refused to let him win.

She lifted her chin, pressing her palms against his chest, pretending she wasn’t affected by the way his muscles tensed beneath her touch.

"You like control, don’t you?" she murmured.

Luca’s fingers flexed at her waist.

"I don’t like it, cara mia," he said. "I own it."

Alessia leaned up—just enough that her lips brushed his.

A featherlight touch.

A tease.

And just as his breath caught—just as his grip tightened—she pulled away.

Again.

Luca's jaw locked.

His fingers dug in harder for a fraction of a second before he let her go.

This time, when she turned to leave, he didn’t stop her.

But his voice followed her.

Low. Dangerous.

"Run while you can, Alessia."

She didn't look back.

But she smiled.

Because now, the game is really beginning.

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Alessia had underestimated him.

She thought she could play with fire and walk away unscathed.

She thought she could tease, push, and challenge Luca DeLuca without consequences.

But Luca wasn’t the kind of man who forgot.

And now, she was about to learn exactly what it meant to be hunted.

Nowhere to Run

She avoided him for the rest of the day.

Not because she was afraid.

No—fear wasn’t what curled in her stomach whenever she thought about him.

It was something more dangerous.

More intoxicating.

She told herself she needed time to think. To reassess her next move.

But Luca wasn’t interested in giving her space.

By the time night fell, she felt the shift in the air.

A silent warning.

A storm about to break.

She found herself in the grand hallway leading to the library, lost in thought, when she felt the unmistakable heat of someone behind her.

Before she could react, a strong hand wrapped around her wrist—firm, unyielding.

Her breath hitched.

Luca.

She knew it was him before she even turned.

His grip was tight, but not painful. A warning, not a punishment.

Not yet.

"You’ve been avoiding me, bella." His voice was quiet. Controlled. But there was an edge beneath it.

Alessia lifted her chin. "Observant."

His eyes darkened.

Then, without another word, he pulled her through a side door and into an empty study, shutting the door behind them.

Her pulse hammered as he turned the lock.

A mistake.

Because now, she was trapped with him.

And the way Luca was looking at her…

Like a predator with his prey.

Checkmate

He leaned against the door, arms crossed, watching her.

Alessia met his gaze, refusing to give him the satisfaction of looking away.

"You’ve been playing games, cara mia," Luca murmured. "Tell me—do you think you’re winning?"

She smirked. "I think you’re frustrated."

Luca chuckled—a low, dark sound.

"You’re right." He pushed off the door, closing the distance between them with slow, deliberate steps. "But that’s where you made your mistake, Alessia."

Her back hit the edge of the desk before she realized she was moving.

Luca caged her in with one hand braced beside her, his body mere inches from hers.

The heat radiating off him was dizzying.

"You think teasing me puts you in control?" His voice was a whisper against her skin. "You think walking away makes you safe?"

Alessia swallowed, but her mask didn’t slip. "It’s fun watching you lose patience."

Luca’s lips curved. "Oh, bella," he murmured. "You have no idea what patience looks like."

Before she could respond, he shifted—his other hand brushing against her hip, barely there, just enough to make her feel him.

Her breath caught.

It was the lightest touch, but it set fire to her nerves.

Luca leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "But don’t worry," he murmured. "I’ll teach you."

Alessia clenched her jaw.

She wouldn’t let him win.

Wouldn’t let him see how he affected her.

So she did the only thing she could do.

She turned her head—just slightly, just enough that her lips almost grazed his.

And then she whispered, "I think you’re all talk, DeLuca."

Luca stood.

For a split second, she thought she had won.

But then—

His fingers curled under her chin, tilting her face up, forcing her to meet his gaze.

And what she saw there stole her breath.

Not anger.

Not amusement.

But something dangerous.

Something that made her stomach twist in ways she didn’t understand.

"You just made another mistake, bella," he murmured.

Alessia swallowed hard. "And what’s that?"

His thumb brushed over her lower lip, a whisper of contact that sent a shiver down her spine.

"You challenged me."

And then, before she could process what was happening—

Luca stepped back.

Walked away.

Left her standing there, breathless, pulse racing—wanting.

She clenched her fists as the door shut behind him.

Damn him.

Damn him for turning the tables.

But she wasn’t done playing yet.

Not even close.