Married To The Devil That Bought Me

CHAPTER3

Aria couldn’t breathe. The moment the door exploded inward, everything inside her body went cold.Men poured into the room, Black masks,Weapons raised,No hesitation, No warning Just violence. GET DOWN!” someone shouted. Aria stumbled backward instantly, her back hitting the desk. Her heart slammed so hard she thought it would break her ribs. Lucien didn’t move. Not at first, he simply stood between her and the intruders like a wall that refused to fall.One of the masked men pointed a g*n at him, Lucien Moretti, the man said. Step away from her, Silence, Lucien tilted his head slightly, You’re loud, he said calmly. That was all, a gunshot followed immediately, BOOM. Aria screamed, The bullet didn’t hit him. Lucien moved so fast she almost didn’t see it, just a blur of motion, and suddenly the attacker was on the ground, weapon gone, wrist twisted at a sickening angle,screams erupted, Aria’s breath came in sharp, broken gasps. This wasn’t a fight, It was execution. Lucien moved through them like death made humans. One man rushed him, g*n raised. Lucien grabbed his arm, twisted,c***k. The weapon dropped. The man followed, and another tried to flank him. Lucien didn’t even turn fully. He kicked backward with perfect precision sending the attacker crashing into the wall. Glass shattered,Blood splattered.Aria stumbled away, shaking violently.This, this is insane” she whispered. She had never seen anything like this, not in movies, not in nightmares,This was real and it was happening inches away from her. Another explosion rocked the hallway outside, More footsteps,More men.Aria’s chest tightened, They’re endless, she whispered. Lucien finally glanced at her, Not with fear, Not with panic,With control. Stay behind me, he repeated. I can’t keep doing this, she snapped, tears forming. What is happening?Who are these people?Why are they trying to kill me? Lucien’s eyes hardened slightly. You talk too much in danger.WHAT? Another attacker rushed in. Lucien didn’t hesitate, He shot him.The sound echoed like thunder.Aria flinched violently,The body dropped. Silence for half a second.Then chaos resumed. She covered her mouth, shaking uncontrollably, "You just killed him” she whispered. Lucien didn’t even look at the body, He came to kill you.That doesn’t mean, A hand grabbed her arm, Aria screamed.DON’T TOUCH ME But it wasn’t an enemy. It was Lucien. He pulled her behind him sharply just as another bullet flew past where her head had been.It shattered the mirror behind her. Aria froze,Her breath hitched violently. Her life had just been centimeters away from ending. Lucien’s grip on her arm tightened slightly,not painful, but firm enough to anchor her. You want to survive? he asked coldly, Aria stared at him, trembling. I don’t even understand what’s happening. Another explosion outside the building shook harder. Lucien’s gaze sharpened. They breached the west wing,!he muttered. Aria looked around wildly. This is not normal, Normal people don’t have west wings being breached.He looked at her, Almost amused, Welcome to my life Another attacker lunged.Lucien moved instantly. But this time Aria reacted first. She grabbed a glass object from the desk and smashed it against the man’s head. CRASH, He staggered,Lucien paused for half a second, Just one,Then he finished the job.The man collapsed, Silence fell for a brief moment.Aria stared at her shaking hands, I didn’t mean, Lucien looked at her differently now, Not softer But sharper, Observing. Good, he said. Aria snapped her head up. Good?! I just,I just hit a man, He would have killed you, Lucien replied. That’s not, that’s not something you just say like it’s normal Before she could say more, A loud alarm echoed through the mansion.Red lights flashed. Lucien’s expression changed for the first time, Not fear, Focus. Damn it, he muttered.Aria noticed immediately. What? What is it now? He grabbed her wrist. Move. Where are we going? Out.I am NOT following you anywhere another explosion cut her off. The ceiling cracked, dust fell, Aria screamed as Lucien pulled her toward a hidden door behind the desk. She resisted, Let go of me but his grip was iron. You stay here, you die, he said flatly, that made her freeze. The hidden door opened, a corridor,dimly lit, metal walls. Aria’s stomach dropped. What is this place? Lucien didn’t answer, He pulled her inside Behind them, gunfire intensified.Men shouting, Glass breaking.The world collapsing. Aria’s breathing became uneven. You planned this, she whispered suddenly.Lucien glanced at her. What? You brought me here knowing this would happen, Silence, A dangerous silence,Then Lucien stopped walking, Aria froze too,He turned slowly and for the first time since she met him, His expression darkened, Not anger, Something deeper. You think I brought them to you? he asked quietly. Aria hesitated. I don’t know what to think anymore, Lucien stepped closer. You are not the target, he said.Aria frowned. Then why are they here? A pause. Then his voice lowered, You are the key.That made her stomach drop. What does that even mean? Before he could answer, a loud bang echoed behind them.The hidden door had been breached, Footsteps,Close, Lucien pulled her forward again instantly, Run, I don’t even know where, Run, Aria ran. Her legs moved before her brain could process. Behind her, gunfire erupted again. The corridor became chaotic. She could hear them chasing, screaming, shouting, Lucien firing behind her. She turned once and saw him standing in the hallway, Surrounded,Alone, For the first time,He wasn’t moving. Just standing there, looking at her. Go,” he said quietly. Aria stopped.What? I can’t just leave you. His gaze sharpened, That was not a request. A man rushed him from behind Lucien turned and took him down instantly. But more were coming, too many. Aria’s heart shattered in panic. I said I’m not leaving you, she screamed.Lucien met her eyes again and something changed in his expression.Something she couldn’t understand,Not softness,Not weakness.Something almost like certainty.You already are, he said. Aria shook her head. A final explosion shook the corridor violently, The ceiling cracked above Lucien, Aria screamed”‘LUCIEN” and then everything collapsed, dust, smoke,noise and when her vision cleared, he was gone.