RAIN, GUNS AND BETRAYAL

CHAPTER FIVE - FIRE UNDERNEATH THE SUN

Lucas's Pov

The city no longer seems calm because whatever fragile balance that has once existed was gone. Gunfire was echoing in a distant neighborhood with sirens cutting through the night like warning cries.

The streets empty faster with businesses closing early and there were whispers of war spreading like wildfires in the underworld to the extent that the Monretti family wasn't just feared but challenged.

Tension shimmered underneath the surface inside the penthouse. I stood at the long table with a map and document spreading before me indicating every route, shipment, safe houses and nothing was left unchecked. My empire was under attack and every move carried weight. Across from me, Marcel and three other men were waiting for instructions.

“Ethan is not hitting randomly, he's targeting supply lines, cutting off movements and forcing us into corners”, I said with a sharp and steady voice.

“He is trying all his best to weaken us before the final strike,”one of my men added.

“No, I don't think so, he's testing us and looking for cracks”I replied, shaking my head slightly.

“What if he has found any?”Marcel asked carefully and there was a pause for some moments as my expression didn't change as the answer was already there.

“Yes”, the room went silent because acknowledging weakness was rare and dangerous but necessary.

“Then we have to close them fast”, Marcel said and I nodded once.

“Double the securities at all the warehouses and make sure to rotate all the guards every five hours and there shouldn't be any patterns”I said.

“What about madam Natasha?”.

The question came to me unexpectedly but it still lingered as my gaze slightly shifted enough to know it mattered.

“She stays here under protection”,I said.

“Boss, with all due respect, you are quite aware that she is not part of this world, hence keeping her here—-” ,Marcel hesitated.

“simply makes her a target”,I finished.

“Yes it does”

Immediately there was another pause.

“Well, she has already become a target the moment she stepped her foot into our world”, I said quietly and there was no arguing with that.

Natasha stood at the terrace with the night cooled air against her skin. Below the city moved like a restless, unpredictable and dangerous living thing which Natasha has seen enough now and to understand one thing clearly: There was no middle ground here, no safe distance, is either you are in or out or you were gone and somehow without her realizing that she has crossed that line.

Suddenly the sound of the door opening slightly distracted her thoughts but she didn't turn.

“Do you have any idea that you are making enemies faster than you are making plans”, she said as I stepped beside her with my presence immediate and still commanding even in silence.

“I already have enemies, they are just showing themselves now” I replied.

“And what do you think would happen if they stopped hiding”.

“Dont worry, they won't have to”.

“Well that's not reassuring”she said and turned to look at me.

“And it's not meant to be”, I said and the honesty in my tongue caught her off guard and for a moment neither of us spoke. The air between us felt so different tonight,less sharp and more charged.

“You still have a chance to walk away,” I said suddenly.

“You have already said that before”she said while frowning her face.

“Am serious about it”

“And I still stick to my word like I told you, I am not leaving “.

“Why is that?”, The question came again but this time it lingered longer, Natasha held my gaze and searched for something in it.

“Its simple, someone has to see and witness what this world really is”

“And what could that be?”.

“Broken but not beyond saving”she said softly and there was a faint almost invisible reaction that flickered across my face.

“Not everything can be saved,”I said.

“If that's the case, why are you still fighting?” she asked

That one very question, that one very hit because the answer wasn't simple and it wasn't simply just power or control or survival but was something deeper and something that was buried underneath the years of violence and silence.

Before I could respond further, there was a sharp c***k that split the air and glass shattered. Natasha gasped for air as I held her tightly, pulling her down as another shot tore through the terrace door.

“Sniper!” Marcel's voice screamed from inside as I moved fast , protecting Natasha with my body as more bullets were striking the walls making the calm some moment ago disappear and was replaced by pure controlled chaos.

“Stay low”, I ordered with a low and dangerous voice.

“Dont worry I am fine”

“I repeat, stay. Low” and this time she listened.

Guards rushed in with their weapons drawn scanning the building surroundings.

“South rooftop,”one of them yelled and gunfire erupted in response, echoing through the night as my jaws tightened while Accessing the situation because this wasn't random, it wasn't a warning shot either but it was a precise, calculated and personal attempt.

“Sir it's Ethan,” Marcel said breathlessly.

“No, Ethan doesn't miss"I replied and the word hung heavy in the air which meant it was just the beginning.

Some minutes later, the shooting stopped, the snippers were gone and of course they always were. Inside the damage was minimal but the message was very clear that no one was safe and not even here.

Natasha was still sitting at the edge of the couch with her hands still shaking slightly despite all her effort to hide it. I stood across from her watching.

“Now you see” I said quietly and she looked up to me.

“Yeah, it's something I am already seeing,” she replied and there was a pause as she stood up and was stepping closer.

“Do you really think this has changed anything?”she asked

“It should have”

“It hasn't” she said and the certainty in her voice surprised the hell out of me.

“You were almost murdered,” I said.

“But you were there to prevent it from happening”.

“But have it in mind that it won't be enough”

“Maybe not but running won't fix it either”she admitted and silence fell again, closer this time I could see the fainting rise and fall of her breath, the determination in her eyes, the fear she refused not to show and there was something else and something more dangerous.

Without thinking,I reached out to her with my hands brushing against hers but she didn't pull away, the moment stretched tightened and then she stepped closer and for the first time there were no words, no argument, no walls, it was just the space between us disappearing.

My hands moved to her jaws carefully but steadily as if I was giving her the time to stop me but she didn't then our lips met slow and uncertain first like crossing a line neither of us could return from. Then deeper and stronger everything else faded, the wars, danger, the chaos and for a moment there was only this,us but moments like this never lasted because reality always finds its way back in.

My phone buzzed sharply breaking the silence as I pulled back and my expression shifted instantly because the war was still there waiting, I checked my message and my face hardened.

“What's the problem?”Natasha asked and I looked at her but the softness a moment ago was already gone.

“They have hit another location and this time….., it

's personal”,I said and there was a pause.

Meanwhile, outside the storm already returned but not with rain but with a fire.