Ruined By Your Blood

Chapter 8: Sunset

The fast-moving Vaughan political group faced a problem the next morning. A large data server crash at the campaign office forced Arthur and Larcus Evans to have an urgent meeting with their IT directors. Since the election was still three weeks away, the constant monitoring stopped, leaving a rare, quiet gap in their schedule.

"Cancel the afternoon meeting plans, Nilsson," Larcus said through her earpiece early in the morning. He sounded much more worried than usual. "The Senator cannot travel until the computer systems are working again. Keep the person we are protecting out of sight."

At 9:00 AM, the heavy air at the estate changed to a light, rare summer breeze. Luther did not try to run or start a fight. Instead, he walked to the driveway wearing an old t-shirt, worn jeans, and dirty boots. He looked nothing like the rich heir he was.

"We are going to the community center in the lower district," Luther said. He opened the door of a plain, normal truck instead of his usual loud sports car. He looked at Sienna with serious grey eyes. "There will be no cameras or donors. It is just a regular workday. Are you coming, or do you need to ask Evans first?"

Sienna did not say anything. She quietly got into the passenger seat. She had left her usual grey jacket in her room. Instead, she wore a plain, tight black long-sleeve shirt and dark cargo pants. Her hair surrounded a face that she was trying to keep very still.

The Sanctuary in the Poor Area

The community center in the poor area was an old, falling-down brick building, but it was full of activity inside. It served as a shelter, a place for food, and a legal office. As soon as Luther walked in, the heavy stress he usually felt went away.

"Luther! You are early today!" shouted Martha, a short, gray-haired woman working in the kitchen, her apron covered in flour.

'Luther?' Sienna thought about how the woman called him. 'Did she just call just his name? Was she being disrespectful? He is rich, the child of a politician, has a business, and has a high status.'

"I have some free time today, Martha," Luther said with a real, easy smile. He rolled up his sleeves, showing his strong, scarred arms. "What do you need me to do?"

Sienna looked at Luther. She was surprised by how he acted; he spoke to the workers like an equal, not like a boss.

"The market truck is here. Those heavy boxes of potatoes and squash need to be moved," Martha said, hitting him playfully on the arm with a towel. She looked up and saw Sienna standing quietly in the door. "Who is this nice young woman? Did you finally bring a girl home?"

Luther chuckled, but for a moment, his eyes looked intense as he looked at Sienna. "This is Sienna. She is my security and a friend. She is just watching over me today."

"Security? For someone as nice as you?" Martha laughed and shook her head. "Well, Sienna, if you are going to stay in my kitchen, you should help us peel. Get a knife near the sink, dear."

'Nice?' Again Sienna thought.

Sienna looked at Luther, looking unsure for once. Luther just smiled and leaned on the counter. "Go on, Nilsson. Martha is in charge here, not my father."

Sienna nodded without a word and went to the large sink. For the next hour, she peeled vegetables with the same exact and scary speed she used when taking apart a gun. Beside her, Luther lifted heavy fifty-pound boxes easily. He laughed loudly in the steamy room while joking with the kitchen workers.

'Is he being real? Or is he just pretending?' She kept thinking. However, she stayed calm so no one would know she was thinking about Luther.

By noon, Luther moved to a small, crowded office at the back of the building. There was a damaged metal desk and two plastic chairs under a blinking light. This was his temporary legal help center.

Sienna stood by the door, watching a young mother walk in with a crying child. The woman looked very tired, and her eyes were red from crying.

"Mr. Vaughan?" the woman said quietly, shaking. "The person in charge outside said you might be able to help with this."

Luther stood up right away. His massive frame bent down so he could look her in the eyes. "Please, call me Luther. Sit down. What is your name?"

"Elena," she said, sitting on a plastic chair and holding a messy piece of paper. "The landlord came this morning. They put a red notice on my door. They said a new company bought the building and everyone must leave by Sunday. I do not have enough money for a new place. I do not know where to go with my son."

Luther took the wrinkled paper and read the business words. Sienna saw his face get tense and his neck muscles tighten when he saw the name of the fake company at the bottom. He knew it belonged to the Vaughan group.

"Elena, listen to me," Luther said in a calm but serious voice. He reached across the desk and placed his hand on her shaking fingers. "This notice is illegal. In this area, they must give you a ninety-day written warning before any structural eviction. They think they can trick you because you do not know the law."

"But there are guards outside," Elena cried, a tear falling down her face. "They said they will put our furniture in the alley."

"They will not touch your apartment," Luther said strongly. He took out a new notepad and began writing quickly. "I will file an emergency court order against this landlord in less than an hour. I am signing up as your main lawyer. If their people come to your door again, show them this paper and tell them to call Luther Vaughan."

"What is this?" Elena said with surprise, shaking her head. "No, I cannot pay you."

"You aren't paying me. This is emergency money from the clinic's private fund," Luther lied easily, even though Sienna knew the money was from his own savings. "Take it. Use it to pay a deposit on a better place just in case, but do not rush. I am going to fight this company in court. You are safe, Elena. I promise."

Elena started crying again and held the envelope tight against her chest. "Thank you... thank you, Luther. God bless you."

After Elena left, the room became very quiet. Luther stayed sitting at the desk with his head in his hands, leaning over his papers.

Sienna watched him from the door, feeling a sudden, sharp pain in her chest. For three years, Margot Britton had lived only with pure hatred for the Vaughan family. She believed the whole family was a sickness that had to be removed.

But after seeing Luther gently bandaging a crying toddler's scraped knee earlier, and now watching him fight his father's corruption, her defenses began to fall.

"You're staring again, Nilsson," Luther said, without looking.

"I am observing the area, sir," she said, trying to sound emotionless.

Luther laughed tiredly, finally looking up at her. His eyes no longer looked proud or defensive. "You saw the name on the eviction notice, right? It is my father's money. He is removing everyone from the block to build an expensive hotel for his political supporters."

"It is not your fault, Mr. Vaughan,"

Luther stood up and walked close to her, looking directly into her eyes. "It is my fault, Sienna. Every rich thing I have ever had was bought by hurting people like Elena. So do not think I am a good man. I am only trying to fix the mess I made."

His voice sounded truly honest, which was overwhelming. He was not the evil man who had ordered her father's death. Instead, he was a man trying hard to fix the damage his father's business had caused. He was kind and truly a good person. Realizing she was falling deeper with her family's enemy's son felt like a beautiful but scary poison in her body.

At 4:00 PM, the center became quiet. Luther went out to the building's small, hidden rooftop terrace with two cold glass bottles of lemonade. The sun was setting, making the rusty metal roofs of the lower area look warm and golden.

Sienna went after him.

"Here," Luther said, moving closer to her and giving her a cold bottle. His fingers touched hers, and the quick contact made her feel a small shock run up her back.

"Thank you, Mr. Vaughan," she said, her formal voice sounding a little shaky.

"I told you, don't use work talk today, Sienna," Luther leaned his arms on the old metal railing and looked at the city buildings. "Just call me Luther. At least for a few more hours."

Sienna took a slow sip of the cold drink and walked to stand next to him. The bright sunlight hit his face, making his strong jaw look less harsh.

"You do good work here," she said softly. For a moment, her real feelings showed through her calm face. "They really love you."

"They love the help, Sienna," Luther said, turning to face her completely. He moved closer until she could feel the warmth of his breath. He reached out and placed his large, warm hand on her cheek, rubbing his thumb gently under her eyes.

He was not joking this time. His eyes were wide open and full of a deep, quiet love that made Sienna catch her breath.

"You looked at me differently today," Luther whispered in a low, rough voice. "No sunglasses. No cold looks. Who are you when you aren't following me, Sienna? Because when you look at me like that... I feel like I am finally seeing the real you."

Sienna looked up at him, her eyes shining in the setting sun. She felt a heavy need to lean into his hand and tell him everything, letting herself be held by Luther. She slowly moved her hand to his wrist—not to push him away, but to hold his hand against her face for one brief, special moment.

"The truth is," she whispered, her voice shaking with sad feelings, "right now, I am exactly where I want to be."

Luther looked at her lips, feeling a strong warmth in his chest.

'What are you looking,' Sienna thought.

Luther leaned down slowly and kissed her very gently. It was not a sudden or intense moment, but a calm and peaceful one. Sienna closed her eyes, letting the sweetness of the kiss make her forget three years of being alone, feeling lost in his touch.

'What is this feeling? His touch, his kiss—everything feels so breathless and perfect. Why does my heart race like this?'

They continued kissing with a mix of passion and gentleness. Sienna wanted to stop, but she could not. She was so caught up in the moment that even her heart could not pull away.

When he moved away slowly, their foreheads touched for a while, and they could see their breath in the cool afternoon air. He gave her a small, real, and very handsome smile.

"Come on," Luther murmured softly. He took her hand and squeezed it gently before letting go. "Let's go home before Evans notices his leash is missing."



As they walked back to the truck in the evening light, Sienna looked at her hand, still feeling the warmth of his touch. The campaign month was just beginning, but as the quiet day ended, she realized her biggest struggle wouldn't be defeating Arthur Vaughan. Instead, it would be dealing with her love for his son.