Property of No One
1139 Words
The elevator ride down felt longer than it should have.
Elena stood between two of Lucien Devereaux’s men, refusing to look at either of them. The silence inside the steel box was suffocating, broken only by the faint hum of the cables and the steady drumming of rain against the building.
The apartment door had been left open.
Her home—if it could still be called that—disappeared from view as the elevator descended.
She wasn’t sure if she would ever see it again.
The doors slid open.
Outside, a convoy of black SUVs waited along the deserted street. Their glossy exteriors reflected the flashing city lights like predators waiting for a signal to strike.
Lucien stood beside the first vehicle, one hand tucked into his coat pocket while the rain soaked the shoulders of his tailored suit. He didn’t seem bothered by the storm.
One of his men opened the rear door.
“Get in.”
Elena folded her arms.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
The bodyguard sighed, as if he’d heard those words a hundred times before.
Lucien looked over his shoulder.
“What seems to be the problem?”
“She refuses to cooperate, Boss.”
Lucien walked toward her with slow, measured steps.
“You think k********g me is going to solve your problem?” Elena demanded.
“No.”
He stopped in front of her.
“I already solved my problem.”
His gray eyes settled on hers.
“Now I’m solving yours.”
She laughed bitterly.
“My problem?”
“You’ll understand soon enough.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“No,” he replied calmly. “You need the truth.”
Before she could ask what he meant, a deafening screech of tires shattered the night.
A black motorcycle burst around the corner at terrifying speed.
The rider raised a handgun.
“Boss!”
One of Lucien’s guards shouted the warning.
Everything happened in seconds.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bullets tore through the rain.
Glass exploded.
One of the SUVs’ windows shattered into thousands of glittering pieces.
Instinctively, Lucien grabbed Elena by the waist and pulled her behind him.
Another shot rang out.
His guards returned fire.
The motorcycle swerved violently before disappearing into the darkness of the city.
Silence returned as suddenly as it had vanished.
Rain continued falling as though nothing had happened.
Elena blinked.
She was pressed firmly against Lucien’s chest.
His arm remained wrapped around her protectively.
“You…” she whispered.
“You shielded me.”
Lucien glanced down at her.
“I shielded what belongs in my custody.”
Her expression hardened.
“I don’t belong to anyone.”
For the first time that night, the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.
“We’ll see.”
One of the guards approached.
“They got away.”
Lucien’s face turned cold again.
“I know.”
“Should we chase them?”
“No.”
The guard frowned.
“They wanted me distracted.”
His gaze swept across the street.
“They weren’t here to kill me.”
He looked directly at Elena.
“They were here for her.”
A chill raced down Elena’s spine.
“What?”
Lucien didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he opened the SUV door himself.
“This city has started hunting you.”
“I don’t even know these people!”
“Exactly.”
His voice was almost thoughtful.
“Which means someone else knows something you don’t.”
Elena stared at him.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Her father’s debt.
The mysterious contract.
The attack.
Now strangers were trying to kill—or capture—her.
She hated that the only person who seemed to understand what was happening was the man she feared most.
Lucien extended his hand.
“Get in the car.”
She looked at his hand but made no move.
“If I come with you…”
“You’ll get answers.”
“And if I refuse?”
His expression remained unreadable.
“You’ll probably be dead before sunrise.”
The honesty in his voice terrified her more than any threat could have.
After a long moment, she climbed into the SUV.
Lucien followed, closing the door behind them.
The convoy pulled away from the curb, disappearing into the rain-soaked streets.
Neither of them noticed the lone figure watching from the rooftop across the road.
A pair of binoculars lowered slowly.
The watcher smiled.
“So…”
He slipped a phone from his pocket.
“The Wolf finally found her.”
A distorted voice answered from the other end.
“Good.”
The caller chuckled.
“Phase Two begins tonight.”
The call ended.
Below, the convoy vanished into the darkness, unaware that an even greater game had already begun.
Inside the SUV, the silence was almost unbearable.
The rain drummed against the tinted windows as the city lights streaked past in blurred lines of gold and white. Elena sat rigidly against the door, putting as much distance between herself and Lucien as the spacious backseat allowed.
She folded her arms.
“Where are you taking me?”
Lucien didn’t look at her.
“Home.”
She let out a dry laugh.
“You broke into my apartment and dragged me into your car. Don’t insult me.”
His gaze remained fixed on the road ahead.
“I wasn’t referring to your apartment.”
“I don’t have another home.”
“You do now.”
She turned sharply.
“I’d rather sleep on the streets.”
Lucien finally met her eyes.
“I know.”
The certainty in his voice unsettled her.
“You’ve survived by refusing help your entire life,” he continued. “That makes you resilient.”
“And?”
“It also makes you predictable.”
Elena looked away, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.
A few moments later, the convoy slowed as towering black iron gates emerged from the darkness. Two armed guards stepped forward, recognizing the lead vehicle instantly.
The gates creaked open.
Beyond them stood an enormous estate, illuminated by soft golden lights. The mansion looked less like a home and more like a fortress, surrounded by high stone walls, security cameras, and men patrolling every corner.
Elena swallowed hard.
“This is your house?”
Lucien gave a slight nod.
“No.”
She frowned.
“It’s my kingdom.”
The SUV rolled to a stop beneath a grand entrance.
A line of staff members stood waiting under the shelter of the portico, their heads bowed in silent respect.
As Lucien stepped out of the vehicle, every person lowered their gaze.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
Elena stared at the scene in disbelief.
For the first time, she understood why people didn’t simply call him a crime boss.
- Writer
