28: Secrets Beneath the Surface
28: Secrets Beneath the Surface
"Loving her meant lying to her—and I was running out of time."
Luca’s POV
The Cost of Keeping Her
I stood on the penthouse balcony, the city spread below me—bright lights that meant nothing while she was inside.
Isabella.
My blood was inside her. My mark burned on her skin.
And still—I was losing her.
Not to the Elders.
Not to her power.
To him.
Dante’s scent still lingered in the bedroom—a silent reminder of how close I had come to losing everything.
And I couldn’t let it happen again.
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A Lie That Holds Us Together
The blood oath should’ve bound her fully to me—body and soul.
But I knew the truth.
It wasn’t just about tying her to me.
It was about controlling the part of her that was too dangerous to exist.
If I didn’t keep her grounded, the darkness inside her would destroy us both.
But if she ever found out what I had done—
She would never forgive me.
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The Elders’ Warning Still Echoes
I pulled my phone from my pocket, Gregor’s last message still flashing on the screen:
"You’ve bought yourself time, Devereaux. But not forever."
The blood oath had satisfied them for now—but I knew they wanted more.
They wanted her.
And if I didn’t find a way to fully control her power, they would tear her from me.
Isabella’s POV
A Power I Don’t Understand
I stood in front of the mirror, my pulse pounding as I pulled Luca’s shirt from my body.
The faint scar where he’d bitten me was still there—a permanent reminder that I was his.
But it didn’t feel like protection.
It felt like something else.
And no matter how much I tried to push it away, I could still feel Dante’s kiss—warm and soft, where Luca’s was always ruthless.
I wanted to hate him for touching me.
But the worst part?
I didn’t.
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Something Is Changing
I traced my fingers over the scar, but beneath my skin, a new pulse stirred—a dangerous heat curling in my blood.
It wasn’t vampire.
And it wasn’t human.
I didn’t know what I was becoming.
But I knew one thing—
Whatever Luca was hiding from me…
I could feel it growing stronger.
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I pulled the shirt back over my body, but as I turned away from the mirror—
A cold shiver crept down my spine.
Someone was watching me.
I spun toward the balcony—just in time to catch a glimpse of a shadow.
Not Luca.
Dante.
He wasn’t done with me.
And the next time he came for me—
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop him.
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The Invitation I Should’ve Refused
"A man like Luca Devereaux didn’t beg. But tonight—he wanted me to want him back."
I should’ve said no.
I should’ve stayed in his penthouse, wrapped in silence, and figured out why my body craved two men who could destroy me.
But when Luca had leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear, and murmured—
"Let me take you out, dolcezza. I want to see you in something sinful."
—I couldn’t stop myself from saying yes.
And now, as I stepped into the restaurant, every head turned.
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Dressed to Break any Man
The dress was deep red, silk clinging to every curve, the hem dangerously high, and the plunging neckline leaving little to the imagination.
It wasn’t a dress meant for dinner.
It was a dress meant for ruining men.
And from the way Luca’s silver eyes burned as he held the door open, I knew exactly which man I was breaking tonight.
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A Predator in a Suit
He didn’t let the hostess escort us—he already had a private table waiting, tucked in the back, where the light was low and the shadows felt dangerous.
When I slid into the leather booth, Luca didn’t sit across from me.
He slid in beside me, so close that his thigh pressed against mine, the heat of his body soaking into my skin.
"You look like sin, Bella," he murmured, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.
"Are you trying to kill me?"
I smiled, refusing to look at him. "Just returning the favor."
His chuckle was dark and low, but his fingers traced slow, lazy circles along the inside of my thigh.
And I knew—this wasn’t about dinner.
It was about control.
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The waiter appeared, and Luca ordered without asking me, his voice smooth as velvet.
But I barely heard him.
Not when his fingers slid beneath the table, dragging up my thigh to where my skin burned for his touch.
"No panties?" His voice dropped to a wicked whisper.
"Naughty girl."