The Marriage Debt (Underworld Kings)

“You think this is about revenge?” His eyes narrow as he pulls away the tie, and I rub my sore wrists. “You really don’t know, do you?”

“You’re trying to ruin me beyond repair. Well, you’ve succeeded,” I reply, a tear welling up in my eye.

“I told you what would happen if you tempted me,” he says, licking his lips. “You asked me to fuck you … and I gave you what you wanted.”

What I wanted.

What I asked for.

Suddenly, I remember why.

I look down at his pocket.

At the one place he’s stashed the only key to this place.

I should’ve taken the chance when he wasn’t looking and was distracted by my body. That’s why I did it, why I told him to fuck me. So why didn’t I do what I was supposed to do, what I told myself I would?

Suddenly, his lips are on mine, stealing my breath away as well as the tiny voice inside my head telling me to fight him off and steal his key.

It’s my only chance at freedom.

My only chance at an escape from him.

But his lips … God, his lips know how to seduce me into giving up.

“It’s never enough,” Luca murmurs against my lips. “Even when you’re completely mine, it’s never fucking enough.”

What does he mean? And why is he kissing me like this when he just got what he wanted all along? Is there something more going on than he—

BANG!

The loud noise makes my pupils dilate, and I jolt up and down. “What was that?”

I pull down my dress to ensure no one sees me if a guard walks in. Luca’s muscles tense against me, his strong arms wrapping around my waist as he looks around, completely on edge.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen … was it?” I mutter as he shoves his dick back into his pants and zips up.

Another bang makes him turn around.

It sounded like a gunshot.

“This’ll have to wait. Stay here.” The concern in his voice has me on edge.

Luca immediately runs off, leaving me completely in the dark and with a heart filled with turmoil.

What did he mean when he said it was never enough?

There’s no time to ask. Within seconds, there’s another bang.

This isn’t random anymore. It’s definitely gunshots.

Someone must be trying to break in.

Oh, my God. Is it my family? Have they had enough of the De Voses’ games? Are they coming to rescue me?

I can’t stop my feet from moving in the direction of the sound, desperate to know what’s going on. Curiosity overtakes the need to stay safe, huddled up in Luca’s office as I walk out the door.

The living room is filled with smoke. The sound of gunshots fills the room.

My heart beats in my throat as I step forward and stumble across the body of a guard.

A dead fucking guard.

Shit.

Blood pours from his head wound, and I go to my knees to check his pulse, but it’s definitely gone.

BANG!

I duck for cover behind the kitchen counter.

What the fuck? That was much closer than I thought they were.

They must be right near the front door, whoever they are.

And the mere thought of getting out of this difficult situation has my heart racing. Adrenaline surges through my body as I lift my head and look around the corner.

Smoke covers the area until another shot lights up the hallway.

Someone grunts.

THUD!

Something fell to the floor … or someone.

Was it Luca?

The thought makes my heart stop.

“You’re all alone.” It’s Luca. “Get out now or die a slow and painful death.”

Who is he talking to?

I hold my breath and take a step in the direction of the hallway. I need to know who’s there. What if it’s my father? I can’t let him sacrifice himself for me.

Another shot is audible, but it doesn’t stop me from inching closer and closer.

“Let her go.”

I stop in my tracks.

My heart almost stops beating as my jaw drops.

That voice …

I peer around the corner, and in an instant, our eyes connect.

Nick.

Chapter 26

Luca

* * *

Bullets and bloodstains are embedded in the walls, bodies of both my guards and the enemy littering the floor.

Whoever the fuck this asshole is, he came prepared.

But not fucking prepared enough.

I click in a new magazine and aim at the area I last saw movement. Each last one of them that dared to get close got a bullet through their brain. I know there are more. I don’t know where they are, but I’ll lure them out.

“You want her? Come get her,” I growl.

The silence is deafening until…

“There you are,” I say through gritted teeth as he appears from behind the corner of my guard room, blood pooling near the door.

No fucking wonder they didn’t detect him and alerted me before it was too late.

He came in through the side entrance and killed them one by one, stealth mode.

The only motherfucker standing between them and my penthouse was Max. He’s still right in front of the door, coughing up blood.