That night, Serena sat by her window, staring at the moonlit gardens below. Her heart still hadn't calmed from the library. The memory of Lorenzo's lips against hers—cold, commanding—burned through her like fire.
She told herself it wasn't real. It wasn't desire, it was survival. He kissed her to silence her, nothing more. But the way her body had betrayed her, the way her breath had caught—it felt like a sin she couldn't erase.
She pressed her hands to her face. I can't want him. I can't trust him.
But even as she tried to push him from her mind, she found herself wondering when he would appear again.
The estate was quieter than usual, but not peaceful. Guards patrolled with sharper eyes, guns hidden beneath jackets. Her father had been in his study all evening with men Serena didn't recognize, their voices tense, their tones clipped. Something was wrong.
Serena curled up in bed, staring at the shadows dancing across her ceiling. She was just beginning to drift into restless sleep when the first scream pierced the night.
Her eyes flew open.
Then came the gunshots.
She rushed to the balcony, pulling the curtains aside. The courtyard below was chaos—men in black pouring through the gates, bullets sparking against stone, guards firing back in frantic bursts. The sharp scent of gunpowder filled the air.
Her hands gripped the railing until her knuckles ached. This wasn't a threat. This was war.
The door to her bedroom creaked behind her. Serena spun, heart hammering.
A figure stepped from the shadows. Dark suit, tie undone, gun in hand.
Lorenzo.
"You," she whispered, stunned.
He strode toward her, his expression hard. "We don't have time. You need to move."
Her chest heaved. "My father—he's out there—"
"Your father can handle himself," Lorenzo cut in sharply. "But if they find you, you're dead."
The door slammed open. A masked intruder burst in, rifle raised. Serena froze, a scream caught in her throat.
Lorenzo moved faster. His gun fired once, sharp and deafening. The man fell, blood staining the marble.
Serena stumbled back, her knees weak. She had seen violence before—she was her father's daughter—but never so close. Never like this.
Her gaze snapped to Lorenzo, chest heaving. He stood over the body like it meant nothing, his jaw set, eyes blazing.
He turned to her, voice a growl. "Stay with me, or you won't live to see tomorrow."
Before she could respond, another explosion shook the estate. Shouts rang from the halls. The enemy was inside.
Lorenzo grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the shadows of the corridor. Serena's world blurred—gunfire, smoke, the pounding of her own heart. She didn't know if she was running toward safety or into deeper danger.
But she knew one thing for certain.
The only thing standing between her and death… was the man she wasn't supposed to want.
End of Chapter 5 – Blood in the Shadows