Forever Or Never

H e a r t b r e a k h o t e l

Her vision hazy, Adalie blinked. Then exhaled slowly.

The two girls from earlier linked hands, their eyes glassy as they filed toward the double doors . Towards Adalie

“Adalie” Luca said, his voice soft. Careful. They stop .
She nodded. “I’m . . . fine.” Adalie continued staring at Luca's face, tracing its lines in an effort to calm herself, her throat dry, the words a jumble on her tongue. “Why did you . . . I mean, What did you do to—”The remembrance pulled at her insides. Washed her cheeks an unbecoming pallor. Not from remorse—as she still did not feel any—but more from the harshness of such actions. The coldness

Adalie had seen death before.
She was no stranger to the sight. But that did not make it any easier to bear witness to it now. Nor did it make its finality any less severe.
A life had been taken tonight.
Like that, the guy was gone.
Many realizations gripped Adalie in the moments following the body :
The man had died a violent death. That much was clear from hole in his head . Adalie had never seen a wound like that. And Luca had killed him , her Luca

She met him eye for eye, glare for glare, her heart thudding behind her ribs. Adalie waited for him to ask them to leave. After all, this building belonged to his family. And no matter what anyone might say otherwise, it was clear Luca ruled the Ophidians , from its coffered ceiling to the snake slithering across its plush carpets. the same as the tattoo on his wrist

Instead, Luca remained silent. The bronze skin around his eyes and forehead softened, the set of his shoulders unwinding. Before Adalie could take a breath, charm oozed from him with the kind of natural grace reserved for nobility when he stared at her .
It was an unnerving sight to behold.
“Iraan..” he then turned to the tall Asian

“Sumimasen gomen'nasai.” A devious light glimmered in Iraan's eyes.

Luca's sable eyes flashed dark green , his features sharpening,

Luca's eyes narrowed, his lips pursing. “she was supposed to be on stage ?”
“She asked to see you.” Iraan said coiley. “I forgot I was on distraction duty.” The fury had reached Luca's face , his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. Luca glared at nothing .

“Can you give me an hour?  ” he said to the nameless individuals
With that, he took Adalie's by the hand and they reeled through the room —before spinning through the double doors and lead her towards the edge of a balcony into the velvet darkness.
Alarm flared across her lovely face. “Priscilla forbade—”
“I don’t give a damn what Priscilla said,” Luca  all but snarled .

“Adalie.” Luca gripped her by the shoulders, willing his expression calm.

“ If I didn't stop him God knows what other havoc they could've done to our business , he had to die.”