Veil of Shadows

Chapter Fourteen- Lucas

The room was dimly lit, shadows creeping along the walls like specters. My body ached with every breath, each movement sending jolts of pain through my veins. I blinked, trying to clear the fog from my mind, but the disorientation clung to me, dragging me back toward the darkness.

I wasn't dead—at least, not yet. The smell of antiseptic and the quiet hum of a ceiling fan were the first real sensations I could grasp. My surroundings started to take shape. A low, worn-out couch, bookshelves crammed with medical journals, and the faint outline of a familiar figure sitting across the room. Dr. Marino.

"Lucas," his voice was rough, a gravelly whisper as he noticed me stirring. "You're awake."

I pushed myself up on my elbows, the effort making my vision swim. My throat was dry, and it took a moment to find my voice. "How long?"

"Forty-eight hours. I couldn't risk moving you. You were... barely hanging on."

Forty-eight hours. The realization hit me like a fist to the gut. I'd been out for two days, lying here like a useless lump while the world kept spinning. My mind immediately went to Evangeline, the Moretti estate, the battle we barely survived. A sickening sense of dread settled in my stomach, tightening like a vice.

"Shit..." I muttered, swinging my legs off the couch. My whole body screamed in protest, but I ignored it, forcing myself to stand. I had to get back, had to make sure—

"Lucas, you need more rest. You can barely stand," Marino insisted, stepping forward to steady me.

"There's no time," I snapped, brushing his hand away. "Something's wrong, I can feel it."

"You were on the verge of death, Lucas. If you don't—"

"Fuck that," I cut him off, my tone venomous. "I should have been there. I should have gone back."

The look in Marino's eyes was filled with concern, but he knew better than to argue. He handed me a clean shirt and nodded toward the door. "At least let me drive you back."

I didn't have time to argue, so I took the shirt, wincing as I pulled it over my bandaged chest. Every movement was agony, but it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was getting back to the estate.

We made it outside, the cool air hitting my face like a slap. I stumbled toward the car, my vision blurring momentarily as a wave of dizziness washed over me. I could feel Marino's gaze on me, full of unspoken words, but I ignored him, shoving myself into the passenger seat.

As Marino started the engine, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I fumbled to pull it out, my fingers clumsy and shaking from the lingering effects of the drugs and blood loss. A message. No words, just a photo.

My breath caught in my throat as I opened it. The image seared itself into my mind, a visceral punch of terror and rage. Evangeline, bound to a chair, her wrists tied tightly to the armrests. Her face was bruised, one eye swollen shut, blood trickling from her split lip. Her blouse was torn open, exposing her chest, and the sheer vulnerability in her posture made bile rise in my throat.

The room she was in was unfamiliar, the background blurred and unrecognizable, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the fear in her eyes. The look of terror that said more than any threat could. She was alive, but just barely.

"Jesus Christ..." I whispered, my hands shaking as I gripped the phone. My mind raced, a whirlwind of emotions threatening to tear me apart. The rage, the guilt, the overwhelming need to destroy anyone who dared to touch her.

"Lucas, what is it?" Marino's voice cut through the haze, but I couldn't find the words to respond.

Instead, I just showed him the phone, the image speaking louder than any explanation I could give. His face went pale, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel.

"We'll get her back," Marino said, his voice firm but shaken.

"We have to," I muttered, more to myself than to him. But the truth was, I had no idea where to even start. The Giovannis had her, and if they were willing to send this, it meant they weren't planning on keeping her alive for long.

I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. The only thing keeping me from completely losing it was the image of Evangeline's face, beaten and terrified, burned into my mind. The Giovannis were going to pay for this. Every single one of them.

But first, I had to find her. And I had no idea where to start.