Twisted Obsession

46 - Remorse

Lorenzo Vincelli 

As I reached down to help her onto her feet, her knee shot up, connecting with my groin in a sharp burst of pain that made me stagger. Before I could recover, her fist slammed into my face, snapping my head to the side. I stumbled back, blood trickling from my split lip, and in that moment of distraction, she grabbed the diamond from my hand.

"Luciana!" I shouted, but she was already bolting for the door.

Wiping the blood from my lip, I cursed under my breath and took off after her. She was fast, too fast, her movements driven by sheer determination and adrenaline. My hand shot out, fingers gripping the back of her vest just as she reached the balcony doors. She jolted at the sudden tug, twisting her body with surprising agility.

Her hands moved with precision, unclipping the straps of her vest in one fluid motion. Before I could react, the vest slipped free, leaving me holding an empty piece of fabric. Without hesitation, she slammed through the balcony doors and hurled herself over the railing.

"Shit!" I rushed to the edge, my heart pounding in my chest as I leaned over, expecting the worst. Instead, I saw her body hit the water below with a loud splash, sending ripples across the pool. Relief flooded through me as I exhaled a shaky breath. Thank god, she landed safely.

But then the water began to darken, a bloom of red spreading like ink in the clear blue. Her wound—she was still bleeding.

She clawed her way out of the pool, dripping water and blood, her movements quick despite her injuries. My men closed in, trying to subdue her, but she was relentless. She moved like a storm, snatching a rifle from one of the guards before they could react.

The sound of gunfire tore through the air as she took them down one by one, each shot precise, lethal. I watched in a mixture of frustration and grim admiration as she cleared a path for herself, bodies hitting the ground around her.

She didn't stop to catch her breath. She ran, disappearing into the dense shadows of the forest beyond, leaving behind a scene of chaos and a trail of blood.

My chest heaved with the effort to suppress the rage boiling inside me. How had it come to this? How had she—an injured woman, outnumbered and surrounded—managed to slip through my grasp yet again?

One of my men approached cautiously, his voice hesitant. "Boss... shall I get the drone in the air?"

I didn't even turn to face him. My hand moved on instinct, drawing my gun and pulling the trigger. The sharp crack echoed through the air as his body crumpled to the ground.

I shoved the gun back into its holster, my jaw tightening as I pulled out my phone. I wasn't going to waste time with drones.

Her mistake was underestimating me—thinking she could outsmart someone who had planned for every possibility. I pulled out my phone, my fingers steady as I tapped the screen to activate the tracker embedded in the air tag I'd slipped into her pocket earlier.

The screen lit up, revealing the blinking dot. I watched it for a moment, tracking its movement as it darted across the map. She was alive, running, but no matter how fast or far she went, she wouldn't get away.

My jaw tightened, resolved hardening. She was mine to find, and I'd be damned if I let her slip through my grasp again.

"Run all you want, Lia," I muttered under my breath, a cold smirk curling at the edges of my lips. "I'll always find you."

I left the balcony without another glance, my mind a whirlwind of frustration and determination. Jogging downstairs, I didn't bother barking orders—my men knew better than to get in my way now. Sliding into my Maybach, the engine roared to life as I tore down the gravel road, the tires kicking up dust behind me.