Chapter 8

Eleanor's POV

After our wild night at the hotel, my body felt like it had been taken apart and pieced back together wrong. My inner thighs, in particular, ached with a dull, throbbing soreness, a slight chafe stinging with every small movement.

I couldn't even count how many times my clothes had gotten soaked last night. I just remember that when I finally drifted into an exhausted sleep, Lucas's massive erection was still pressed firmly between my legs.

We hadn't gone all the way, but I felt like I already belonged to him completely.

The feeling sent a hotter blush to my cheeks than any real wedding night ever could.

Winter had already called, urging us to come down for a meal, but Lucas was still sound asleep beside me. His breathing was even, his expression as peaceful as a believer finding solace in prayer. I noticed the corner of his mouth was turned up in a slight smile. I wondered what beautiful dream he was having—maybe he'd met his own Eve in that dream world.

I wanted to let him sleep a little longer. He hadn't said a word, but I could just feel how exhausted he must be.

The moment I tried to prop myself up, a shrill ringtone shattered the quiet.

Lucas's eyes snapped open. Those deep, dark irises were like a black hole, ready to suck a person's soul right in.

He answered the call, his tone clipped with annoyance. "Fine, I get it. I'll bring her over."

Brought who over?

Unless I was mistaken, the last person he glanced at before hanging up was me?

Where was he taking me? Was our relationship at a point where we could be so public?

Campbell had just sent his men to drag me back yesterday. If he found out I was with Lucas, he would absolutely lose his mind.

And when that happened, it wouldn't just be me and Lucas in trouble. The Costa family would be dragged into the mess.

Only when the room fell completely silent did I dare to ask in a small voice, "That call just now…"

"There's a family dinner tonight. You're coming with me," Lucas announced, leaving no room for argument.

"Aren't you worried about people seeing us together?" I couldn't help but ask.

Even though my engagement to Campbell hadn't been officially announced, the other mafia families had definitely heard the rumors. The last party was a small affair, with few of the real power players present. It was nothing compared to a formal Costa family dinner.

I couldn't even begin to imagine the chaos it would cause if I showed up at a Costa family dinner on Lucas's arm.

If some malicious gossipmonger reported this to Campbell, both of us could be in mortal danger.

Lucas swung his legs over the side of the bed, his tone surprisingly casual. "They want to meet you."

"They?"

"The other core members of the Costa family."

I froze. Was Lucas planning to formally introduce me to his inner circle?

But wasn't this just a transaction?

I stared at him, completely bewildered, finding it harder and harder to understand what was going on in his head.

Lucas clearly noticed my confusion, but instead of explaining, he just urged, "Hurry up. We need to go pick out a dress."

I knew I had no room to refuse.

Fine. Let's go. It was something I'd have to face sooner or later. If Lucas was this confident, what did I have to be afraid of?

The gown was chosen entirely based on Lucas's aesthetic.

I had to admit, the man had impeccable taste. The pale lavender dress perfectly complemented my features without being flashy enough to steal the spotlight.

I guessed that the host of tonight's dinner was the highest-ranking person in the family. Otherwise, Lucas wouldn't be taking it this seriously.

This was the second time I was attending a gala as Lucas's date.

This time, the guests were even more magnificently dressed. The jewels and gowns they wore were each worth a fortune, their design and craftsmanship flawless.

Lucas guided me through the crowd. I silently thanked my lucky stars that it was him who brought me here tonight, and not Theodore. With Theodore, I never would have gotten access to these truly powerful figures.

I shot Lucas a grateful look.

Halfway through my champagne, Lucas introduced me to a woman who, despite the opulent surroundings, looked remarkably down-to-earth.

"This is my aunt," Lucas said. "The matriarch of the Costa family."

The head of the Costa family was a woman.

A wave of respect washed over me. I raised my glass, about to speak. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I…"

A deafening crash. The window right beside me exploded.

Shards of glass sprayed across the room, slicing my skin, but the sheer terror numbed me to any pain.

After a violent ringing in my ears subsided, I whipped my head around, desperately searching for Lucas.

A strong arm immediately wrapped around my waist. Lucas's magnetic voice was a low rumble in my ear. "Stay close to me. The Costas' enemies are here."

He pulled me tight against his body as the air filled with the deafening chatter of gunfire.

I kicked off my heels in an instant, practically hanging off him as I followed his lead, sprinting out of the grand hall.

Lucas held me with one arm, a pistol in his other hand, calmly returning fire at the gunmen who had stormed in.

Those men radiated a chilling, murderous intent. The way they looked at Lucas was like a wolf staring at its cornered prey.

Didn't tell me the Costas' enemies are the Volkers.

As my mind raced with wild theories, Lucas's deep voice cut through from above. "Focus."

He was clearly hindered, having to both hold me and shoot back. To stop being a liability, I twisted out of his embrace, grabbed his arm, and ran close behind him instead.

Lucas's aim was terrifyingly precise. Not a single bullet was wasted.

Warm blood splattered onto my calf, searing my skin like a flame.

Even growing up in my family, I had never witnessed a scene of such bloody chaos.

I followed Lucas, running for what felt like an eternity until we finally burst out of the building and scrambled back into the car.

Just as I let out a breath of relief, I felt a sticky wetness on my palm. The heart that had just settled in my chest shot straight back into my throat.

My eyes snapped to him, a sharp, needle-like pain pricking them. "You're hurt! I need to treat your wound."

"Wait." Lucas gritted his teeth against the pain and drove to a deserted, open area.

He grabbed a first-aid kit from the back seat and tossed it onto my lap. "Okay. Now."

With that, he leaned back against the seat, waiting for me to patch him up.

I tried to control my trembling hands, stunned by his composure.

I opened the kit. It was fully stocked with medical supplies. It seemed attacks like this were just another Tuesday for him.

Because it hadn't been treated immediately, Lucas's wound was a mangled mess of flesh, especially the one on his palm. It looked like it had been viciously torn open by a blade.

I blew gently on the wound, my movements as soft as I could manage. "That must hurt so much."

As the antiseptic powder hit his skin, Lucas flinched, instinctively trying to pull his hand back. I immediately clamped down on his wrist, my tone leaving no room for argument. "If you ever want to hold a gun with this hand again, you'll let me finish this. Then, you're going to the hospital with me."

I stopped worrying about whether it hurt and just held his wrist firmly, beginning to wrap the bandage.

Even without looking up, I could feel Lucas's scorching gaze on me.

What was he thinking? Why was he staring at me like that?

His gaze was so direct, so intense, I could feel my own breathing growing shallow. He reached out with his uninjured hand and gently caressed my cheek, his touch as delicate as if he were handling a priceless treasure.

Just as I finished tying off the bandage, Lucas spoke, his voice suddenly raw. "My mother killed herself when I was very young."

My hands stilled. A familiar sting pricked my nose.

Before I could offer any words of comfort, he continued. "She ended her life right next to me. She was going to take me with her, but for some reason, she changed her mind. She pushed me out of the room and locked the door. I watched through the window as she slit her own wrists. By the time I managed to break the door down, it was too late."

Lucas's shoulders were trembling, his hands clenched into tight fists. The fresh bandage I had just wrapped was instantly soaked through with crimson.

Just like his eyes, stained red with a lifetime of pain.