Maria's Heart

hoped, her latest pro bono case hitting roadblock after roadblock. But helping people like Mrs Romano, a widow fighting to keep her home from foreclosure, is w

legal briefs and deadlines. She didn't see the man watching her from the shadows of a nearby alleyway, his sharp suit catching the faint glow of the streetlights.

he pursued the thief down a dark alley. She wasn't sure what she'd do if she caught him, but the thought of l

ured by the shadows, but his presence was unmistakable. The thief tried to veer around him, but it was no use. With a single, fluid motion, the man grabbed the thief by

omething more edge of danger that set her on high alert. "Is this yours?" he asked, holding up the purse. Maria nodded, too stunned to speak. "Next time, don't chase criminals," he said, his tone scolding but not unkind. "It's not safe." "I couldn't just let him ge

t their paths would cross again. Maria barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his piercing grey eyes, the faint smirk that danced on his l

The headlines were as grim as ever: rising crime rates, ongoing turf wars between rival families, and whispers of a mafia feud escalating in the city. She barely registered the details, though. Her mi

ting background noise, helping her focus. That's when she saw him again. He walked in like he owned the place, and for all, Maria knew, he very well might. Heads turned as he

ia, isn't it?" he said, his voice smooth as silk. She blinked in surprise. "How do you know my name?" His smile widened. "You left your business card in the purse. Thought it might come in handy." Maria frowned, her lawyer's instincts kicking in. "You kept my card? That's... resourceful." "Resourceful is one way to put it," he said, p

he sentence. Luca raised an eyebrow. "I'm what?" Maria swallowed hard. "Dangerous." His laughter was soft but unnerving. "I suppose that depends on who you ask." Luca's presence unnerved her, but Maria couldn't deny the magnetic

a replied, his tone light. "But if you insist, let me buy you dinner." Maria's instincts screamed at her to refuse. This man was dangerous, a walking storm in an expensive suit. But there was something about him all

as the symbol of the Valenti family. The air shifted, the room growing tense as the men scanned the café. Their eyes landed on Luca, and the leader of the group smirked. "Well, well," the man said, his

so friendly." Maria's heart pounded as she watched the exchange. The tension in the room was palpable, and she realized just how dangerous Luca's world truly was. As Dominic and his men left, Luca turned to her, his

hear it. The moment Dominic and his men left, the tension in the room shifted. Patrons began whispering among themselves, sneaking glances

softened, but his eyes still had an unmistakable edge. "You look like you've seen a ghost," he said, breaking the silence. Maria forced a laugh, though it came out shakier than she intended. "I'm just... processi

a figure who thrived in the shadows of society. And yet, here she was, unable to look away. "I think it's the fact that you're so calm about it," Maria admitted, h

whether to ask him more or run as far away as possible. But somethi

second before he silenced it and slipped the phone into his pocket. "Business?" Maria asked, trying to lighten the mood. "You could say that

explain myself to anyone," he began, his voice low and deliberate. "But since you're sitting here, asking questions you probably shouldn't be asking, I'll tell you this much: Dominic is a no

g, the weight of her curiosity pushing her further into his world. "I should go," Maria said suddenly, standing up so quickly, that her chair scraped again

ntle. "That's not necessary," Maria replied, shaking her head. "Humor me," he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. Against her better judgment, Maria found herself

stepped out as they approached. "Miss Moretti will be joining us," Luca said to the driver before opening the door for Maria. She hesitated for a moment,

ed to her, his grey eyes softening. "Because I want to make sure you're safe. And because I don't want this to be the last time we see each other." Maria's

her head, each one more pressing than the last. Who was Luca? What had drawn him into the world

voice barely above a whisper. Luca nodded, his gaze lingering on her. "Be careful, Maria. The world isn't as safe as you think." Before she could respond, he was back in the car,

ay he seemed to walk through life with an unshakable confidence. But beneath the surface, there was something else. A darkness. A danger that both terrified and intrigued

wly, her thoughts still heavy with the events of the previous day. Luca DeLuca had entered her life like a storm, disrupting the carefully constructed order she clung to. She told her

she waited for the brew, her eyes wandered to the small stack of case files on her counter, the Romano case sitting right on top. She reached for it

a flame. It was reckless and irrational, but there was no denying the pull. Her phone buzzed on the counter, jolting her fr

could decide how to respond, another message came through. "I'd like to see you again. Tonight. My driver will pick you up at 7. Say yes." Mar

running through her head. When she opened the door, it wasn't Luca or anyone she recognized. A deliveryman stood there, holding a small black b

quickening as she set the package on the table. Carefully, she untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. Inside was

for justice, standing firm against the kind of men Luca represented. But now, faced with his charm, his confidence, and his da

opening the door to Luca's world would come with risks that could destroy everything she had worked for. But as she

p her phone, her fingers trembling as

es