The darkness of the ballroom swallowed them whole. The muffled sounds of people shouting, the crash of glass breaking, the pounding of footsteps echoing through the room—it all felt like a nightmare. Rachel's pulse hammered in her ears as Luca pulled her through the shadows, away from the chaos.
"Move," Luca commanded, his grip on her arm firm, almost urgent.
She barely had time to process what was happening. In a blink, they were backstage, hidden behind a heavy velvet curtain that led to a narrow, dimly lit hallway.
Rachel's breath came in sharp bursts. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice strained.
"Someone tipped off the wrong people," Luca said, his tone dark and full of cold precision. "This auction was meant to be a covert operation, but it's been compromised."
He didn't stop moving. There was no time for questions, no time for anything except survival. His eyes flickered over his shoulder. "Stay close, and keep quiet."
Rachel obeyed, adrenaline coursing through her. She had never been in a situation like this—had never imagined she would be running for her life, pulled deeper into this web of criminality. But everything felt so real now, too real to ignore.
They reached a side exit, Luca pushing the door open with urgency. The night air was cool against Rachel's skin, a stark contrast to the heat of the ballroom. But the peace of the outside world didn't last long.
A car screeched to a halt near them. The headlights shone bright, and for a moment, Rachel's thought they might be safe. But as the door swung open, two armed men emerged, their weapons drawn.
Luca didn't hesitate. He yanked Rachel to the ground, covering her body with his own. Gunshots rang out, the sound deafening in the otherwise silent street.
Rachel's breath hitched, panic threatening to overwhelm her. She could hear Luca's steady breathing beside her, but his body was tense, his every muscle coiled with purpose.
"Get to the car!" Luca growled, his voice barely audible above the chaos.
Before Rachel could process his words, he was on his feet, pulling out a gun of his own. His movements were fluid, controlled. He fired back at the men, forcing them to retreat into the shadows.
Rachel scrambled to her feet, her legs shaky. She stumbled, but Luca caught her arm before she could fall.
"We're getting out of here," he said, his voice low and commanding.
They sprinted toward the car, Luca guiding Rachel with a grip that was more protective than controlling. He threw open the passenger door, pushing her inside before slamming it shut behind her.
The engine roared to life as Luca slid into the driver's seat, his hands steady on the wheel. His eyes scanned the rearview mirror, his jaw clenched.
"Hold on," he muttered.
The car shot forward, tires screeching as they sped through the city streets. The sounds of pursuit were distant, but Rachel could feel the danger lingering just behind them.
"I don't understand," she said, her voice shaky. "Why are they after us?"
Luca's gaze flickered to her for just a second before returning to the road. "The Crown of Nebet wasn't the only thing worth stealing tonight."
Rachel's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
"The crown was a decoy," Luca revealed, his voice cold. "The real prize is something far more valuable. Information. Secrets. The kind of things that could bring entire empires to their knees."
As the cityscape blurred by, Rachel's mind spun with the implications of Luca's words. She had no idea what kind of information he was talking about, but she knew one thing for certain—it was far bigger than anything she had ever been involved in.
"Why tell me this?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Luca's eyes were fixed on the road, but she could see the muscle in his jaw working. "Because I need you to understand. This isn't just about art. It's not just about money. This is about power—true power. And you're in it now, whether you like it or not."
Rachel's stomach churned. The weight of his words settled in, a suffocating reality she hadn't wanted to face.
"But why me?" she pressed, her voice breaking through the tension. "Why bring me into this?"
Luca finally turned his gaze to her, his eyes dark with an emotion she couldn't place. "Because you're the only one who can see things for what they are. And because, whether you want to admit it or not, you're good at this. You've got a knack for it."
Rachel felt a strange mix of anger and something else—a gnawing sense of betrayal, but also the smallest spark of understanding. Was he right? Did she have a part to play in all of this?
"Don't make me regret it," she said quietly, though even she wasn't sure if she was talking to him or to herself.
Luca didn't respond immediately. He just pressed down harder on the accelerator, the car cutting through the night as they left the city behind.
By the time they arrived at their destination, an old, fortified mansion on the outskirts of the city, the adrenaline had begun to wear off. The danger wasn't over yet, but for the moment, they were safe.
Luca led her inside, the mansion's grand entrance giving way to a series of sterile, high-security rooms. He handed her a change of clothes—something simple, comfortable—and a small keycard.
"Get some rest," he instructed. "We'll talk tomorrow."
Rachel nodded, though she couldn't shake the feeling that things were only getting more complicated. The weight of everything she had learned over the last few days pressed on her chest.
She stepped into the guest room, locking the door behind her. She undressed, letting the soft fabric of the new clothes settle against her skin. Her mind was racing, replaying every moment of the night.
Luca's words echoed in her mind: You're in it now, whether you like it or not.
Rachel stared out the window, watching the distant lights of the city flicker in the darkness.
And for the first time, she wondered if she had crossed a point of no return.