Chapter 4: Trapped In His Web
Chapter 4: Trapped in His Web
Evangeline stood motionless in the doorway of the master bedroom, her body coiled with tension. The room was the same as she remembered—lavish, cold, suffocating.
The massive bed sat in the center, draped in crisp black sheets. The scent of him lingered in the air—a mix of expensive cologne and something darker, something uniquely Luca.
Her stomach twisted.
She should have fought harder for the guest room.
Behind her, Luca unbuttoned his cuffs, rolling them up with slow, deliberate movements. He was too calm, too in control, and that infuriated her.
“You expect me to sleep here?” she snapped, breaking the silence.
Luca leaned against the doorframe, his smirk lazy and confident. “That’s what married couples do, sweetheart.”
Her jaw clenched. “We’re not married.”
He arched a brow. “Aren’t we?”
Evangeline’s nails dug into her palms. He was playing with her.
“You don’t control me,” she said, voice sharp.
Luca pushed off the doorframe, closing the distance between them in a few strides.
The air shifted.
His fingers brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, his touch featherlight yet commanding. “I own the papers that say otherwise.”
She jerked away. “This is a deal, Luca. Nothing more.”
His smirk didn’t waver. “And yet, here you are. In my room. In my house.” His voice dipped, sending a chill down her spine. “Tell me, Evangeline, does that feel like nothing to you?”
She hated the way his voice crawled under her skin, unraveling her, even after all these years.
But she wouldn’t let him win.
With a sharp breath, she strode past him, snatching a pillow from the bed. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”
Luca’s amused chuckle followed her. “Suit yourself.”
She refused to turn around, refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much he still affected her.
This wasn’t about them. This was about her father.
And she wouldn’t forget that.
Midnight Confessions
Evangeline couldn’t sleep.
The couch was comfortable enough, but her mind was a tangled mess of thoughts.
Somewhere beyond the penthouse windows, the city thrived—cars honking, lights flashing, people living their lives without the weight of the past crushing them.
She envied them.
The clock on the wall read 2:03 AM when she finally gave up trying to force sleep. Sighing, she pushed off the couch and padded toward the kitchen, her bare feet barely making a sound against the cool marble floors.
The glow from the city skyline filtered in through the massive windows, casting long shadows across the room.
She had just grabbed a glass from the cabinet when she felt it.
A presence.
Her fingers tightened around the glass.
Slowly, she turned.
Luca stood in the doorway, watching her with unreadable eyes.
His tie was gone, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, exposing a hint of toned muscle and ink.
Her breath hitched—just for a second, just enough for him to notice.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, his voice deeper, rougher in the quiet.
Evangeline swallowed, forcing herself to stay composed. “What do you think?”
Luca studied her for a moment, then crossed the kitchen, reaching for a glass of whiskey. He poured himself a drink, the ice clinking against the glass.
“Regretting your decision already?”
She scoffed. “I regretted it the moment I stepped into your office.”
His smirk was faint. “Yet, here you are.”
She glared at him. “If it weren’t for my father, I would rather rot in hell than be here with you.”
Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.
Then, Luca leaned in, voice dangerously soft.
“Then it’s a good thing, isn’t it?” His lips barely brushed the rim of his glass. “That I don’t plan on letting you leave.”
Evangeline’s heart slammed into her ribs.
This was exactly what she had feared.
He wasn’t going to let her go.
A Dangerous Proposition
By morning, Evangeline was already dressed, sitting in the vast dining area as the sun rose over the city.
She needed to talk to Luca—to set boundaries.
He walked in minutes later, still dressed in sleep-rumpled elegance. His gaze found hers immediately, sharp and assessing.
“We need to talk,” she said.
He arched a brow but motioned for her to continue.
She took a breath, forcing steel into her voice. “You’re going to help me find my father. And when that’s done, I leave.”
Luca exhaled slowly, swirling the coffee he had just poured. “And if I say no?”
Her spine straightened. “Then I’ll fight you.”
His smirk was slow, calculated. “You can try.”
Evangeline leaned forward, her eyes locked on his. “I’m not the same girl you married, Luca. I won’t bend to your will.”
Luca’s smirk faded, replaced by something darker.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” he murmured. “Because you already did.”
Before she could respond, he reached into his pocket, sliding a folded piece of paper across the table.
A marriage license.
Her blood turned to ice.
“Recognize it?” he asked, voice silk and steel.
Her fingers trembled as she unfolded it, her pulse roaring in her ears.
It was dated three days ago.
This wasn’t just a contract.
This was legal.
“You—” She swallowed, her throat tight. “You filed it?”
Luca leaned back, completely at ease. “I did.”
Evangeline’s vision blurred with rage.
“You had no right—”
He cut her off. “I had every right. You signed the contract. You agreed.”
Her hands shook. “This was supposed to be temporary.”
Luca’s gaze darkened, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
“Nothing about us has ever been temporary, Evangeline.”
She shoved back from the table, her chair scraping against the floor.
“I don’t care what papers you filed,” she hissed. “I won’t be your wife.”
Luca rose slowly, moving with the grace of a predator.
“You already are.”
Her breath hitched.
“You can’t keep me here.”
Luca smirked.
“Try leaving,” he challenged.
Evangeline turned on her heel, marching toward the penthouse door.
She yanked it open—
And froze.
Two of Luca’s men stood guard, their faces blank.
She turned back to him, fury crackling in her veins.
“You locked me in?”
Luca’s smirk was pure sin.
“I own you now, sweetheart.” His voice was soft, deadly. “And I don’t let go of what’s mine.”
Evangeline’s pulse pounded in her ears.
She was trapped.
Bound to Luca Devereaux.
And this time, there was no escape.