Novels by Dorak

"Emilia," he whispered solemnly. "Tell me the truth, what's wrong?"She opened her mouth to answer, the words catching in her throat-and the tension between them grew and thickened.Her voice came just a moment before the sound of an engine springing into life out on the drive shattered the tension.They froze as the door burst open with a bang."Emilia!"Luca stood abruptly as Matteo De Luca stormed into the safe house, his presence commanding as ever. The older man's gaze immediately zeroed in on his daughter, softening as he rushed to her side.“Are you hurt?" Matteo asked, his hands clamping onto Emilia's shoulders as he scanned her for injury."I'm fine, dad," Emilia said, though her voice was laced with the same unease she'd had with Luca."Fine?" Matteo scoffed. "You were almost killed." He turned to Luca, his face hardening into a glare. "This is your doing, Romano.”Luca crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes meeting Matteo's glare in a cool, icy manner. "I saved her life

He jerked his head to the side; the smirk tugged at it. "And why not? You think you can stop me?" "Try me," Luca growled. The air in that room was dead set for tension inside of it. Her eyes frantically skipped from the gun onto Luca, and the panic climbed down her throat. She wanted to scream, wanted to run, but her legs turned into lead. "Pity," he said, the finger in ring tightening on the trigger. "Seems with you I can finally take something precious from the De Luca's. A shot rang out. "Emilia!" Luca's voice was hoarse with desperation as he launched himself at her, sending her to the ground. Pain seared through her shoulder as they landed on the pavement, but it was nothing compared to the deafening sound of the gunfire. She couldn't hold her breath a moment longer. Lying on the ground, ears ringing, her vision hazy, Emilia suddenly heard through the haze: "Emilia!" Luca's voice finally cut through the fogginess as his hands came into contact with her shoulders, shaking

"Luca, slow down! What's going on?" she wrenched her arm free, swinging around a corner. He spun to face her, dark and commanding. "I told you to stay close. Do you want to get caught in the crossfire?" "I don't even know what's happening!" she hissed, trying to sound defiant despite a shaking voice. "The Vitaels are here," Luca growled. "They have been waiting for a perfect moment like this. And now they go after the two of our families. If you think staying behind was safer, you're insane." Her chest constricted at the name, Vitaels. Stories of theirs she knew-brutal raids and strategic murders, they don't negotiate, eliminate. Yet she couldn't shake this nagging doubt in her brain. She hated being at Luca's mercy, especially when she could feel suspicion simmering below the surface. "What's the plan, then?" she tried to ask, steadying her voice. He jerked his head down the corridor. "We're heading for the back exit. There's a car waiting outside. We get out of here, regroup,

Luca's voice sliced in low and smooth, with an edge. "A compromise which would quite suitably be in favor of the De Lucas. Her chest constricted at his voice, Emilia dared not glance at him. Inscrutable, his eyes clouded and became a tempest that did not let her move her gaze from his. Luca leaned back in his chair, eyes stuck to Emilia. She did a pretty fair job of pretending like it wasn't affecting her, but he was buying about as far as the next zip code. He could tell she was out of her element-the fact that she wouldn't meet his gaze, the light trembling of her fingers. There was also the fact that her hand kept straying to her stomach. The image flashed in front of his eyes: how she was gone, suddenly, after having been together all night; how she had refused to meet his gaze the last time they'd spoken. "Luca," his father snapped sharply, jerking him back to the present. "Focus." He nodded, his jaw firming. But his attention wasn't on the negotiation anymore. It was

Emilia swallowed and fought for her voice. "I didn't know who you were, either," she flashed right back in a slightly shaking voice. "We aren't here to talk about the past." Luca's jaw flexed, glints dancing in his eyes. "Stop lying to me." "I am not," Emilia shot back with far too little venom. Luca leaned in, intrusive. "Then explain this-explain why you vanished that night and why you look at me now as if from some ghastly dream." "I owe no man an explanation," Emilia said, crossing her arms over her chest in order to obscure the shake of her hands. It would have seemed as though Luca was boring his eyes into hers, frustration etched upon his features. "Why does it feel like there's more you're not telling me?" She could literally feel her heart race, cornered-an animal-and her precariously constructed walls started to crumble from beneath her under his scrutiny. "I don't know what you're talking about," she finally said, her voice low. "You're hiding something," Luc

"Don't blow this, Emilia. The family is counting on you." Her mind still danced with his words as she emerged from the sleek black car and her heels clicked down onto the cobblestone driveway. Emilia De Luca squared her already straightened blazer-evening air was cool, yet her palms were slick with sweat. Every step seemed to weigh on her shoulders like a vice, burdened by expectations from her father who was walking ahead of her, radiating confidence and danger. The estate loomed ahead, its grandeur cloaked in tension. Armed guards lined the path, their sharp gazes a reminder of the stakes at play. This wasn’t just a meeting it was a battlefield where words, not bullets, would determine the fate of two feuding families. “Miss Emilia, we’re ready for you,” a security officer said, opening the heavy oak doors. Steeling herself, Emilia nodded and entered, her nerves stretched taut. Luca Romano sat in the back of his car, his fingers absently drumming against his thigh as he sat over