Chapter 4 - Scars of the Past
Sienna froze, her hands gripping the silk sheets. She stared at the man standing over her, her heart hammering. "You looked into me. You had no right."
"You saved my daughter's life," Lucian said, his tone utterly devoid of apology. "I don't let strangers into my home without knowing exactly who they are. What I don't understand is the math. A hero overseas comes back, vanishes from society, and ends up swinging a rusted pipe at Bratva hitmen to save a child she doesn't know. The math doesn't add up, Sienna."
Sienna looked away, staring at the extravagant chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "There's no math. I just don't like bullies. And I don't let people hurt kids in front of me."
"Why did you disappear?" Lucian pressed, stepping closer. "What drove you to the streets?"
"That is none of your business," Sienna snapped, a fierce glare returning to her eyes. "I saved your kid. Great. We're even. Give me my clothes and let me leave."
Lucian stared at her for a long moment. He was used to people cowering before him. He was the boss of the Chicago syndicate; a single word from him ended lives. Yet here was a homeless woman in a hospital gown, battered and broken, glaring at him with the ferocity of a cornered tiger. It was... intoxicating.
"Your clothes were rags," Lucian said simply. "They were burned. There are fresh clothes in the wardrobe. But you aren't leaving. Not yet."
"You can't hold me hostage."
"I'm not holding you hostage. I'm keeping you alive," Lucian corrected her. "Yuri survived his interrogation long enough to give us some answers. The Bratva didn't just stumble upon Lily at the park. It was a targeted hit. They wanted to kidnap her to force my hand in a territory dispute. And now, they know a woman in a yellow jacket ruined a multi-million dollar operation. There is a price on your head, Sienna. If you walk out those gates, you'll be dead before midnight."
Sienna felt the blood drain from her face. She had survived the streets by being invisible. Now, she was the target of a Russian mafia hit squad.
The heavy oak door creaked open, breaking the tension. A tiny head peaked in. Lily, wearing a clean yellow sundress and clutching her teddy bear, looked around the room. When she saw Sienna awake, her face lit up.
"You're awake!" Lily cheered, running past her father and stopping right next to the bed.
Sienna’s hardened exterior immediately melted. She couldn't help it. She offered a gentle smile, wincing as her bruised cheek stretched. "Hey there, kiddo. You okay?"
Lily nodded vigorously. "I brought you Mr. Barnaby," she said, holding up the worn teddy bear. "He helps when you're scared."
Sienna stared at the bear. Her breath hitched. A phantom pain, sharper than any knife wound, ripped through her chest. Seven years ago. A different little girl. A different toy. A car crash that she, the combat medic, couldn't save her own daughter from. That was why she had abandoned the world. She didn't deserve a home if her daughter couldn't have one.
Sienna reached out with a trembling hand and gently patted the bear's head. "Thank you, Lily. Mr. Barnaby looks very brave."
Lucian watched the exchange, his dark eyes analyzing every micro-expression on Sienna's face. He saw the flash of unbearable grief in her eyes. He saw the ghosts. He didn't know the exact details of her tragedy, but as a man who lived in the shadows, he recognized a broken soul when he saw one.
"Go to Maria, Lily," Lucian said softly to his daughter. "Let our guest rest."
"Will you stay for dinner?" Lily asked Sienna, her big brown eyes pleading.
Sienna looked from the hopeful child to the imposing mafia boss. She was trapped in a gilded cage. But looking at Lily, she realized that maybe running wasn't the answer anymore.
May you like
"I'll stay," Sienna whispered.
As Lily skipped out of the room, Lucian moved toward the door. "Rest up. We have a lot to discuss. Because Yuri told me one more thing before he died." Lucian paused, his grip on the brass doorknob tightening until his knuckles turned white. "He said someone inside my organization gave them Lily's schedule."
