The deafening music inside Eclipse Club slowly returned as the stunned silence gave way to cautious conversation. The DJ, who had briefly frozen when the fight broke out, gradually eased the music back into the room. Within moments, the familiar rhythm of pounding bass filled the air once more.

Even so, the atmosphere had changed.

Countless pairs of eyes remained fixed on the unconscious Broberry McArthur lying amid the shattered remains of the table. Broken bottles, scattered ice, and glittering fragments of glass surrounded the once-feared underground boss like the aftermath of a storm.

No one dared approach him.

No one dared approach the young man who had knocked him down either.

Luca barely spared Broberry another glance.

To him, the fight was already over.

Instead, he turned his attention to Amelia.

"You alright?"

She blinked several times, still struggling to process everything that had happened over the last few minutes.

Her eyes instinctively swept over him from head to toe before settling on the bruise beginning to form along the side of his waist where Broberry’s knee had landed.

"I should be asking you that."

Her voice was much quieter now.

Concern was written plainly across her face.

"You got hurt because of me."

Luca gave a small smile.

"I’ve had worse."

She folded her arms.

"I seriously doubt that."

"I’m fine."

To prove his point, he casually patted his side.

The moment his hand made contact, a sharp ache shot through his ribs.

His expression twitched ever so slightly.

"...Mostly."

Amelia couldn’t stop herself from laughing.

"You idiot."

The laughter quickly faded, replaced by something softer.

"...Thank you."

She looked straight into his eyes.

"I really mean it."

"If you hadn’t come back when you did..."

Her voice trailed off.

She didn’t need to finish.

Both of them knew exactly how badly things could have ended.

Luca simply shrugged.

"You don’t have to thank me."

"I wasn’t about to stand there and watch some drunk old creep force himself on my friend."

Friend.

The single word made Amelia’s heart flutter.

A warm smile crept onto her lips before she quickly looked away, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

An awkward silence settled between them.

It wasn’t uncomfortable.

If anything, it felt surprisingly peaceful.

Luca glanced around the club.

"So..."

"Where are those friends of yours?"

Amelia sighed helplessly.

"They’re probably somewhere behind the club."

"Doing what?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"They all came here with dates."

Realization crossed Luca’s face.

"...Right."

"They’ll probably be occupied for another hour."

She looked back at the bruise forming along his waist.

"My apartment isn’t far from here."

"I’ve got a proper first-aid kit."

"We should head over."

Luca shook his head.

"I’ve got better supplies at my place."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

He smiled reassuringly.

"I’ll drive."

"And before you ask..."

"...I’m still perfectly capable of driving."

Amelia looked far from convinced.

"You’re unbelievably stubborn."

"I’ve been called worse."

As they walked toward the exit, the whispers surrounding them only grew louder.

"That’s him..."

"The guy who beat Broberry."

"Doesn’t he know who he just crossed?"

"Broberry’s gang won’t let this go."

"He should disappear from San Fierro for a while."

"I’ve heard those people never forgive anyone."

Another man quietly muttered,

"...Poor kid."

"He has no idea what’s coming."

Luca heard every word.

His expression never changed.

He simply continued walking as though the warnings had nothing to do with him.

Amelia glanced sideways at him.

"Aren’t you worried?"

"Worried about what?"

"Broberry."

"His gang."

"They’re dangerous."

Luca opened the passenger door of the Koenigsegg for her.

"I’ll deal with tomorrow when tomorrow comes."

She stared at him for several seconds before climbing inside.

’He’s either unbelievably confident...’

’...or completely insane.’

The cabin welcomed her with the rich scent of leather and polished carbon fiber.

Her eyes wandered across the interior in amazement.

Even though she already knew Luca was wealthy, sitting inside one of the rarest hypercars in the world still felt surreal.

"So..."

Her fingertips lightly brushed the exposed carbon trim beside her seat.

"This is the famous Koenigsegg One:1."

Luca pressed the ignition.

"You’ve heard of it?"

"Heard of it?"

She laughed.

"I’ve spent hours watching videos about this car."

"They’re worth millions."

"And you drive one around like it’s an ordinary sedan."

The engine roared to life behind them with a deep mechanical growl.

Luca smiled.

"It gets me from one place to another."

She stared at him in disbelief.

"That’s easily the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard all week."

The corners of his lips lifted.

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

Twenty minutes later, the towering gates of Luca’s estate slowly opened.

The Koenigsegg rolled smoothly along the illuminated driveway.

Amelia turned toward the window.

Her lips slowly parted.

Although she’d known Luca lived comfortably...

Nothing had prepared her for this.

A magnificent fountain stood proudly in the center of the courtyard, its crystal-clear water shimmering beneath elegant landscape lighting.

Perfectly maintained gardens stretched across both sides of the driveway, lined with sculpted hedges and blooming flowers that looked as though they belonged in a royal estate.

The villa itself rose proudly beyond them.

It didn’t resemble a house.

It looked like a private palace.

She let out a low whistle.

"So..."

"This is how you live every day?"

Luca parked beneath the covered entrance before smiling.

"Pretty much."

She climbed out, shaking her head.

"I honestly can’t decide whether I should admire you..."

"...or rob you."

"You’d have to get past the security team first."

"Hmm..."

She pretended to think seriously.

"On second thought..."

"...I’ll stick with admiring you."

Luca laughed.

"I figured that was the safer option."

Inside the villa, he tossed his jacket over the back of a nearby chair before lowering himself onto the spacious sofa.

The adrenaline from the fight had begun to wear off, leaving the ache in his side much more noticeable.

"I’ll grab the first-aid kit," Amelia said.

"You know where it is?"

"I’ve seen enough movies to guess."

She wandered through the nearby hallway before returning with a first-aid box and a clean towel.

After soaking the towel in cold water, she carefully folded it.

"Lift your shirt."

Luca raised an eyebrow.

"That sounded dangerous."

Amelia rolled her eyes.

"You know exactly what I meant."

Chuckling, he lifted the hem of his shirt.

The bruise had already darkened into an ugly shade of purple.

Amelia winced.

"That’s a lot worse than you made it sound."

She gently pressed the cold towel against his side.

Luca inhaled sharply.

"Cold?"

"Very."

"Good."

She continued holding the compress in place with surprising care.

For several moments, neither of them spoke.

The quiet felt strangely comforting after the chaos of the nightclub.

Amelia slowly looked around the enormous living room.

Every detail reflected understated luxury.

Nothing screamed for attention, yet everything carried quiet elegance.

She smiled.

"So..."

"You really live here all by yourself?"

"Most of the time."

"Doesn’t it get lonely?"

Luca considered the question.

"Sometimes."

She looked around once more.

"I’d probably get lost trying to find the kitchen."

"You probably would."

"Hmph."

She nudged his shoulder.

"You’re making fun of me."

"I absolutely am."

She laughed.

"...You know."

"I think you’re impossible."

"I’ve heard that before."

Silence settled between them again.

Comfortable.

Unforced.

After a few minutes, Luca reached up.

"I’ll hold it."

He gently took the towel from her hands and pressed it against the bruise himself.

Without realizing it, Amelia found herself staring.

Her eyes slowly wandered over him.

His broad shoulders.

The defined muscles across his chest.

The firm lines of his abdomen disappearing beneath the lifted shirt.

Even bruised...

He looked unfairly handsome.

Her heartbeat quietly quickened.

’Seriously...’

’How is one man this attractive?’

His confidence.

His calmness.

The way he’d stepped in without a second thought.

The way he’d stood between her and danger without hesitating.

Every moment replayed vividly in her mind.

She finally understood.

This wasn’t simple gratitude anymore.

Somewhere along the way...

She had completely fallen for him.

Luca noticed how quiet she had become.

"Hm?"

"What?"

Amelia slowly lifted her eyes to meet his.

She unconsciously bit her lower lip.

There was a tenderness in her gaze that hadn’t been there before.

Luca couldn’t quite tell what she was thinking.

But he could feel that something between them had quietly shifted.

Amelia drew a slow breath.

A delicate blush spread across her cheeks.

"Words..."

She smiled gently.

"...don’t feel like enough to thank you for what you did for me tonight."

She held his gaze without looking away.

"So..."

"...let me make it up to you."