1

The rhythmic beeping of machines and the sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as Dr. Adriana Stephen moved purposefully through the bustling halls of St. Vincent’s Hospital. The emergency room was a storm of activity, with nurses rushing between patients, doctors barking orders, and the occasional cry of pain cutting through the noise. It was a familiar scene, one that Adriana had grown accustomed to over years of long, grueling shifts. For her, this chaos was where she thrived, where she could lose herself in the work and forget about everything else.

But tonight, something felt different. There was an unusual tension in the air, a feeling that something was about to disrupt the usual routine.

“Dr. Adriana,” a nurse called out, hurrying toward her with a clipboard in hand. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with unease. “We’ve got a patient in trauma room three. Gunshot wound. He’s asking for you by name.”

Adriana’s brow furrowed as she took the clipboard, scanning the brief notes. Male, almost early thirties, gunshot wound to the abdomen. The information was sparse, but the fact that the patient had specifically requested her set off alarm bells in Adriana’s mind. He was well-known in the city for her surgical skills, but this was unusual—especially in an emergency situation.

“Who is he?” She asked, her tone clipped as she handed the clipboard back to the nurse.

The nurse hesitated, glancing around as if she were afraid of being overheard. “It’s Lucas Romano, Doctor.”

Adriana felt a chill run down her spine at the name. Luca Romano was a name that carried weight in the city, a name spoken in hushed tones and behind closed doors. He was a man of power and influence, but not the kind that came from wealth or prestige. No, Lucas power was of a different sort—the kind that came from fear, from the knowledge that he could have anyone who crossed him disappear without a trace.

“Romano?” Adriana repeated, more to herself than the nurse. “What the hell is he doing here?”

The nurse shook her head, her expression grim. “I don’t know, but he specifically asked for you. Said he wouldn’t let anyone else touch him.”

Adriana sighed, running a hand through her dark long hair which was untied. This was the last thinga she needed—getting tangled up with someone like Lucas Romano. But she didn’t have a choice. A patient was a patient, and it was her job to treat them, no matter who they were.

“Alright,” she said finally, steeling herself. “I’ll take care of it.”

With that, she turned on her heel and made her way to trauma room three. As she approached the door, she paused, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Even though she had deal with difficult patients before, but this was different. This was Lucas Romano—a man who was as dangerous as he was enigmatic.

Pushing open the door, Adriana's eyes were immediately drawn to the man sitting on the edge of the examination table. Lucas was exactly as he had expected—tall, dark-haired, with a presence that filled the room despite his injury. His suit, once immaculate, was now stained with blood, and his shirt was open at the collar, revealing a gold chain resting against his tanned skin. Despite the situation, Lucas looked more annoyed than in pain, his expression one of cool detachment.

Adriana closed the door behind her and took a step forward, his gaze locked on Lucas. “Mr. Romano,” she began, her voice professional but laced with irritation. “I understand you’ve been shot.”

Lucas lips curled into a faint smirk, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Dr. Adriana Stephen. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Adriana replied, moving to the sink to wash her hands. She spoke over his shoulder, her tone flat. “So, what happened? You decide to test your luck and it backfired?”

Lucas chuckled, though the sound was strained. “Let’s just say I had a little disagreement with someone who didn’t appreciate my point of view. But don’t worry, Doc—it’s nothing you can’t handle.”

Adriana glanced at Lucas, her hands stilling under the stream of water. There was something about Lucas tone that made her uneasy, a sense that this man was used to getting his way, no matter the cost. But Adriana wasn’t one to be intimidated, especially not in her own domain.

“Let’s take a look,” Adriana said, drying her hands before tying her hair and moving to Lucas side. She carefully unbuttoned Lucas shirt further, exposing the wound. The bullet had grazed his side, leaving a deep, bloody gash. It was serious but not life-threatening—something Adriana could handle without much trouble.

“You’re lucky,” Adriana remarked, her voice clipped as she examined the wound. “A few inches to the left and you’d be in a much worse situation.”

Lucas watched her with those dark, piercing eyes, the smirk never leaving his lips. “I’m always lucky, Dr. Stephen. It’s one of my better qualities.”

Adriana ignored the comment and reached for a syringe, filling it with a local anesthetic. “This will numb the area so I can stitch you up. It’ll sting a bit.”

Lucas didn’t flinch as the needle pierced his skin, his gaze never wavering from Adriana's face. “Tell me something, Doc—do you always play by the rules?”

Adriana paused, glancing up at Luca with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean?”

Lucas tilted his head slightly, his expression thoughtful. “I mean, you seem like the kind of women who likes to keep things in order. But life doesn’t always work that way, does it?”

Adriana frowned, focusing on the stitches. “I don’t see what that has to do with your current situation.”

“Everything,” Lucas replied, his voice low and smooth. “You see, I came to you for a reason, Dr. Stephen. I like people who are good at what they do. But I also like people who understand that sometimes, the rules have to be bent. Or even broken.”

Adriana's hands stilled for a moment before she forced herself to continue stitching the wound. She could feel Lucas' gaze burning into her, probing, searching for something. “I’m not interested in breaking any rules, Mr. Romano. I’m here to do my job, nothing more.”

Lucas smirk widened. “We’ll see about that, Doc. Something tells me you’re not as rigid as you think.”

Adriana finished the stitches and stepped back, removing her gloves with deliberate slowness. She tossed them into the bin and met Lucas' gaze, her expression hard. “You’re done. Try to avoid getting yourself shot again.”

Lucas slid off the table with a fluid grace that belied his injury. He buttoned up his shirt, ignoring the bloodstains, and picked up his jacket, throwing it over his shoulder. “I’ll do my best, Doc. But if I do, I know who to call.”

“Don’t,” Adriana said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest. “Next time, go to someone else. I don’t want any part of your world.”

Lucas paused at the door, his hand on the handle. He turned back to Adriana, his expression unreadable. “You might not have a choice, Dr. Stephen. This city has a way of pulling people in, whether they want it or not.”

With that, Lucas opened the door and disappeared into the hallway, leaving Adriana standing alone in the trauma room. The tension that had filled the room seemed to dissipate with Lucas' departure, but the uneasy feeling in Adriana’s chest remained.

She let out a slow breath, running a hand through her lovely tied hair as she tried to shake off the encounter. This wasn’t what she had signed up for. She had become a doctor to save lives, to make a difference, not to get involved with criminals who thrived on chaos and violence.

But despite her best efforts, Adriana couldn’t shake the feeling that Lucas Romano was right. There was something about this city, about the people in it, that made it impossible to avoid the darker side of life. And now, thanks to Lucas, Adriana felt like she had just taken the first step into a world she wanted no part of.

With a sigh, she turned and left the trauma room, heading back into the chaos of the ER. There were more patients to see, more lives to save. She could deal with the implications of Lucas Romano’s visit later—if she ever wanted to deal with them at all.

But as she walked down the hallway, Adriana couldn’t help but glance back over her shoulder, half-expecting to see Lucas standing there, watching her with that enigmatic smile. When she saw nothing but an empty corridor, she shook her head, trying to dismiss the lingering unease.

Lucas Romano might be out of her sight for now, but Adriana knew that this wouldn’t be the last time their paths crossed. And as much as she tried to deny it, part of her wasn’t entirely sure she wanted it to be.

For better or worse, Lucas had planted a seed of doubt in Adriana’s mind—a question that wouldn’t go away. Was it possible that the rules she had lived by all her life weren’t as unbreakable as she thought? And if so, what did that mean for her?

As the night wore on and the ER continued to hum with activity, those questions lingered in the back of Adriana’smind, refusing to be silenced. The walls of St. Vincent's had always been a sanctuary for Adriana, a place where she could maintain control, where the chaos outside couldn't touch her. But now, for the first time, she felt the edges of that sanctuary fraying, the lines blurring.

As she moved from patient to patient, her hands steady and his mind focused, Lucas’ words echoed in her thoughts. "Sometimes, the rules have to be bent. Or even broken."

Adriana prided herself on her discipline, her ability to navigate the high-pressure environment of the ER with precision and control. But Lucas had seen something in her, something Adriana wasn’t ready to acknowledge. A part of her that was drawn to the danger, the unpredictability that Lucas represented.

And then there was the look in Lucas eyes, that intense, almost predatory gaze that seemed to see right through her. It wasn’t just the thrill of treating a notorious figure that unsettled Adriana—it was the way Lucas had looked at her, as if she were more than just a doctor, as if she were a puzzle Lucas was eager to solve.

By the time her shift ended, the sun was beginning to rise, casting a pale light over the city. Exhausted, Adriana made her way to the staff locker room, where she changed out of her scrubs and into her normal clothes. The fatigue weighed heavily on her, but she knew it wasn’t just from the long hours. It was the mental strain of dealing with someone like Lucas Romano, someone who had forced her to confront aspects of herself she wasn’t ready to face.

As she stepped out of the hospital into the crisp morning air, Adriana took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind. She needed sleep, needed to reset and find her footing again. But as she walked to her car, the city waking up around her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched.

She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the quiet street, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual early morning commuters, the occasional pedestrian, and the distant hum of traffic. Still, the feeling persisted, a nagging sense that Lucas presence lingered, even in his absence.

Adriana unlocked her car and slid into the driver’s seat, but before she started the engine, she paused, her hands resting on the steering wheel. For a moment, she considered the possibility of Lucas reaching out to her again, of being drawn further into a world she had no desire to be part of. The thought was both unsettling and oddly compelling.

She shook her head, pushing the thought aside. She was a doctor, and that was where her focus needed to be. Whatever games Lucas Romano was playing, Adriana had no intention of being a part of them.

But as she drove away from the hospital, the city stretching out before her, Adriana couldn’t help but feel that her life had just taken a turn down a path she hadn’t anticipated. And deep down, a part of her wondered if that path was one she was meant to follow, whether she wanted to or not.

As the cityscape passed by, Adriana’s thoughts kept circling back to Lucas Romano, to the smirk that hinted at secrets and the promise of more encounters. It was a distraction she didn’t need—but one she couldn’t seem to avoid.

The road ahead was uncertain, the boundaries of her carefully controlled world now blurred. And as much as Adriana tried to focus on the road, on the day ahead, she knew that Lucas Romano had already made a mark on her—one that wouldn’t easily fade.

Days passed since Lucas Romano’s unexpected appearance in the ER, and yet the weight of their encounter lingered with Dr. Adriana Stephen. She had returned to her daily routine, stitching wounds, performing surgeries, saving lives—her usual path of order. But beneath the surface, an unsettling feeling had taken root. Every time the phone rang or a new patient was wheeled in, a flicker of anxiety coursed through her, as if she were bracing herself for his return.

Late one night, as Adriana sat in the break room nursing a cup of coffee, the door swung open. A nurse poked her head in, her expression tense. "Doctor, we’ve got another one."

Adriana’s stomach knotted. "Another what?"

The nurse hesitated, her voice lowering. "Gunshot wound. He’s asking for you. It’s Romano. Again."

The name alone was enough to make Adriana’s pulse quicken, her grip tightening on the coffee cup. Lucas Romano had found his way back to her, just as he had hinted. She rose from her chair, setting the mug aside as she mentally prepared herself for another round of whatever twisted game Lucas seemed to be playing.

When Adriana entered the trauma room, there he was, sitting on the edge of the examination table, his shirt torn and bloodied, his skin pale but his eyes alive with that same defiant spark. It was as if he was daring the world to bring him down, knowing he could always get back up.

"Romano," Adriana said, her voice tight. "Back so soon?"

He smirked, the expression one of casual indifference. "What can I say, Doc? I’m a regular. Thought I’d drop by and see my favorite surgeon."

Adriana felt her irritation rising. She moved to examine the wound—this time, a bullet had grazed his shoulder. Nothing too severe, but enough to keep her hands busy. "You’re lucky again," she muttered, disinfecting the wound with swift, efficient movements. "A few more inches and you wouldn’t be sitting here making jokes."

"Luck’s got nothing to do with it," Lucas replied, watching her closely. "I just know how to pick my battles."

Adriana ignored him, focusing on cleaning the wound, though she could feel the weight of his gaze on her. Lucas was different this time, more subdued, but there was a tension beneath the surface—something deeper than his usual bravado. It was as if he had more on his mind than just his injuries.

After a long silence, Lucas spoke again, his voice low. "You don’t ask many questions, do you?"

Adriana glanced up, her hands pausing for a moment. "I’m a doctor. I treat injuries. I don’t need to know the backstory."

"But you’re curious," Lucas countered, his eyes gleaming with something close to amusement. "I can see it in your face."

Adriana bit the inside of her cheek, refusing to rise to the bait. She resumed stitching his wound, her movements precise and controlled. "I’m not interested in your world, Romano. You can keep your secrets."

"Secrets have a way of coming out, Doc," Lucas murmured, his voice carrying a weight that made Adriana’s chest tighten. "Whether you want to know them or not."

Adriana finished her work, stepping back as she removed her gloves. "You're done," she said coldly, turning away from him. "Try to stay out of trouble."

But Lucas didn’t leave. Instead, he stood up slowly, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the room. "You’re good at what you do," he said, his tone softer than she had expected. "But there’s more to you than this place. More than following the rules."

Adriana turned, her eyes narrowing. "What do you mean by that?"

Lucas approached her, closing the distance between them until there were only inches between them. His presence was overwhelming, magnetic in a way she had tried to ignore for far too long. "You act like this hospital is your whole life," he said quietly. "Like you don’t want to see what’s out there. But the world doesn’t fit into neat little boxes, Adriana. You can’t control everything. Sometimes you have to step outside your safe zone."

Her breath hitched at the sound of her name on his lips. No one called her anything but ‘Doctor.’ No one dared speak to her like this. "I’m not stepping outside anything," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You’re my patient, that’s all."

Lucas tilted his head, his gaze piercing. "You and I both know that’s not true."

Adriana felt her resolve cracking under the intensity of his stare. Every word he spoke chipped away at the wall she had carefully built around herself around her career, her life, her sanity.

She had always been in control, always the one to keep her emotions in check. But with Lucas, nothing felt certain anymore.

She stepped back, putting distance between them. "This conversation is over."

Lucas nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "For now," he agreed, turning toward the door. "But this isn’t over, Adriana. Not by a long shot."

As he left the room, Adriana stood frozen, her mind swirling with conflicting thoughts. She had spent her entire career building a life based on structure and discipline, following the rules to the letter. But Lucas Romano had shaken that foundation with a few carefully chosen words.

And the worst part? He was right.

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The following days blurred together, each shift as exhausting and demanding as the last. But Lucas' words lingered in Adriana’s mind, no matter how hard she tried to push them away. She couldn’t deny the growing connection between them, as dangerous and irrational as it was. And with each passing day, the lines between her professional life and the magnetic pull she felt toward Lucas grew thinner, more fragile.

One evening, after another brutal shift, Adriana left the hospital and found herself standing on the steps, staring out at the city’s skyline. The sun had set, casting a warm glow over the buildings, the streets teeming with life as the night took hold. And for the first time in her life, Adriana felt a desire to step beyond the walls of her carefully curated existence—to see what else was out there.

It wasn’t just Lucas’ words that haunted her it was the realization that she had been hiding. Hiding from the chaos, from the unpredictability of life outside the hospital. Lucas had seen that part of her, the part that wanted to break free. And no matter how much she wanted to deny it, she couldn’t shake the truth.

A car pulled up to the curb, its headlights cutting through the dark. The window rolled down, revealing Lucas behind the wheel, his expression unreadable.

"Need a ride, Doc?"

Adriana’s heart raced as she stood there, her mind battling with the conflicting emotions swirling inside her. This was her chance to turn back, to refuse, to keep her world in perfect order. But something inside her had already shifted.

Without a word, Adriana stepped forward, her hand reaching for the door handle. She hesitated for only a moment before opening it and sliding into the passenger seat.

As the door clicked shut and the car pulled away from the curb, Adriana felt the weight of the decision settle over her. There was no turning back now. She had crossed a line—one she had sworn she would never cross.

And in that moment, as the city lights blurred past the window, Adriana realized that Lucas Romano wasn’t just a patient. He was a force one that had pulled her into his orbit, whether she wanted it or not.

For better or worse, Adriana was in his world now.

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