Chapter 32- Silent Night
Lucia The Romano estate blazed with Christmas lights, a fortress disguised as a fairytale. Security teams blended with holiday decorations–armed men hiding behind wreaths, surveillance equipment masked by twinkling lights.
Julia and Sofia’s excited voices drified from the kischen, mixing with the scent of trutional ralian dishes. Under normal circumstances, I’d be in there helping leaming their mother’s secret recipes.
Bor nothing felt normal anymore.
My fingers traced the window frame, checking sight lines out of habit. Three days since the attack. Not long enough to feel safe,
“They’re fine” Maria appeared beside me, the youngest, Romanu sister’s usual cheerfulness subdard. “The team swept every inch of the property.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. Maria hadn’t been there that night, hadn’t seen the blood. But she understood enough to keep her distance, to not comment on my new habits.
“Mama wants help with the seafood.” Her voice camed forced lightness. “Something about teaching you the proper Romano way to prepare
Christmas Eve dinner.”
A week ago, that would have meant something different. Now it just meant troiler room to secure, mother space to watch.
The kitchen to warn chaos – Mr. Romano directing operation like a general, Julia and Sofia arguing over proper spice measurements. They all Jooked up when I entered, their smiles a bit too bright.
They were trying so hard to make this normal.
“Ah there you are!” Mrs. Romano wared me over, “Come, come. The baccali needs attention
I went through the motions, following instructions mechanically while my attention stayed on exits and angles. Julia kept shooting me worried glances Sofia’s usual charter felt forced
“Has anyone heard from” Maria started, but juliacin her off with a sharp look
The silence that followed was heavy with everything we weren’t saying
Duiste had left before dorm, tung luff the security team to handle “family business.” Code for revenge, for hunting down whoever had orchestrated
the auct
He hadn’t called
“The sauce needs stirring.” Mrs. Roman said into the sension. Her hand squeezed my shoulder as she passed undertrading, permission to worry, эстережное
all in one gestu
Hours passed in a blur of cooking and forced normality. The sees tried inchiding ane in their usual hamer, but my responses come out sharp,
Night fell. Still no word.
Texensed myself when the tensions became too much, retreating to Dante’s study. The room still held traces of his papers arranged with military precision that subtle rent of experace coloque and power
My phone sat silent on his desk. No messages No uplates
Time blurred. The house grew quiet as the sisters retired to their rooms. Even the security teams moved with hushed efficiency, like they could
see my fraying nerves.
Midnight came and wem
I’d almost clozed off in his chair when the proximity alannschirped. Headlights ow
swept the driveway as
car as three black SUVs approached.
My heart stopped when I saw Marco, Dosar a head of security, supporting a limping figure toward the home.
I met them at the door, taking in the blood on Dance’s shirt, the way he favored his right side
“It’s not mine,” he said before I could speak. Hit mice was rough exhausted. “Most of it, anyway.”
Questions burned in my throat, but I swallowed them. Not here. Not with to many eyes watching
Marco helped hum to the study, his usually stoic face tight with concern. “Medical team is five minutes out.
“No.” Dance’s tone left no room for argument. “Jus the usual supplies.”
Marco nodded, understanding what wasn’t said. No records. Nin witnesses. No trace of whatever had happened tonight.
When we were alone, Dante sagged against his desk, mask finally cracking. I moved without thought, hanc finding injuries with practiced
efficiency.
“Ribs?” I kept my voice clinical professional
“Bruised.” His breath hitched as 1 probed gently. “Maybe cracked.”
“Knife wound right side.”
“Shallow.”
I worked in silence, cleaning cuts, wrapping ribs, cataloging each mark of violence. His hands stayed steady on my hips, grounding both of us.
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Chapter 32- Silent Night
“Did
find them?” The question slipped out despite my resolve.
His eyes met mine, dark with something that wasn’t quite victory.”
.“Yes.”
“All of them?”
“Enough” His fingers tightened slightly. “The message was received.”
I should have asked for details. Should have maintained that analytical distance we’d built our arrangement on
Instead, I found myself pressing my forelsend against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Steady, Alive. Here.
His arms came around me, careful of injuries but still solid, still real.
No words. We didn’t need them
The grandfather clock struck two, breaking whatever spell had fallen. I stepped back, rebuilding walls that felt increasingly fragile.
“Your sisters are wromed,” I said, voice steadier than my hands. They tried hicling it, but…….“
Talk to them tomorrow.” He uraightened carefully, tenting injured rilk. “Mike excuses,”
“More lies?”
“Protection.” His eyes met mine, carrying weight I wasn’t ready to analyse. “Like everything else.“|||
The unspoken troth hung between us – thas protection meint distance, meant careful walls and measured words and never admitting hoir seeing him wounded made my chest ache.
“You should resa.” I moved toward the door before exhaustion could crack my composure further
“Lucia” His voice stopped me. “Thank you,”
