Two days later
The streets of Florence glowed beneath the amber streetlamps, their warmth spilling over slick cobblestones. Lorenza walked alone, a paper bag from a bookstore pressed to her chest, unaware of the two shadows tailing her.
Vincent saw them long before she did.
Right on schedule.
One of the men stepped from a narrow side street, blocking her path.
"Evening, bella," he said with a crooked, unsettling grin.
Lorenza froze, tightening her grip on the bag. The second man closed in from behind.
Before she could react, a voice cut through the night.
"Get your filthy hands off her"
Her breath caught. She knew that voice.
Vincent emerged from the darkness, hands buried in his pockets, gaze sharp and unflinching.
The first man smirked. "Who's this?"
Vincent didn't bother to answer — his fist did. The man staggered back, spitting curses, while the second attacker found himself slammed against the wall, breath knocked from his lungs.
Seconds later, both men vanished into the shadows.
Lorenza turned to him, still dazed.
"It's you… from the lake," she breathed. "Vincent."
A faint, knowing smile tugged at his lips. "Small world."
"Were you… following me?" she asked cautiously.
"No," he said smoothly, the lie slipping out like silk. "I was just passing by, and something felt off. You're lucky I saw it."
She exhaled, the tension in her shoulders easing.
"Thank you, Vincent. For helping me… again."
"You're welcome," he said, voice calm but deliberate. "But you should be more careful. It's not safe out here for girls like you."
"Girls… like me?"
His answer came quickly. "Pretty little girls like you shouldn't be walking alone this late. You don't want to know what's in their minds." He glanced toward the street ahead. "Come on. Lead the way — I'll walk you home."
"You don't have to—"
His sharp look silenced her. "I'm not letting you walk alone at this hour. Lead the way, Lorenza."
Something in his tone made her obey without question. She walked beside him, casting him a quick, curious glance before looking away.
Vincent's eyes flicked briefly to the towering mansion at the end of the street — her home.
Right where he wanted to be.
---
The wrought-iron gates creaked open as they approached. Beyond them, the Stallone estate loomed — a mansion that whispered wealth and power in every shadow.
The front door opened before they reached it. A tall man in a dark suit stepped out, flanked by two armed guards. His presence was as heavy as the silence that followed.
Damon Stallone.
His gaze landed on his daughter first — then shifted to Vincent with the precision of a sniper.
"Lorenza. What happened? Who is this?"
She stepped forward quickly. "Papa, it's okay. Vincent… he saved me. Two men tried to—"
Damon's eyes never left Vincent's. "You stopped them?"
Vincent returned the look evenly, his tone controlled. "Yes, sir."
A pause. Not just silence — an assessment. Damon's expression didn't change, but his eyes searched for cracks. Weakness. Fear.
He found none.
"Do you always wander the streets at night?" Damon asked, voice cool.
Vincent shrugged lightly. "Only when it's worth it."
The corner of Damon's mouth twitched, almost — but not quite — a smile. "And was tonight worth it?"
Vincent's gaze flicked briefly to Lorenza, then back to Damon. "I'd say so."
The two men stood there, measuring each other in a silent exchange neither of them would admit was happening.
Finally, Damon spoke. "Come inside. We need men like you."
Lorenza blinked. "father—"
"It's decided," Damon said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "From this moment, you're her bodyguard."
Vincent inclined his head, masking the quiet satisfaction curling inside him.
Exactly as planned.