"The bedroom was still heavy with the scent of passion, the silk sheets tangled around their bodies like evidence of the night before. Ava lay against Dante's chest, his arm curled tightly around her waist as though he feared she might vanish if he loosened his grip even slightly. His breathing was steady, but she could tell from the tension in his muscles that he was not asleep"
Ava stared at the ceiling, her heart still racing from both the intimacy and the unspoken truths lingering between them. Every time she looked at Dante, she saw two men: the one who touched her as though she were the only thing in his world, and the one who carried the weight of blood, power, and shadows on his shoulders.
"Why are you awake?" She whispered softly, her voice nearly swallowed by the stillness of the room.
Dante's hand traced lazily up her spine, his fingers spreading warmth across her skin. "A man like me doesn't sleep deeply, Ava . Not when the world outside this room is waiting to rip everything from me.
Her chest tightened. She wanted to believe she could be his peace, his sanctuary, but doubt crept in like poison. Could she really hold her place in his world when shadows pressed closer every day?
"You're safe here," Dante added, his voice low, roughened by sincerity. He tilted her chin until her eyes met his. "As long as I breathe, Ava, no one will touch you."
It should have been comforting, but something about his words only deepened her unease. The certainty in his tone reminded her that danger wasn't a distant threat- it was a reality pressing at the wall of the mansion.
She tried to smile, to push the heaviness away.
"You make it sound like I'm trapped in a fortress."
Dante's mouth curved in something that wasn't quite a smile. "Not trapped. Protected. There's a difference He kissed her forehead, but his possessiveness lingered more than the affection.
Later that morning, Ava padded through the quiet hallways of the mansion, her robe tied tightly around her. The servants moved discreetly, their eyes lowered, though she could feel their silent curiosity.
She still wasn't used to this world-marble floors that echoed her every step, gilded frames staring down at her, the sense that even the walls carried secrets
She paused at a wide window that overlooked the gardens. For a fleeting send, she felt something-eyes, watching her. Her breath hitched as she scanned the grounds, but the only movement was Dante's men patrolling in pairs, their suits blending into the shadows of the estate.
"Always watching," she muttered to herself. She couldn't decide if the thought reassured her or unsettled her more.
Behind her, Dante's voice cut through the stillness.
She turned, startled to see him standing in the doorway, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, dark hair still damp from the shower. He looked every inch the Don-effortless power wrapped in ruthless elegance.
Dante crossed the room in long strides, taking her face between his hands. His eyes burned with something dangerous, something unshakable. " I won't let you out of my sight."
His lips captured hers in a kiss that was equal parts claim and comfort. Ava melted into it despite the chill still clinging to her skin. But in the back of her mind, one thought echoed: what if the fortress wasn't strong enough?
The day unfolded slowly. Dante retreated to his study to handle business, and Ava found herself wandering the mansion, each room a labyrinth of luxury and history. She stopped in the library, running her fingers along rows of leather- bound books, wondering how many of them Dante had ever read.
Her solitude didn't last long Two of Dante's men entered quietly, bowing their heads. They spoke in low voices with Dante when he appeared moments later.
Ava pretended to remain absorbed in a book, but her ears strained to catch the words.
"Boss," one of them said, "she's restless. Isabella has been meeting with unfamiliar faces. She's careful, but not careful enough ".
Ava's grip on the book tightened. Isabella. The name was poison even when whispered.
"And Claire?" Dante's voice was sharp.
"She has been spotted in the city. We believe they've met more than once."
Silence stretched before Dante dismissed his men.
Ava quickly returned the book to the shelf, pretending she hadn't heard. But the tension radiating from Dante was undeniable.
"Are you keeping things from me, she said softly once they were alone.
His jaw flexed. "Not keeping. Protecting. There's a difference.
She shook her head. "You can't protect me by hiding the truth. That's not how trust works".
For a moment, something raw flickered in his eyes, but then it was gone, replaced by the impenetrable steel she'd come to expect. "Trust me when I say you don't want the details.
Ava wanted to argue, to demand more, but his tone silenced her. Still, unease gnawed at her ribs like a hunger that wouldn't be satisfied.
Night fell heavy over the mansion. Ava tried to sleep, curled against Dante, but her rest was shallow. She kept waking to faint sounds -doors shutting, footsteps echoing too close. Every time she stirred, Dante soothed her, but she could tell he was on edge too.
At one point, she slipped from bed and wandered into the hallway. The air was colder there, the silence oppressive. She wrapped her arms around herself and started back toward the bedroom-until she noticed it.
At the end of the hallway, beneath a painting of a lion, something small glinted on the floor.
She hesitated, then approached slowly. A single black card lay there, glossy under the dim light. Her pulse stuttered as she bent to pick it up. The surface was smooth, blank--except for a symbol etched in crimson ink. A serpent coiled around a rose.
Her breath caught. She had never seen it before, but the menace in the image was unmistakable.
"Ava," Dante's voice came from behind her, low and sharp. She turned, card trembling in her hand.
His expression darkened instantly when he saw it.
He plucked it from her fingers, his jaw clenched.
"How did this get here?" he demanded, his voice a snarl.
Ava shook her head, fear sliding icy fingers down her spine. " don't know.. it was just lying here."
Dante's men appeared seconds later, responding to his raised voice. He held up the card, fury in his eyes.
"Search the grounds. No one gets in here and leaves something like this unless they want war."
As the men scattered, Dante pulled Ava against his chest, his heartbeat hammering against her ear. For the first time, his voice carried something she had never heard before-fear.
Ava clutched his shirt, her body trembling. The fortress had been breached.
And in that moment, she realized the shadows watching weren't just outside. They were already inside the mansion.
"Ava's gaze darted back to the serpent and rose etched on the card, its crimson ink catching the faint light like fresh blood. Whoever had left it had been inside, close enough to touch her, close enough to strike. And as Dante crushed the card in his fist, Ava whispered the only question that mattered: "If they can reach me here... where am I truly safe?"