Page 71 of The Don's Soulmate

“Never,” I whisper hoarsely, grabbing her chin and taking her lips in mine. I wonder, does she know…?

Who we are? What we share?

Perhaps not, and in time, she will.

But for now, “we must go, my love,” I whisper against her lips, pulling away. She nods, touching her lips.

As if on cue, we hear the sound of more men crashing through the undergrowth, their shouts growing louder as they close in on us. I grab Carlotta's hand and pull her along, my grip tight and unyielding. We sprint through the forest together, our hearts pounding in sync, our souls entwined, fighting to survive this life long enough to see an end to this curse.

"Over there!" I spot my car hidden among the trees. I yank open the car door, and my nostrils fill with the tang of copper. The driver's lifeless eyes stare back at me, a bullet lodged in his forehead. I clench my jaw, the rage bubbling inside me like molten lava. There's no time to dwell on it, though. We need to move.

""Mi dispiace per questo,” - sorry about this - I mutter, saying a silent, swift prayer in my head to bring him peace, before pushing the corpse out of the seat and onto the ground beforesliding behind the wheel. Carlotta watches silently, her face ashen as she stares at the man’s face.

“He… he,” she trembles.

"Get in!" I shout, pushing Carlotta towards the passenger side. She scrambles into the car, her green eyes wide with terror. I slide behind the wheel, the engine roaring to life as I slam my foot down on the gas pedal.

"Where are we going?" Carlotta asks, her voice trembling.

"I don’t know, somewhere safe," I promise, my knuckles white as I grip the steering wheel. We barrel down the road, leaving Ugo's men behind us. For now, at least.

The car's speakerphone crackles to life, and one of my men updates me on the situation. "Boss, the stolen art is secure. We're doing our best to shake off Ugo's convoy. We’ve got a decoy," they inform me. “We should be in the clear soon.

"Keep me posted," I order, swerving around a bend in the road. “And Martino was killed at the hideout spot. Give him the burial he deserves,” I end the call.

My thoughts race as fast as the engine's roar. If we can just get the artwork to safety, that’s one problem solved. But what then? What kind of future can there be for Carlotta and me, two souls tethered together by fate but torn apart by circumstance?

Her father will never allow us to be together. And would she dare defy him when all she suffers, she does so for him? I need time to think, to claim my stake and see her by my side.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Carlotta's voice slices through my thoughts, her gaze locked on mine.

"Carlotta, I…"

"Tell me, Ettore," she demands, her green eyes blazing with determination.

"I was thinking," I reply, keeping my eyes on the darkness ahead. "You can't go home now, not with Ugo's men watching your every move. The first place they’ll go is to your house."

"But my father…" She hesitates, wringing her hands together. "He’ll be furious.”

"Let him be angry," I say, my voice firm. "If you return now, Ugo will think you're unafraid of your father, and that weakens your father’s power over you in Ugo’s eyes. Ugo might even believe that your father is playing him and was a part of tonight’s heist simply to help you call off the wedding. By staying away, you're ensuring your father's safety for now because Ugo will see your father’s wrath when he sends people to hunt you down. Ugo will come to view him as an ally once again and they’ll work together to get you back. Your father will be safe, as long as he hunts for you."

The words taste like ash in my mouth, but I know it's the only course of action we can take. What I don't tell her is that I want her for myself, for however long I can have her.

Carlotta frowns, processing my words, then nods slowly. "You're right, I can't go back,” she murmurs, her voice sounding more resolute than I've ever heard it before.

In this moment, I realize just how much she trusts me. This wallflower, raised to not trust her enemies, is putting her future in my hands. I can’t let her down.

"Carlotta," I say softly, our eyes meeting once more. "No matter what happens, remember that I will always protect you."

"Promise?" she asks, her voice wavering.

"Until my very last breath," I vow, sealing our fates together with those simple words. She flushes at my words, her eyes frozen on my face, and then she smiles.

"We need to find somewhere safe," she says calmly. "Somewhere Ugo won't think to look. But where?"

“We have to disappear,” I tell her. “I think I have a plan, but first, we need to abandon my car which can be traced, and steal one.”

To my surprise, she breaks into a roar of laughter. I look over at her, confused and through her tears, she manages to choke out something about how we’re the new Bonnie and Clyde.

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