She pulls back her head sharply. As her expression falters, the spark of hope in her eyes snuffed out as she pulls her hand back, folding it tightly in her lap. She looks down, silent for a long moment, her face tightening, eyes unfocused as the reality of it sinks in.

“I don’t know what to say,” her voice is strained and her eyes look bruised.

I feel the sharp sting of guilt. “I didn’t tell you until I could finalize my plans to get us out of here, Mia. I don’t want you to worry. Nothing’s going to happen to you, of course. I had to come up with something that would buy us time.”

She nods, forcing a smile.

I swallow hard, the bitterness filling my throat. “But that’s not the worst of it. I’d been pushing him to hold off, hoping… praying… your brother would intervene. That he’d fight to protect you.”

The color drains from her face, and I see her hands tighten into fists. “Dante…” she breathes, her voice breaking on the word. “He didn’t… he wouldn’t…”

I reach for her, placing a hand on her shoulder, but she jerks away, the anguish spilling over as she turns to me, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Tell me,” she whispers. “Tell me what Dante said.”

I force myself to hold her gaze, hating the pain I see there, the heartbreak I’m about to deepen. “Dante told Massimo that he didn’t care if we killed you. Said he wasn’t coming for you… and that finding pieces of you scattered across Winter Haven wouldn’t make a difference.”

A strangled sound escapes her, and she claps a hand over her mouth, as if to contain the scream clawing its way up her throat. Her body trembles as the realization hits her, shattering whatever last scrap of loyalty she’d held on to, whatever lingering hope she’d kept for the brother she used to know.

I move towards her, pulling her against my chest as the tears fall. She doesn’t resist, doesn’t push me away. Instead, she clings to me, her fingers digging into my back, her sobs muffled against my shoulder as I hold her close, feeling each tremor of pain ripple through her.

“Mia,” I murmur, pressing my lips to her hair. “You’re not alone. Not anymore. I’m here. I’m not letting you go, and I’m damn sure not letting anyone hurt you ever again.”

She pulls back, her eyes searching mine, raw and vulnerable. “Adrian, I don’t understand. Why? Why would you risk everything for me?”

I cup her face in my hands, brushing away the dampness from her cheeks, my gaze steady. “Because you’re everything to me, Mia. You’re the one I’ve been looking for… the one who made me believe that maybe, just maybe, I could have a life outside this damn family. I only want that with you.”

Her eyes glisten with fresh tears, but this time, there’s a softness in her gaze, a trust that wasn’t there before. “You mean that?”

“With every piece of me,” I say, my voice low but firm. “You don’t have to feel alone anymore, because I’m yours. I’m your family now, Mia. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you feel loved and protected, the way you’ve deserved all along.”

She leans into my touch, closing her eyes as a sigh escapes her, a soft, broken sound that feels like the release of years of hurt and isolation. I hold her, feeling the fragility of this moment, the way we’re both laying everything bare, giving each other every raw, unguarded part of ourselves.

For a while, we sit like that, the silence between us filled with a quiet understanding, a promise that binds us deeper than any spoken words. And when she finally lifts her head, her expression is different—resolute, fierce.

“All right,” she says, her voice steady, though there’s a tremor underneath. “Let’s do this, Adrian. Let’s make this plan work… for both of us.”

I nod, feeling the spark reignite within me, a shared determination burning between us. “I’ll make the next calls, get everything in place.” I lean forward, brushing my lips softly against hers, sealing the vow we’ve made. “We’re getting out of this, Mia. Together.”

She watches as I turn away, my phone in hand, dialing the next contact. And this time, I don’t feel the weight of secrecy, the usual tension that comes with covering my tracks. I feel only thefierce conviction that I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, to give her the life she deserves.

As the calls continue, I glance back at her, watching the quiet strength that’s settled into her expression, the silent resolve that mirrors my own. And I know, without a doubt, that whatever obstacles lie ahead, we’ll face them together.

Chapter 22 Adrian

The quiet crackle of the fire fills the cabin as I make call after call later that night, weaving the threads of our escape into a network that is both impenetrable and invisible. Mia sits across from me on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, watching intently. I can tell she’s following each exchange, noting every person I call, the tone I use, the words I choose. The trust she’s giving me fills me with a fierce protectiveness, reminding me of the stakes we’re up against.

One of my calls is to an associate in Denver—a man who’s provided me with untraceable documents in the past. His talent is invaluable, and more importantly, his loyalty is bought and paid for.

“Frank,” I say when he picks up, keeping my voice low. “I need two sets of documents. New names, IDs, passports—the works. Everything clean.”

There’s a slight hesitation on the line, but then he laughs, a low, knowing sound. “I had a feeling I’d be hearing from you for something like this eventually. Who’s it for?”

I glance at Mia, who’s watching me with those steady, green eyes flecked with hazel. “Me and one other,” I reply. “Nothing that links us to Nevada or Colorado. Set us up somewhere along the East Coast. Make them look real.”

“Understood,” he says, the sound of a pen scratching against paper audible through the line. “I’ll need some basic details to make them look legit. Gender, age range, any physical characteristics you want me to match?”

“Male, mid-thirties, six-foot-two, black hair, blue eyes. And female, mid-twenties, five-six, black hair, green eyes,” I say, giving him enough details to create something authentic but vague enough to avoid detection.

“Got it. IDs from New York or maybe Florida?” he asks.