Page 10 of Mafia Heir's Broken Vows

"Are you going to tell me what the fuck that was about?" I finally break the silence, my voice sharp.

She doesn't look at me, her gaze fixed on the windshield. "I don't know."

"Bullshit." My tone hardens. "Marco's men don't just go after someone without a reason. What aren't you telling me?"

Her jaw tightens, and she finally turns to me, her eyes blazing with anger. "Why do you even care, Alessandro? You left. You don't get to come back and start asking questions like you're still a part of my life."

Her words are a slap to the face, but I don't flinch. "You were almost killed tonight. That makes it my business."

"Your business?" She laughs bitterly, shaking her head. "You think everything is your business. You think you can just swoop in, throw your weight around, and fix everything. But guess what? You can't. Not this time."

Her voice cracks on the last word, and for a moment, the anger between us gives way to something deeper. Something raw.

"Serafina," I say, my voice softer now, almost a plea. "This isn't just about you. Whoever's after you won't stop. And you know it."

She looks away, her fingers curling into fists in her lap. "I can handle it."

"No, you can't." The words are out before I can stop them. "And you don't have to. Not alone."

Her lips press into a thin line, but it's her eyes that betray her—widening with a flicker of fear I can't place. For the first time tonight, I wonder what she's truly hiding.

She looks away, her fingers curling into fists in her lap. The cracks in her armor are finally showing, and I can see just how much she's been holding in.

The car slows as I pull into a dimly lit parking garage on the outskirts of the city. It's empty, the flickering fluorescent lights casting eerie shadows on the concrete walls. I kill the engine, the silence once again wrapping around us like a vice.

"We're not safe out here," I say, breaking the quiet. "You're coming with me."

Her head snaps toward me, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What?"

"Until we figure out why Marco's men are after you, you're not going anywhere alone."

She glares at me, her anger flaring up again. "You don't get to decide that."

"I just did."

Her mouth opens, ready to argue, but the words die on her lips. She looks away, staring out the window at the desolate garage. I see the moment she gives in, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Fine," she mutters. "But this doesn't mean I trust you."

I smirk, the corner of my mouth lifting in a humorless smile. "I don't need your trust, Serafina. I just need you alive."

She turns her head, her gaze meeting mine, and for a brief second, I see something flicker in her eyes. Something that feels like... regret.

But just as quickly, it's gone.

I push open the door and step out, scanning the area for any signs of danger. My hand rests on the gun holstered at my side, ready for anything. When I'm sure the coast is clear, I motion for her to follow.

She climbs out of the car, her movements slow and hesitant. She doesn't say anything as we head toward the exit, but her silence speaks volumes.

And as much as I want answers, I know now isn't the time to push.

We're walking into a war—one I should've ended years ago. And this time, I'm not leaving her to fight it alone.

SERAFINA

The frosty night air whistles through the open car window as I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles white. The icy rush keeps me from nodding off behind the wheel. The winding road out of Rosewood Estate is pitch black, the towering trees casting shadows that stretch and bend in the moonlight. My mind is spinning with Alessandro's words, his touch, his kiss—and the threat that lurks behind every stolen moment with him. I shouldn't have stayed so long. Shouldn't have let him get under my skin again. But now, it's too late to turn back.

I adjust the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see someone following me, but the road behind me is empty. My breath fogs up the windshield, and I swipe it away with a shaky hand. I turn on the radio—anything to break the silence and distract me from the dangerous thoughts creeping in. Alessandro is my biggest weakness—tonight just proved I can't trust myself anywhere near him.

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