Page 20 of Code Name: Dante

“We don’t need the entire floor,” said Lark, but Alice waved her off.

“Nonsense. You’re family.” She squeezed Lark’s hand. “Besides, this way, you can come and go as you please without disturbing anyone upstairs.”

I watched Lark’s grandmother explore the space, noting how she tested the firmness of furniture and ran her hands along the smooth wooden surfaces. Her expression softened when she discovered the kitchen was already stocked with familiar items from her home, beaming when Lark pulled out a wooden spoon and set it on the counter.

“What’s that about?” Admiral asked.

I shrugged. “No idea.”

“I hope she doesn’t plan to hit me with it,” he joked.

Mrs. Gregory turned her head to look at him. “You should also know I have excellent hearing, young man.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he muttered.

“You’ve thought of everything,” Lark said with a wobble in her voice.

“Not everything,” Alice responded. “But we’re working on it. Mrs. Gregory, why don’t I show you your bedroom while the guys bring in your bags?”

“You can call me Barbara, dear.”

As they disappeared down a hallway, I heard the older woman asking about the kitchen’s setup and whether she’d be able to make her sauce here. Alice’s enthusiastic response faded as they moved farther away.

“She’ll be okay,” Tank said quietly. “They both will.”

I nodded, but my attention was on Lark, who stood at the windows, staring out at the lake. The afternoon sun caught her hair, creating that familiar halo effect that had first caught my eye at Method Tea and Coffee.

“I need to head back to the city soon,” I said, standing beside her. “The trial starts tomorrow.”

“I know.” She kept her gaze on the water.

“I’ll have my phone. If anything happens?—”

“There will be lots of people here, keeping us safe,” she interrupted quietly.

I wanted to say more, to somehow bridge the rift between us, but anything I could say would feel like pushing too hard, too fast. Instead, I just nodded.

“So, um, good luck with the trial,” she added, finally glancing my way. “What you’re doing—testifying against your brother—I know it can’t be easy.”

The simple acknowledgment caught me off guard. “Thank you,” I managed, stepping closer, enough to catch the faint scent of her shampoo. “My brother needs to pay for what he’s done. To your family and to countless others. Until that happens, until he’s locked away where he can’t hurt anyone else, none of us are truly safe.”

She was quiet for several seconds, studying my face as if searching for something. Finally, she nodded. “Be careful.”

“I will.” I allowed myself to reach up and brush a strand of hair from her face. “That’s why I need you to promise me something.”

“What?”

“Trust Alice and the security team. Don’t try to handle anything alone.” I let my hand drop. “I know you’re strong, Lark. But sometimes, strength means knowing when to accept help.”

“We already talked about this, Alessandro, and I told you I would.” There was no harshness in her tone, just reassurance. She turned away to join Alice and her grandmother down the hall.

Tank was waiting by the stairs. “When do we need to get on the road?” he asked.

“My flight out of Albany is in two hours.”

I took one last look toward where Lark had disappeared, then headed up to the main level, dreading the trial that loomed ahead of me—the days or weeks of facing my brother’s venom in the courtroom. More, I hated that I was leaving two women behind who had every reason not to trust me, but whose safety had somehow become more important than my own.

An alert appeared on my phone.Got the safe out. Looks like it was watertight. No damage.

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