Page 72 of The Assassin's Captive
"To you."
"To the family."
The distinction is important, though I doubt Serena catches it. Emilio is the family, but the family is bigger than Emilio.It's history, tradition, a way of life that existed before him and will exist after he's gone. Loyalty to the family means loyalty to something larger than any one person's ambitions.
Serena is quiet for a long time. When she finally speaks, her voice is steady.
"And Lorenzo?"
Emilio glances at me, then back at her. "Lorenzo will be your primary protection. Bodyguard, enforcer, whatever the situation requires." His eyes find mine across the room. "She becomes your sole priority. You protect her with your life, because she might just be the one who saves yours someday."
The words hit me hard. I've been protecting Serena for weeks now, but always with the understanding that it was temporary. A job with a defined end point. His appointing me to this task shifts the boundaries of what is happening between us.
"Understood," I say.
Serena turns in her chair to look at me. "And you're okay with that?"
Her question catches me off guard. No one asks me if I'm okay with orders. Orders are orders. You follow them or you face the consequences. But there's something in her voice—concern, maybe—that makes me consider the question seriously.
Am I okay with it? With making her my sole focus, my primary responsibility? With tying my life to hers in a way that goes beyond professional obligation?
"Yes," I tell her. And I mean it.
She nods slowly, then turns back to Emilio. "I have conditions."
His eyebrows rise slightly. "Go on."
"You don’t touch my parents. Not even a threat."
"Agreed," he says, nodding.
"I choose my own cases. If the family needs legal help, I'll provide it. But I won't suppress evidence or obstruct justice for anyone."
Emilio considers this. "Within reason."
"No. Without exception." Her voice hardens. "I won't compromise my ethics, even for you."
The room goes quiet. I can hear my own heartbeat in the moment that stretches between them. Emilio could end this conversation right now. He could have her removed, disappeared, forgotten. Instead, he smiles.
"You have backbone. I respect that." He stands and extends his hand across the desk. "Welcome to the family, Serena."
She looks at his outstretched hand for a long moment before reaching out to shake it. Her grip is firm, her eyes steady. When she releases his hand, something has changed in the room. The dynamic, the balance of power, the way forward.
"There will be a formal announcement next week," Emilio continues. "Press conference, interviews, the full presentation. By then, you'll have new living arrangements—secure, appropriate for your position. Lorenzo will coordinate the transition."
I nod and ask, "When do we move her?"
"Tonight. The apartment near the Forum is compromised now." He looks at Serena. "Pack what you need. Everything else will be replaced."
She opens her mouth to protest, then seems to think better of it. Smart woman.
"Lorenzo will show you out, Serena." Emilio moves toward the door, then pauses. "One more thing… From now on, you don't go anywhere without protection. Lorenzo or one of his men, always. No exceptions, no arguments."
"Understood."
He nods and leaves, closing the door behind him. The room feels different without his presence—smaller, quieter.
Serena slumps back in her chair, the careful composure she maintained throughout the conversation finally cracking. She runs both hands through her hair, destroying what's left of the careful arrangement.
