Page 71 of Dangerous King
But just as he says it, Shadow turns, squares his little stance, and lets out a low, suspicious growl directly at Julio.
I glance up at him, biting back a smile. "Friends, huh?"
Julio holds up both hands. "Selective loyalty. I can respect that."
I scoop up Shadow's leash, give Julio a polite nod, and say, "Thanks again for looking after him."
"Anytime, principessa," he replies with a wink. "Try not to let him chase any ducks tonight."
Sternly, I look at him. "You promised we wouldn't talk about the duck incident ever again." Last night, Shadow almost got hold of one of Eliza's precious ducks. There were a lot of feathers and ugly squawking, but thankfully, no bodies had to be buried in the middle of the night.
He makes a motion like his lips are sealed and waves me off as I slip back out into the cool night. The air is crisp, carrying the soft scent of pine and something earthy. Shadow trots beside me, head up, ears perked. Occasionally, he darts off the path to investigate some rustle or frog splash, tail high, like he owns the entire estate.
I let him lead us straight to the lake. The moon is silver and full, hanging just low enough to cast a perfect reflection across thedark, still surface. The stars scatter in clusters over the water, twinkling like they've been waiting just for me. An owl hoots in the distance, and Shadow barks once, startled, then bounds after an invisible target before looping back to my side.
I walk slowly out onto the wooden pier. Each step creaks underfoot, strangely familiar after only a few days of living with the Sartoris. When I reach the end of the dock, I stop to take in another deep breath. The reflection of the sky sways slightly with the water, stars stretch and dance across the surface like a second world, just out of reach.
I cross my arms, staring down at it all. The silence wraps around me, a different kind of quiet than I've ever known before. Not the fearful, holding-your-breath kind. No, this is clean and safe. For a moment… I let myself believe that maybe this is real. That maybeIcan be real here, too.
I close my eyes and pretend. That's when I hear the footsteps behind me. Low, deliberate, and familiar. Even without Shadow's low growl, I would know who it is without turning. He found me. And just like that, it seems that all the broken parts of me—the frayed edges, the empty spaces, the years of silence and shadow—slide quietly into place.
Like they were just waiting for him.
His arms wrap around me, and he pulls my back against his chest without a word. He's justthere.I melt into his solid and warm hold without thinking, without questioning if I should.
His breath brushes the top of my head. "I missed you, Piccolina," he murmurs, and the words create a storm inside me. I close my eyes again, not to shut anything out this time, but tofeelit more fully. To feel him.
The press of his body. The scent of him, cologne, leather, something spicy and darker that's just… him. The steady beat of his heart under my cheek is faster than I expected and matches mine. I'm afraid to speak, to break the spell.
He just holds me, arms locked tight around my waist like I'm something precious, something rare he can't risk losing. For the first time in years… I feel like I belong in someone's arms. His hand moves slowly, brushing my hair back behind my ear. I feel him lean down slightly, his lips are near my temple, his voice is low and close.
"What's wrong?" he murmurs.
I stiffen just slightly. Not enough to pull away, but enough that he notices. How does he do this? He's not even looking at me, but he seems to read me so easily.
"I can feel it," he adds, his voice quiet but insistent, proving what an open book I am to him. "What is it, Piccolina?"
I want to lie. I want to tell him I'm fine. That I'm just tired, that nothing is wrong. But the words get stuck in my throat. Instead, I hear myself whisper, "Dinner was… a lot."
He says nothing at first. He just listens. Like his sister, he's justthere.
"I know I should be happy," I go on, staring down at the lake again. "Iamhappy. They're here. They're safe. I should be glowing, be in there with them, asking a thousand questions. But all I could think about was how loud it was. How many voices. How I couldn't remember falling into the pond like they said. How I didn't feel… like I belonged."
I pause. A pause he doesn't fill.
"I felt guilty," I admit, my voice even softer. "Like I'm broken for not being able to enjoy it."
"Overwhelmed," Enrico corrects quietly.
He gently turns me in his arms until I'm facing him. His dark eyes, lit by moonlight, look deeper than I can comprehend. There's no judgment there, only steady compassion. For a bad, bloodthirsty mafia boss, he seems to have a lot of it.
"There's nothing wrong with you, Cat," he assures me. "You've been surviving for years in captivity. Starved of touch. Of joy. Of noise that wasn't fear."
How does he know that? Incredibly gentle, his thumb strokes my cheek. "You don't unlearn that overnight. You just need time to relearn how tobearound people. That's not a weakness."
A fresh tear slips down my cheek. He catches it with his thumb again, like it offends him.
"Don't apologize for healing," he adds.
