Page 103 of Ruined By Protection
"No, señor. No unusual cars, no strangers watching the house."
I exhale slowly. "Keep your eyes on them. If Montgomery shows up, call me immediately."
"Sí, entiendo," Javier confirms. "We will protect them as if they were our own family."
I end the call and stand for a moment, staring into the darkness beyond the window. Montgomery is in the wind, which means he could be anywhere. The thought sends shards of ice through my veins.
Behind me, the sheets rustle. "Matteo?"
I turn to find Hazel propped up on one elbow, hair tousled from sleep and our earlier exertion. Even in the dim light I see concern clouding her eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asks, immediately sensing my tension.
I consider lying, protecting her from this new development, but I promised her honesty. She deserves to know what we're facing.
"That was Noah," I say, moving back to the bed. I sit on the edge, taking her hand in mine. "Elliott's left New York. He managed to slip past our surveillance."
Her fingers tighten around mine. "How?"
"He had someone staying in his hotel room. Made it look like he was holed up there while he moved about freely." I squeeze her hand gently. "We're checking all possible leads."
"My family?" Her voice trembles slightly.
"I just spoke with my contact in Austin. Everything's normal at your parents' house. I have men watching them around the clock."
Hazel nods, processing this information. I can see the wheels turning behind her eyes, calculating risks, imagining scenarios.
"I trust you," she says simply.
Those three words hit me harder than any bullet ever could. After everything she's been through, after every man who's betrayed her trust, she's choosing to place it in me. The weight of that responsibility settles on my shoulders and I welcome it.
I lean forward, pressing my forehead against hers. "I won't let you down, bella."
She closes the distance between our lips, meeting mine in a kiss that feels like a seal on a promise.
The urge to protect her burns through me, a fierce need I've never felt for anyone outside my family.
I rise and move back to the window. The estate grounds stretch out below, shadows dancing under security lights. Somewhere out there Montgomery is plotting his next move. The thought makes my jaw clench.
This is familiar territory—identifying threats, neutralizing them. I've been doing this for the Feretti family since I was barely more than a kid. But this time feels different. This isn't just business. This is Hazel.
Damiano's enforcer. The tough guy who makes problems disappear.
That's the man I've been for so long I sometimes wonder if there's anything else left. My mother used to say I was a gentle boy, before she died. Before I learned that gentleness gets you nowhere in this world.
Everyone looks at me and sees capability. Strength. The man who handles things. No one sees the cost. How each death, necessary as it might be, carves away another piece of whatever soul I have left.
And now Hazel looks at me the same way—like I can fix everything, protect everyone. The weight of her trust presses on me, both burden and gift.
What happens when she truly understands what I am? What I've done. The blood on my hands doesn't wash off, no matter how justified each kill was.
CHAPTER 32
Hazel
Iwatch Matteo move across the room, his silhouette cutting a powerful figure in front of the window. He's worried, I can tell that much, but what's going through his mind remains a mystery.
That's the thing about Matteo—he keeps everything locked away behind those dark eyes. Even now, after everything we've shared, I can only guess at his thoughts.
