Page 64 of Cage the Storm
“No, not weak. Irreplaceable.” His tone is final. “And I won’t risk that.”
Irreplaceable. The same word I threw at him when he didn’t value his own life. Now he’s giving it back. Like he’s choosing me the way I chose him.
Nico proved he cares. That matters more than winning this fight. Some battles aren’t worth it when the real victory is knowing you’re not alone.
His gaze locks on mine as I let the word ‘irreplaceable’ wrap around me. Not fragile. Not weak.Irreplaceable.
I should feel victorious. I fought for this, for him, for control. But instead, I feel like I failed. And when I scrutinize his face, I see determination.
And that’s when I ask myself, is he protecting me? Or the heir I carry?
“You don’t get to decide how I play this.”
“This isn’t a game, Luna.”
“It was always a game for me. It was the only way I could survive. Knowing perhaps one day I would win. You just don’t want me playing it anymore.”
His fingers gently graze my cheek, a contrast to the war that simmers between us. “You’re not his wife anymore.”
My throat tightens, my breath stalls.
He tilts my chin up, forcing me to seehim. “You don’t have to fight for your place in this family anymore, Luna.” His voice is a husky whisper. “You’ve already won.”
Something stirs inside my chest, releasing the tight grip of survival mode I’ve built throughout the years. Now, I can finally take a breath with Nico by my side.
“Then let me prove that I’m worthy of standing beside you.” Nico’s lips press together, expressionless for a moment.
“You don’t have to prove anything. You already are.”
I breathe deeply, holding the air in my lungs for a moment before letting go. The hostility I’ve carried for years, always watching my back, of never trusting anyone completely, doesn’t feel as heavy anymore.
I watch him, the way his presence fills the space between us. Nico has always been a ruthless, calculated man who controls everything around him. And yet, I see it now that control isn’t just about power.
It’s aboutme.
It’s about us.
For years, I fought alone. Convinced that no one—Gio, my father,no one—would ever truly be on my side. But Nico is. He’s not just protecting me. He’schoosingme.
My fingers twitch at my sides, and before I can second-guess myself, I reach out and press my palm against his chest. Beneath my touch, I feel his heartbeat. Mine.
His gaze whips downward, taking in the gesture, but he doesn’t speak. He just watches me, waiting.
“I don’t want to do this alone anymore.” My voice is softer than I ever thought possible, but the conviction behind it is resolute. “Not just the war. Not just business. Life.”
Nico’s hand comes up, his fingers grazing the side of my face. “You never had to,amore mio.” His words settle inside me, deeper than I thought possible.
I close my eyes for a brief moment, inhaling the truth. For the first time in my life, I have someone standing beside me, not in front of me, not above me, but with me. Nico’s been there from the beginning, but I was too damn proud to ask for his help. Not anymore.
We’re not just a force.
Now we’re ateam.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
NICOLAI
People don’t take power,they build it. They secure it. They protect it.
