𝒫𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓃𝑒

Chapter 14

Eleanor sat cross-legged on her bed, the soft glow of her new phone illuminating her face. It had been a few days since the incident, and while she still felt a lingering unease, having the phone gave her a sense of control she hadn't realized she'd been missing. She had already called Isabella, her new friend from college, who had gushed over their plans for the weekend.

But as much as she tried to immerse herself in those conversations, her mind kept drifting back to the house, to the men inside it, and to Alessio. He had been different since that day—more attentive, more protective. She found herself thinking about him more than she'd like to admit.

A knock at the door startled her, pulling her out of her thoughts. She quickly put down the phone and straightened up, smoothing the wrinkles out of her pajama pants.

"Come in," she called out, trying to keep her voice steady.

The door opened, and Alessio stepped inside, his usual black button-up shirt perfectly tailored to his frame. There was something about the way he moved, the controlled strength in his posture, that made her heart beat a little faster.

"Hey," he said, his voice low, almost hesitant.

"Hey," Eleanor replied, smiling softly. "What's up?"

He closed the door behind him, leaning against it for a moment as he looked at her. "I wanted to check in on you. See how you're doing."

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'm... better, thanks. The phone helped a lot."

Alessio's eyes softened, and he pushed off from the door, walking over to stand by the edge of her bed. "Good. I'm glad you're feeling more at ease. But I wanted to talk about what happened... with that man."

Eleanor's smile faded slightly, the memory of that night making her stomach twist. "I'd rather not think about it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I understand," Alessio said, sitting down on the edge of the bed, his weight causing the mattress to dip slightly. "But I need you to know something, Eleanor. What happened... it wasn't your fault. And I won't let anything like that happen again."

She looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for any sign of anger or frustration. Instead, she found something unexpected: sincerity.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Alessio seemed taken aback by the question, his brow furrowing as if he hadn't considered it himself. He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Because I care about you, Eleanor. I know it might not seem like it sometimes, but I do. You're... important to me."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, and she couldn't help but blush. "I... I didn't know you felt that way."

He looked away, almost as if he were embarrassed by his own admission. "I'm not good at showing it. But after what happened... I realized I can't lose you. Not to anyone."

Eleanor swallowed hard, her mind racing. The man who had seemed so cold, so distant, was now opening up to her in a way she hadn't expected.

"Alessio..." she began, not sure what to say.

Before she could continue, he reached out, his hand gently brushing against her cheek. "You don't have to say anything," he murmured. "Just... promise me you'll stay safe. I'll do everything I can to protect you, but I need you to be careful too."

She nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "I promise."

There was a long silence between them, the air thick with unspoken words. Finally, Alessio pulled back, standing up from the bed.