As we race away in the car, a storm of anger and fear swells inside me. How could she be so reckless? How could she risk everything like that?
When the empty road stretches before us, I slam on the brakes, my heart pounding in my chest. I throw the...
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Gabriel's office was tense, the air thick with danger. I stood next to him, watching as Matteo and Antonio exchanged serious looks. Their faces were set in stone, brows furrowed in concentration. Gabriel, however, was pacing, his hands running through his hair as he muttered curses in Italian under his breath.
"Merda... che cazzo..." he spat, slamming a fist on his desk. His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced with a rare frustration that I'd only seen a handful of times. I sat on the couch, trying to wrap my head around what I had just learned. Adam-the charming, tall FBI agent- wasn't who he claimed to be.
He was Giovanni, Gabriel's brother. The pieces started falling into place in my mind. The way he knew too much about Gabriel, the threatening undertone in his words when we'd met. I should have known something wasn't right, but I had no idea it was this. Gabriel kept pacing, occasionally pausing to snap instructions to Matteo and Antonio. His voice was sharp, a clear indication that things were getting dangerous.
I'd seen Gabriel deal with all kinds of chaos, but this was different. Giovanni's betrayal, or whatever game he was playing, had hit too close to home. "We need to act fast," Gabriel said, finally stopping. His voice was low, controlled, but there was an edge to it that sent a shiver down my spine. "Antonio, make sure there are guards for your kids. I won't take any risks. Matteo, move Fiona to your penthouse. She'll be safer there." Matteo nodded, his jaw clenched. "I'll handle it. I'll make sure she's secure.
Gabriel turned to me then, walking over to where I sat on the couch. His eyes softened as he looked at me, but there was still that underlying intensity. "You're coming to stay with me at the mansion, Tuono," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"What? Gabriel, I-" I started to protest, but he cut me off. "No, Chiara. It's final. I can't take any chances with you. Giovanni-" He paused, anger flashing in his eyes at the mention of his brother's name. "He's dangerous, and I need you where I can protect you." I sighed, knowing there was no use fighting him on this. But the thought of being cooped up in the mansion, under constant watch, didn't sit well with me.
"What about my work? I can't just disappear, Gabriel. People will notice." "You can go to work as usual," he said, but then added, "with increased security." "That's going to be a problem for the employees at the magazine," I pointed out. "It'll make everyone uncomfortable."
"To hell with them," Gabriel snapped. "I'm the boss. They'll work with it, and besides, the men will be discreet." I wanted to argue more, but deep down, I knew he was right. This wasn't just about me anymore-it was about everyone I worked with, everyone close to me. Giovanni had put us all in danger, and Gabriel wasn't going to let that slide.
A little while later, Gabriel took me to my apartment so I could pack some clothes and essentials. As I started throwing things into a suitcase, he leaned against the doorframe, watching me with a raised eyebrow. "Is all that really necessary?" he asked, a smirk playing on his lips. "We're not going on vacation." I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Gabriel, all of this is necessary. My skincare products, my shoes-everything is important."
He gave a sarcastic laugh, shaking his head. "Of course, Tuono, your shoes are more important than your safety. How could I forget?" I shot him a look as I stuffed a pair of heels into the suitcase. "You'd be surprised how important these are."
He moved closer, his body suddenly towering over mine. His hands grabbed my waist and pushed me back against the wall, pinning me in place. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You know, you're being a bad girl, Chiara. Maybe I need to remind you who's in charge." Heat surged through me at his words, a mix of defiance and excitement. I looked up at him, a sly smile on my lips. "Oh? And what are you going to do about it?"
He didn't answer. Instead, his lips crashed down on mine, rough and urgent. The kiss was filled with everything we couldn't say-his need to protect me, my frustration at being kept in the dark. His tongue teased mine, and I moaned softly into his mouth, forgetting everything else but the feel of him against me. His hands roamed up my back, gripping me closer as if he could mold us into one.
When he finally pulled back, my lips were swollen and tingling, my breath coming in shallow gasps. His eyes darkened as he stared down at me, his hand trailing up to brush a strand of hair from my face. "Reapplying that lip gloss would be pointless, Tuono," he murmured, his voice thick with lust. "I'm just going to mess it up again." I shot him a glare as I reached for my gloss. " You're impossible." He chuckled softly, stepping back to let me finish packing, but the tension in the room was undeniable.
Later, we returned to the mansion, and I was led to his master bedroom. The room was luxurious, but also surprisingly cozy. It was clear that Gabriel had designed it for comfort, not just for show. I started unpacking, my mind still racing from everything that had happened today. There was a soft knock at the door, and Nonna entered with a warm smile. "Chiara, cara, do you need anything?" I shook my head, smiling back at her. "I'm fine, Nonna. Thank you." She leaned in and kissed my cheek gently. "Good night, my dear. If you need anything, just call for me." "Good night," I replied, watching as she left the room.
Once the door clicked shut, I collapsed onto the bed with a sigh, staring up at the ceiling. What had my life become? A few months ago, I was just a journalist trying to make a name for myself. Now, I was tangled up in a world of danger, secrets, and powerful men. And somehow, in the middle of all this, I was falling in love with Gabriel-the man who was both my greatest protector and my biggest weakness.
I pulled out my phone, debating whether or not to call my mom. We hadn't talked much lately, but I needed to hear her voice, even if just for a moment. I hit her number and waited, but as usual, there was no answer. Instead, a text came through a few moments later, accompanied by a photo. "Enjoying my much-needed break. Don't worry about me, darling. Love you."
I stared at the photo for a long moment, something gnawing at the back of my mind. There was something off about the picture, about the way she was smiling. I couldn't quite place it, but a feeling of unease settled in my chest. Something wasn't right. I sighed, placing my phone on the bedside table and lying back against the pillows. I had too much to think about, too many things to worry about.
But one thing was clear-I couldn't ignore the danger any longer. And I couldn't ignore my feelings for Gabriel. I was in this now, deeper than ever, and there was no turning back.
