Sabrina, the sweet, bubbly girl next door, never imagined being pulled into a world of danger. But meeting Julian, a captivating mafia member with a dark past, changes everything.
As she falls for him, she's torn between love and the dangerous secr...
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I sit on the edge of Julian's bed, glancing at the clock. It's been an hour since he left, but I keep telling myself it's fine—Matteo probably really needed him.
Julian wouldn't leave me hanging otherwise. Still, the wait feels a bit heavier than I expected.
To pass the time, I grab my phone, scrolling through social media mindlessly, liking a few pictures here and there, but it doesn't do much to ease my thoughts.
My mind keeps drifting back to earlier at my parents' house, to that last look my papa gave me as I left. I shake my head, pushing it down.
Julian would tell me to let it go and focus on the trip.
He's done so much for me; I'm not about to let old wounds ruin this.
With a sigh, I set my phone down for a moment, glancing at the door.
It feels strange not having him here, his steady presence calming me, grounding me.
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After making sure Camilla was settled, I tell her I have to go. She gives me a soft, "Thanks, Julian," and I nod, leaving her place and feeling a bit of a knot in my chest.
I know I've left Sabrina waiting, but Camilla... she was there for me when no one else was. After my mom died, when the world went dark, she was my only constant.
So if she needs me—even after everything—I'm there.
When I finally get home, I walk in to find Sabrina sitting on the couch, her phone in her hand. She looks up, and I catch a hint of something in her expression that she tries to mask quickly.
Guilt tugs at me; I shouldn't have left her like that.
"Sorry, Matteo just needed help with something," I say, hoping my voice sounds casual.
"It's fine," she replies, her tone light but maybe a bit distant. I push down the worry and give her a reassuring smile before grabbing our carry-ons, loading them into the car.
Sabrina follows, and we're on our way to Matteo's compound. The thought of getting her out of here, away from everything weighing her down, feels more and more like the right call.
She deserves a break from all of it—especially after what she's been through. And I'm going to make sure this trip is everything she needs it to be.
We pull up to the compound where Matteo keeps his jets, the place sleek and private, tucked away from the world.
As I park, someone's already waiting to take our bags, loading them up with practiced efficiency.
Sabrina looks around, taking in the place with wide eyes, a mix of surprise and nerves flickering across her face.
I reach for her hand as we walk toward the jet, giving it a small squeeze. "You okay?" I ask, catching her gaze.
She nods, a small smile creeping onto her lips. "Yeah, just... a little surreal," she says, and I can see her shoulders start to relax a bit.
We're ushered on board, the interior quiet and more luxurious than I know she expected. Soft leather seats, polished wood, everything clean and inviting.
We settle into our seats, side by side, and I watch her as she glances out the window, her eyes reflecting the late afternoon light streaming in.
As the engines start up, she turns back to me, her fingers laced tightly in her lap. "I still can't believe we're doing this," she murmurs, half to herself, like she's trying to make it feel real.
I smile. "I told you I'd get you away from everything, didn't I?"
She gives a soft laugh, the tension in her face easing a little more, and just seeing her smile like that makes everything about this trip feel worth it.
The plane's engines roar a little louder as we get ready for takeoff, and Sabrina shifts in her seat, looking at me with that mix of excitement and vulnerability that she doesn't usually let show.
When we finally take off, the jet climbing smoothly into the sky, she reaches for my hand again, and this time I feel the warmth of her fingers settling between mine.
I keep hold of her, my thumb brushing over her knuckles, grounding her. We sit like that in silence for a while, just watching the clouds outside the window.
She leans her head against my shoulder, the quiet between us comfortable, like this is where we're supposed to be.
