Chapter 14 #2
"More wine?" Ava offers, lifting the bottle toward Hazel.
"No, thank you," Hazel replies, her voice soft but firm.
Ava turns to me. "What about you, Mr. Hayes? You've barely touched yours."
"I'm on duty, ma'am. I should check the perimeter," I say, needing to escape the suffocating tension.
"Of course," Ava replies smoothly. "Security first."
I push back from the table, nodding to Hazel and Ava before heading toward the hallway.
The mansion feels too small suddenly. I need air. Need to check the perimeter. Need to do my damn job instead.
I round the corner into the hallway and stop dead.
Lucrezia stands frozen a few feet away, her eyes wide and rimmed with red. She's been crying. The knowledge hits me like a punch to the gut. She doesn't cry that easily.
Her hair falls loose around her shoulders, and she's wrapped her arms around herself like she's cold. Or protecting herself. From what? From me?
We stare at each other, neither moving. The silence stretches between us, heavy with everything we can't say.
"Daniel, I—" she starts, her voice barely above a whisper.
Something shifts in her expression. Vulnerability. Confusion. Maybe even longing. I don't know. I can't trust what I see because I want too much.
I take a step toward her without thinking. My body moving on instinct before my brain can stop it.
"Lu—"
The sound of male voices cuts through the moment. Heavy footsteps approach from the study.
"—need to move quickly on this," Damiano's voice carries down the hall.
Lucrezia's eyes widen. She takes a quick step back, putting proper distance between us just as Damiano, Riccardo, Enzo, and Bruno round the corner.
The four men stop, taking in the scene. I shift my stance, hands clasped behind my back, face blank. Years of military training kicking in automatically.
"Everything all right?" Damiano asks, his eyes moving between Lucrezia and me.
"Yes," Lucrezia says, her voice steady now. "I was just returning to the dining room."
"Hayes," Damiano says, "problem?"
"No, sir," I reply, voice flat. "Was heading out to check the perimeter and security positions."
Riccardo Sartori looks between us, his expression calculating. "Always good to have thorough security, especially with recent events."
I nod to Damiano and step back, ready to continue my security check. Before I can move away, Enzo steps forward.
"I'll join you, Hayes," he says, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.
I nod once. "Yes, sir."
We walk in silence until we reach the back garden. The night air is cool against my face, a welcome relief from the tension inside. Security lights illuminate the perimeter, casting long shadows across the manicured lawn.
Enzo stops by a stone bench, far enough from the house that we won't be overheard. He pulls out a cigarette but doesn't light it, just rolls it between his fingers.
"Did my sister say anything to you?" he asks finally. "About the wedding?"
"No, sir."
"Nothing at all?" Enzo presses. "You've been with her almost constantly since the attack."
I keep my face neutral. "She hasn't shared any concerns with me."
Enzo studies me, his eyes calculating. The Feretti middle child, the enforcer, the sword. Not as strategic as Damiano, not as innocent as Lucrezia used to be. But perceptive in ways his siblings sometimes aren't.
"Look, Hayes," he says, his voice dropping. "You've been closer to her than anyone these past months. I need your honest assessment."
I wait, saying nothing.
"I'm worried about her," Enzo admits. "Lu's always been good at hiding how she really feels. Too good. After what happened..." He pauses, pain flashing across his features. "She refuses to see a therapist again after those initial sessions. I'm afraid she might..." He doesn't finish the thought.
"She wouldn't hurt herself," I say immediately, more forcefully than intended.
"You sound certain."
"I am." I meet his gaze directly. "Your sister is stronger than you think. Than any of you think."
Enzo raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.
"She's determined to do whatever needs to be done," I say. "Not because she's weak or broken, but because she's kind. She spreads kindness in this shitty world without even trying."
The words pour out before I can stop them. "She's rebuilding herself day by day. Different than before, but not less. She remembers the names of every security guard's kids. She notices things others don't."
I stop abruptly, realizing I've said too much. My jaw tightens as I look away, focusing on the perimeter fence.
Enzo is silent for a long moment, studying me. I brace myself for questions I can't answer honestly.
Instead, he just nods. "You're right," he says quietly. "We underestimate her."
He tucks the unlit cigarette back into his pocket. "I want you to keep an even closer eye on her, Hayes. One way or another."
"That's my job, sir."
"I'm not talking about just physical protection." His eyes narrow. "Watch her behavior. Her moods. If anything seems off I want to know immediately."
I nod stiffly. "Understood."