Chapter 17 Julian #2
"Done," I said. Leaning back in my chair. "Finally done."
"You're amazing. You know that?" Elio stood and stretched. Moved to where I was sitting. Leaned against his desk. "We've accomplished more in two weeks than I thought possible. Because of you. Because of how well we work together."
"We do work well together. Your strategic thinking and my legal analysis. It's a good combination."
"Are you happy?" he asked. "With how things turned out? With being here? With this life?"
"Extremely happy. Happier than I ever imagined I could be." I stood and moved closer to him. "Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering. Thinking about alternate paths. What would've happened if things had gone differently."
"What do you think would've happened? If I'd never come to Inferno?"
Elio was quiet for a moment. Thinking. "I probably would've continued as I was.
Competent but empty. Going through motions without real purpose.
Maintaining security. Managing threats. Existing but not living.
I'd have been functional but hollow. Effective but alone.
That would've been my life. Until—" He stopped.
"Until what?"
"Until I died. Probably in some violent confrontation. Or just slowly withered into nothing but duty and obligation. No joy. No connection. No reason to be more than just competent at my job."
The honesty hit hard. "That's bleak."
"It's realistic. Before you, I had no reason to grow or change.
No reason to question procedures or show mercy or think about the future beyond tomorrow's threats.
You gave me all of that. Purpose. Growth.
Hope. A future worth building." He pulled me between his legs.
"What about you? What would've happened if you hadn't run? "
I thought about it. Really thought about it. "I would've married Dante. Within a year he would've broken me completely or I would've killed him. Either way, I'd be dead or destroyed. There was no version of that future where I survived intact."
"I'm glad you ran."
"So am I. Best decision I ever made. Running to you. Choosing this life. Choosing you." I kissed him softly. "I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."
"Me too. With you. Building this. Having a future that's more than just surviving."
We stood there for a moment. Just holding each other. Both grateful for the choices that had brought us together.
Then I felt it. The shift in energy. From grateful to hungry. From tender to heated.
"Elio," I said quietly. "I want you."
"We should go home—"
"No. Here. Now. I want you here."
His pupils dilated. "Julian, we're in my office. Anyone could—"
"Your office has locks. And your security team knows not to interrupt you when the door's locked." I reached for his belt. "I want you. Right now. Here. I want the risk. Want the recklessness. Want you to fuck me on your desk where anyone could walk by and hear."
His control visibly cracked. "You're going to be the death of me."
"Or the life of you. Haven't decided yet." I kissed him hard. "Please. I need this. Need you."
Elio groaned and surrendered. Kissed me back with desperate intensity. Hands already working at my clothes.
"Lock the door," he commanded.
I did. Came back to find him clearing his desk with one sweep of his arm. Papers scattered. Laptop closed and moved safely aside.
"Get your clothes off. Now."
I stripped quickly. Efficiently. Left my clothes in a pile on the floor.
Elio pulled me against him. Still fully dressed while I was completely bare. The contrast was intoxicating.
"You've learned to ask for what you want," he said. Voice rough with desire. "I love that about you. Love that you're confident enough to tell me exactly what you need."
"I learned from you. You taught me I could ask. Could demand. Could take what I wanted."
"And what do you want right now?"
"You. Inside me. Hard and fast. I want to feel you tomorrow. Want to remember this every time I sit at this desk. Want to know that we christened this office properly."
He bit my shoulder. Made me gasp. "You're going to be loud. Anyone walking by will hear."
"Let them. Let them know you're mine. That I'm yours. That we do whatever we want."
Elio lifted me onto the desk. Spread my legs. Knelt between them.
"Going to make you scream my name," he promised. "Going to make you forget every coherent thought. Going to ruin you for anyone else."
"Already ruined. Been ruined since the first time you touched me."
He worked me open with his mouth and fingers. Efficient but thorough. Knew exactly what I needed. How much prep. What angle drove me crazy.
When I was ready—gasping and begging—he stood and stripped off his clothes. Positioned himself at my entrance.
"Last chance to change your mind. Go home. Do this properly in bed."
"Fuck me right here. Right now. Don't make me wait."
He pushed inside in one smooth thrust. We both groaned loud enough that anyone in the hallway would definitely hear.
"God, Julian. You feel perfect. Always perfect."
"Move. Please. I need—"
He set a hard, fast pace. Exactly what I'd asked for. The desk creaked beneath us. Papers fell to the floor. Neither of us cared.
"Touch yourself," he commanded. "Want to watch you."
I wrapped my hand around myself. Stroked in time with his thrusts. Watched his face as he watched me. Both of us completely lost in sensation.
"You're so beautiful like this," he said. Voice strained. "Taking me so well. Being so brave. Asking for what you want."
"Learned from the best. You taught me—oh God, right there—taught me I could want things. Could ask for them."
"Always ask. Always tell me what you need. I'll give you anything. Everything."
The pleasure built fast. Intense. Made more intense by the risk. The location. The knowledge that we were being reckless and not caring.
"Elio—I'm close—"
"Let go. Show me. Want to hear you scream my name."
I came hard. Did scream his name. Loud enough that security definitely heard. Didn't care. Just felt wave after wave of pleasure crash through me.
Elio thrust twice more then followed. Buried deep. My name a prayer on his lips.
We stayed connected for a moment. Both catching our breath. Both grinning like idiots.
"That was—" I couldn't finish.
"Risky and reckless and perfect." He pulled out carefully. Cleaned us both with tissues from his desk drawer. "And absolutely worth it."
"We're good together," I said. "In ways that go beyond just physical compatibility."
"We are. In every way. Working together. Living together. Loving each other. All of it fits."
We got dressed. Elio put his office back in order. Made it look like we'd actually been working instead of christening his desk.
As we were leaving, I kissed him thoroughly. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For giving me a life where I can ask for what I want. Where I can be brave. Where I can be myself completely."
"Thank you for being brave enough to run. To choose this life. To choose me."
We went home together. Both content. Both grateful.
Both building something real despite the chaos around us.
The next morning we were back at Inferno for a partners meeting. Routine check-in on restructuring progress.
But when we walked into the conference room, Sandro was smiling. Actually smiling. Which was rare enough to make everyone notice.
"Before we start," he said, "Emilio and I have news we wanted to share. We're going to have a child. Via surrogate. Due in six months."
The room erupted.
Matteo stood and pulled Sandro into a hug. "Congratulations. That's amazing news."
Stefan was beaming. "I'm so happy for you both. You're going to be wonderful parents."
Luca raised his coffee cup. "To Sandro and Emilio. And to the next generation."
Elio clasped Sandro's shoulder. "Congratulations. Truly. This is wonderful."
I added my congratulations. Felt genuinely happy for them. This was the natural next step.
But underneath the happiness, my mind was spinning with darker thoughts.
Children. Dante had wanted children. Had talked about it like it was inevitable. Like once we were married, raising heirs would be my primary function.
The thought made me sick.
Dante as a father. Controlling. Abusive. Passing his cruelty to the next generation. Teaching children that violence and dominance were normal. That fear was love.
I'd have been trapped not just in a marriage but in raising children in that environment. Watching Dante hurt them the way he'd hurt me. Being powerless to protect them.
Thank God I'd run. Thank God I'd never had to live that nightmare.
Elio couldn't be more different. He was protective but not controlling. Strong but not cruel. Capable of violence but also mercy. He'd be a good father someday. Patient. Teaching. Guiding without crushing.
Not that we were anywhere near thinking about that. I was twenty-one. Way too young to be considering children. We'd been together less than three months. It was far too early for those conversations.
But still. Someday. Maybe. With Elio. I could imagine it. Could imagine a future where we had that kind of family. Where we built something permanent and good.
The thought filled me with unexpected warmth. Hope. Possibility.
"Julian?" Elio's voice pulled me back to the present. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Sorry. Just thinking."
"About?"
"The future. Good things. I'll tell you later."
The meeting continued. We discussed restructuring progress. Security updates. Financial projections. Everything was on track. Moving smoothly.
After the meeting ended, I caught Stefan in the hallway.
"Coffee?" I asked. "I need a break from the office."
"Sure. There's a good place three blocks away. We can walk."
Twenty minutes later we were heading down the street toward the coffee shop. My security detail—two guards Elio had assigned permanently after my public exposure—followed at a discreet distance. Close enough to protect. Far enough to give me space.
I'd gotten used to having security. It felt normal now. Safe. Like having a seatbelt in a car. Just a precaution that made sense.
Stefan and I talked about Sandro's announcement as we walked.
"He's going to be such a good dad," Stefan said. "Emilio too. They're going to love that kid so much."
"Did you and Matteo ever talk about it? Having kids?"
"Sometimes. We're not opposed to the idea. But right now we're focused on each other. On building what we have. Kids can come later if we decide we want them." Stefan glanced at me. "What about you and Elio?"
"I'm twenty-one. Way too young to be thinking seriously about that."
"But you are thinking about it."
"A little. Just—hypothetically. Dante used to talk about wanting kids.
It was horrifying. The thought of bringing children into that relationship.
Into that kind of home. But with Elio—" I stopped.
Tried to find words. "With Elio I can imagine it.
Someday. Not now. But eventually. It doesn't feel like a nightmare.
It feels like something that could be good. "
"That's growth. That's healing. That's what happens when you're with someone who makes you feel safe instead of trapped."
We reached the coffee shop. Stefan went inside to order. I stayed outside, leaning against the building. Enjoying the late morning sun.
My security detail positioned themselves nearby. One near the coffee shop entrance. One watching the street. Professional. Vigilant. Elio had trained them well.
I pulled out my phone. Texted Elio: Getting coffee with Stefan. Be back in 30.
His response came immediately: Stay with security. Don't wander off.
I won't. Promise. Love you.
Love you too. Be careful.
I smiled at my phone. He worried. But not in the controlling way my father had. In the protective way someone worried when they loved you and wanted you safe.
I was putting my phone away when I noticed them.
Three men. Moving purposefully down the sidewalk. Not looking at me directly but trajectory aimed right at where I was standing.
Something felt wrong. Off. Predatory.
"Julian Bianchi?"
I looked up. They were closer now. Two steps away. Moving fast.
Before I could respond, they raised their hands. Small guns. Not normal guns. Tranquilizer guns.
Everything happened in seconds.
My security detail moved. Reached for their weapons. Shouted warnings.
The men fired. Quick succession. Pfft. Pfft. Pfft. Pfft.
Both my guards dropped. Didn't even get their guns drawn. Just collapsed like puppets with cut strings.
I ran. Or tried to. Turned toward the coffee shop entrance. Toward Stefan. Toward safety.
Felt a sting in my neck. Sharp. Burning.
No. No no no. This wasn't happening.
I reached for the dart. Pulled it out. Threw it down.
But the damage was done. Whatever was in it was already spreading through my system.
My legs went weak. Knees buckled. I grabbed the building to stay upright.
One of the men caught me. Strong arms around my chest. Lifting me.
"Got him. Move."
I tried to fight. Tried to scream for Stefan. Tried to do anything.
But my body wasn't responding. Muscles going slack. Vision blurring. Sounds becoming distant and muffled.
Elio. I needed to tell Elio. Needed to—
The world tilted. Sideways. Then gray. Then black.
My last conscious thought was his name.
Elio.
Then nothing.
***
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
Was I conscious? Unconscious? Dead?
Couldn't tell. Couldn't think. Couldn't feel anything beyond a distant floating sensation.
Somewhere far away, voices. Muffled. Distorted.
"—got him. Moving to secondary location—"
"—boss will be pleased—"
"—make sure he stays under until—"
The voices faded. Became nothing. Just darkness and silence.
I tried to hold onto consciousness. Tried to fight the drug pulling me down.
But I was drowning. Sinking. Falling into an abyss I couldn't escape.
The last sensation before everything went completely black was rough hands. Movement. Being carried somewhere.
Then absolutely nothing at all.