Chapter 12
Marco
I wake up actually feeling rested for the first time in days.
Sunlight streams through the living room windows. I sit up and check my phone—almost eight. The longest I've slept all week. Elena must have been too shaken by the Ronan encounter to try another escape. Smart girl.
I pull my shirt on and run a hand through my hair. My mind immediately goes to last night. The way she looked at me while I bandaged her up. That vulnerability in her eyes I've never seen before. Like she wasn't used to someone taking care of her.
Which, knowing her history, she probably isn't. Mother dead. Father missing. She's been on her own for a long time.
I shake off the thought and focus on today.
We need to go to Vito's penthouse. I have to tell him about Elena's meeting with Ronan, and hopefully he'll have some insight into what we're dealing with.
On the surface, Elena's involvement with Ronan looks damning.
But I know she's not telling me everything.
This can't just be about not talking to her father for a year.
Why would she contact the Costellos about her missing dad instead of asking us for help? That's the part that doesn't add up.
I'm going to have Rafa run additional background checks on Elio. We don't know much about what he's been doing for the past ten years since his exile.
Movement from the hallway catches my attention. Elena emerges and actually smiles at me before heading to the kitchen. I can hear her starting to prep her coffee.
I stand and walk over to join her.
"Vito invited us for breakfast," I announce, and she jumps slightly, not having heard me approach. "He and I have a meeting, so I figured you could spend time with the girls while we handle business."
"Okay. When are we leaving?" she asks, setting down the coffee grounds she was about to add to the French press.
"Whenever you're ready."
She smiles and says, "Give me twenty minutes," then heads back to her bedroom.
I do a quick change into black jeans and a black t-shirt, brush my hair and teeth in the hallway bathroom, then wait for her on the couch. When she emerges from her bedroom, I have to suppress my reaction to how stunning she looks.
She's wearing a gorgeous floral maxi dress with white sandals, her hair flowing in natural waves, and barely any makeup—though she doesn't need any. She's a natural beauty in every sense. Gold hoops dangle from her ears, and a long gold chain with a small pendant rests against her chest.
I stand to meet her in the middle of the living room and gently place my hand on her side. "How does it feel?" I ask, looking down at her injury then back up to her eyes.
"It's sore. That's why I wore this dress—it's loose and comfortable. You ready to go?"
She looks absolutely stunning. Instead of answering her question, I move my hand from her side to her necklace, lifting the pendant to examine it.
She steps closer to me, and the scent of jasmine and vanilla fills the space between us.
I take a deep breath of her fragrance and rub my finger over the pendant—a delicate gold vine about an inch long.
"Crazy plant lady," I tease, looking into her eyes.
She smiles. "Just plant lady, not crazy."
I laugh, knowing that's absolutely not true. She is a little crazy, but she's also intelligent, and infuriating, and beautiful. So incredibly beautiful.
She steps around me and opens the front door. As she turns back, she adds, "Maybe a little crazy," with a wink that makes me chuckle again before I follow her out.
We enter Vito's penthouse and are immediately greeted by sounds of animated chatter. Walking straight to the kitchen, we find Rafa covered head to toe in flour while Rina, Sofia, and Gianna laugh hysterically at whatever disaster has occurred.
I frown at the chaotic scene. Elena bursts out laughing beside me.
"Oh my god, what did we walk into?" she asks through her laughter.
They all turn toward us. Rina approaches to give Elena a hug while Rafa heads to the sink to brush flour off his shirt. Rina starts to pull Elena away to join the other women, but Elena stops and looks at me.
"I'll be out in about an hour," I tell her. She nods before walking over to sit with Sofia and Gianna at the counter. Rina joins Rafa at the sink to help clean up.
I head toward Vito's office. Before leaving the kitchen entirely, I glance back at Elena. She's looking directly at me and blushes when our eyes meet, then quickly turns away.
I round the corner and make my way to the office.
A minute later, I'm seated across from Vito. He's behind his desk and I've chosen the formal chair arrangement—appropriate given the serious nature of what I need to report.
"So, what have you found?" Vito asks.
"Elena has been relatively quiet for the past eight days... until last night. She arranged a meeting with someone. When I showed up, it was Ronan O'Callahan."
Vito's eyes darken immediately. He knows Ronan's reputation and what his involvement means.
"I followed her—she didn't know I was there. I couldn't hear the entire conversation but things escalated quickly. She slapped him."
Vito's eyebrows shoot up.
"Yeah. No one would expect a woman to land a hit on Ronan. But after she slapped him, he threatened her with a knife. I intervened. He told her he was interested in her 'offer' and that he'd see her soon."
"What offer?" Vito leans forward.
"I don't know. All I could get out of her afterward was 'it's not what you think.' I believe there's more she isn't telling me, but I'm not certain it's what we originally suspected."
Vito drums his fingers on the desk. "Do we know where Elio is currently?"
"I'm going to have Rafa investigate the past ten years since Elio left the organization."
Vito nods. "Stay close to her. Let me know what else you discover." He pauses, his expression shifting slightly. "How are you handling the assignment? Living in close quarters—that can't be easy."
I meet his gaze steadily. "It's fine. I'm managing."
"Managing." He studies me for a long moment. "Has anything happened between you two that I should know about?"
"No," I say immediately. "Nothing's happened."
"Good." Vito's voice is firm. "Because she's Rina's cousin, Marco. Family. And she's in a vulnerable position right now. I need you focused on keeping her safe and finding out what she's hiding. Not... anything else."
The message is crystal clear. She's off limits.
"Understood," I say.
Vito holds my gaze a moment longer, making sure his point has landed. Then he shifts topics. "Do we have any new information about who's taken over Irish operations?"
"Not a specific name but we have confirmation that someone is definitely giving orders. Luca and Dante are monitoring all known Irish businesses for activity and trying to trace the command structure. Their operations are back to full capacity, so someone competent has assumed control."
Vito runs his hands through his hair and leans back in his chair. We discuss additional business matters—our own operations, security protocols, shipments that need oversight. After about forty-five minutes, Vito stands.
"Let's join the others for breakfast."
I have a brief private conversation with Rafa about the additional information I need regarding Elio, then sit down at the table. Elena walks around and sits next to me. She doesn't look at me but I can see the corner of her mouth lift in a small smile.
Vito's warning echoes in my head. She's family. She's off limits.
But as I watch Elena laugh with Sofia and Gianna, her face bright with genuine happiness, all I can think is that staying away from her is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done.