Chapter 8
EVA
I know I’ve just given away more than I should have. I’ve just put an end to any chance of me and Mirabella escaping again.
But as I watch the shock on Adriano’s face as he takes in Mirabella transform into a fierce protection, I wonder if maybe deep down, I wanted him to know.
The guilt of hiding it from him all these years, along with the guilt of a life on the run Mirabella has been forced to live, have forced my conscience to do what’s right.
Adriano’s eyes narrow as he turns to Alessandro, stepping between his brother and me like a shield. "She stays. Her and Mirabella both. Under my protection."
Alessandro's jaw tightens. "You're letting emotion cloud your judgment. Again."
"My daughter," Adriano says with gritted teeth, "will be safe in her father's house. And her mother stays with her."
The fierce protectiveness in his stance makes my chest ache. This is exactly what I'd imagined all those nights lying awake, wondering what kind of father he would have been.
"Adriano," Alessandro warns, "think about what you're doing. You're willing to risk everything, your position in this family, the current situation with the Russians, for a woman who betrayed us? Betrayed you?”
"You don't know that. Not even Dad was sure," Adriano snaps. "And unlike you, I know what it means to protect the people I love."
Love. The word hangs in the air. I believed he loved me before, but can he still love me? Or is he merely referring to our daughter?
"I get it from Luca and Valentina, but she’s not like Katerina," Alessandro argues. "She's not even like Cristian. We can't just forgive—"
"You don't know shit about shit," Adriano cuts him off. "And especially not about relationships. When was the last time you felt anything for anyone besides yourself?"
I flinch at the venom in his words.
The brothers stare at each other, tension crackling between them like electricity before a storm.
This isn’t a good situation, coming between two brothers, one of whom is the Don.
Adriano will have no choice but to bow to his brother’s will, and where will that leave me and Mirabella?
"If you want me to keep playing your enforcer in this war with the Russians," Adriano continues, "then Eva and my daughter stay under Dante protection. Non-negotiable."
Alessandro's gaze shifts to me, cold and deadly. I meet his eyes, refusing to look away despite my fear.
"Ivan is after her, Alessandro," Adriano says, his tone less angry and more strategic.
I keep my face neutral, though my heart races at the mention of Ivan's name. The memories of what he did to me during those weeks of captivity rise like bile in my throat.
Alessandro's eyes narrow as he studies me. "She could be playing both sides. Maybe they let her go as bait. A clever trap."
"Look at her," Adriano counters, gesturing toward my bruised face, my bandaged arms. "Does she look like someone who's in with Ivan? She's been running for her life."
I want to speak for myself, but experience has taught me when to stay quiet among Dante men making decisions. One wrong word could tip the scales against me.
Alessandro approaches me. "If Ivan wants her this badly, she must know something valuable. Something we could use to end him."
I don’t respond.
“We won’t know what Ivan wants with her if we toss her out,” Adriano argues.
A flicker of interest crosses Alessandro's face, the Don in him seeing the strategic advantage I represent.
"Fine," he says finally, turning to Adriano. "She stays. For now. But she's watched at all times. I won't have another betrayal under my roof."
"Understood," Adriano replies.
Alessandro steps closer to me, towering and intimidating. "You've been keeping secrets all this time, Eva. I'm not as quick to trust as my brother. One wrong move, one hint that you're playing us, and not even Adriano will be able to protect you. Are we clear?"
I meet his gaze, unflinching. "Crystal."
Adriano carries Mirabella upstairs as he escorts me to my room.
“You can have this room and Mirabella can—”
“She’ll stay with me.”
“No one is going to hurt her—”
“She’s in a new place where she knows no one. She stays with me.”
He nods and pushes open a door to a room that the moment I see it, I remember was Adriano’s sister, Valentina’s.
It’s decorated in dove grays and ornate silver accents.
It makes me think of a room in a palace.
“Will this work for tonight? There’s a full bath there.” Adriano points toward the other side of the room.
“This is fine.” So much better than the dumps we’ve stayed in since we escaped from Ivan’s men.
Adriano pulls back the comforter and sheet, and I lay Mirabella down, smoothing her dark curls away from her forehead.
Her eyelids flutter closed as sleep takes her away again.
Poor baby.
She's been through so much these past few weeks—these past years, really.
Children should have stability, safety.
I've failed to give her any of that.
"Mommy?" she murmurs, barely conscious.
"I'm here. Sleep now." I press a kiss to her temple and tuck the blanket around her small body.
She's asleep before I even straighten up.
I can feel Adriano at the door, watching us. I imagined him learning about Mirabella a million times but never thought it would be like this.
In some of the scenarios, it didn’t turn out well.
When I finally turn, he's watching me, not with the coolness and anger of an enforcer or a man betrayed, although I wouldn’t say he’s in love with me, either.
Still, there’s a softness in his observation of me.
"She looks like you," he says quietly, his voice low enough not to wake Mirabella.
"She has your eyes, your smile.” I give a soft laugh. "And your stubbornness."
The corner of his mouth twitches. Almost a smile. Almost.
"Can we talk?" He tilts his head toward the sitting area of the room.
My stomach knots. This is the conversation I've been dreading for years.
The one where I have to explain why I let him believe I was dead.
Why I denied him his daughter.
How do you apologize for something like that?
"Yes.” I follow him out, leaving the bedroom door cracked so I'll hear if Mirabella wakes.
Before he can ask his questions, I say, "Thank you.
For everything. For saving us in that alley.
For bringing us here. For standing up to Alessandro.
" I mean what I say, even if I find it hard to look at him as I say it. "We'd be dead without you."
"Why did you let me think you were dead, Eva?" He goes directly to the point. "Why not just tell me you were pregnant and leaving?"
I lean against the wall behind me feeling beyond tired. "I hated doing it, but it was the only way to keep me and the baby safe from your father."
Adriano's jaw tightens. "I could have protected you."
I shake my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "From Don Lorenzo? He was the most powerful man in New York. The most feared. He was your father." I meet his eyes directly now. "He was the Don, and he'd threatened to kill Luca for defying him. If he can do that, he’d have no problem killing me."
Pain flashes across his face. “Luca was exiled and is doing fine. I could have done the same.”
His comment surprises me as he’d always been loyal to a fault to his father. "I didn't want to be the reason he hurt you too. Or worse, forced you to choose between us. I couldn't do that to you."
"So instead you let me believe you were dead?" Anger edges into his voice. "Do you have any idea what that did to me, Eva? It killed me. I died that day too. It changed me."
The raw hurt in his voice makes me flinch.
As much as I want to run again, I know I have to face the pain I caused him.
He’s as much of a victim of his father’s cruelty as I am. More, I suppose.
"I'm so sorry, Adriano. I did what I thought was best for our baby. Your father made it clear… if I stayed, if I tried to contact you, he'd eliminate the problem. And the problem was me."
His expression darkens. "If I had known you were carrying my child—"
"You would have fought him and one of you would have ended up dead. Maybe both." I swallow hard, remembering the terror of those days. "I couldn't risk that. Not with Mirabella's life at stake. So I disappeared. I let the world think I was dead, including you."
A tear slides down my cheek, and I brush it away. "I never wanted to hurt you. But I had to protect her. She had to come first."
Adriano's expression softens slightly. The anger in his eyes doesn't disappear, but it dims as he processes my explanation.
He runs a hand through his dark hair. "I understand protecting our daughter, but you should have trusted me, Eva."
"I did trust you," I say. "It was your father I feared."
Adriano studies me, and I wonder what he’s looking for. "My father is dead."
"What happened?" I ask, not sure if I should offer condolences.
I don’t normally wish people dead, but it’s hard to feel bad about the death of a man who said he’d kill me and my unborn child.
"He was murdered. Car bomb. Bratva. He was working toward peace, even an alliance. Maksim seemed on board, but behind the scenes, he was making a power play, had spies infiltrating us.”
I blink, hoping he doesn’t see my reaction to his mention of spies. "When?"
"Just over a year ago." His eyes study my reaction carefully.
“But you’ve avenged him?” I don’t know why it’s important that I believe that. I suppose it’s because if not, they’re still looking for a traitor.
“So to speak. Pyotr, Katerina’s brother?”
“I remember him.”
“He was the one mostly involved, but not the only. Victorio was too.”
My throat constricts. Is this why I'm here? Does Adriano believe I had something to do with his father's death?
"Victorio. But he loved your family. He was loyal to a fault, especially to Luca."
"He was on Maksim Vasiliev's payroll for years," Adriano says bitterly. "Feeding information to the Russians. When Luca learned it, he wasted no time… "
He doesn’t finish the sentence, but I know what’s saying. Luca killed his best friend for betraying him.
“All that plus what went down when Maksim was supposed to marry Valentina—”
“What?” I’m horrified by the idea.
“To fix the alliance. Valentina agreed to it, but well… Maksim—”
“He’s a sadist.”
Adriano’s head jerks back, his expression confused. “How do you know?”
Oh, no, I’ve tipped my hand. “Just rumors.”
He studies me, and I think he doesn’t believe me. “Well, her bodyguard killed Maksim and now she’s in Chicago with him and Luca. We thought things would calm down, and they did until Ivan returned. It’s why Alessandro is so suspicious."
I nod, understanding now why Alessandro was so quick to mistrust me.
And I suppose he should.
There are still secrets I'm keeping, but I’m not against them.
I’m not out to betray them.
"I should get some rest," I say. "It's been a long day."
Adriano nods, his expression guarded. "Of course. You'll need your strength."
I straighten from the wall, feeling so weary and at the same time, a sense of safety. Maybe I’ll sleep well tonight.
"Good night, Adriano," I say, taking a tentative step toward the bedroom.
My ankle gives way, and I stumble forward with a small gasp.
Before I can fall, Adriano's there, his strong arms catching me.
"Careful," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that reverberates through my entire body.
"Thank you.” I steady myself against him. "For everything. For saving us today."
His proximity is overwhelming.
The scent of his cologne, the warmth of his body.
All the memories I've tried so hard to bury come rushing back.
I don't think as I push up on my toes and press a kiss to his cheek.
A gesture of gratitude, that's all.
Or at least that's what I tell myself.
But the moment my lips touch his skin, something electric passes between us.
When I pull back, his eyes have darkened, intense and burning. I can't look away.
"Eva," he whispers, his voice rough.
Then his mouth is on mine, and I'm lost.
His lips are exactly as I remember, firm, commanding, making my head spin.
I melt against him.
The kiss deepens, and I’m drowning in sensations.
His hands press against my lower back, drawing me closer until there's no space between us.
I gasp against his mouth, and he responds by kissing me harder.
For one perfect moment, there's no betrayal between us, no years of separation, no danger lurking outside.
There's just Adriano and me and the fire that never died.