Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Tonio woke to warmth.
Dawn leaked pale around the curtains, a soft gray that made the world quiet. Sofia was pressed against him, her back tucked into his chest, her body curled into his as it had always belonged there. The sheet had slipped low, the first light catching the curve of her shoulder.
He didn’t sleep next to people. Ever.
Yet sometime in the night, he’d pulled her into him—and stayed.
Careful not to wake her, he shifted onto his elbow. He studied her face. Asleep, her defenses were gone—no sharp edges, no fight. That stubborn line between her brows was smooth, her lips soft.
His chest tightened.
He felt the moment she began to wake, a subtle tension seeping into her muscles before her eyes even opened.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice low.
Her cheeks warmed. That small, unguarded reaction hit him harder than he expected.
“How about breakfast? The family’s not up yet. We can raid the kitchen,” he murmured.
She turned around to face him, then said quietly, “That sounds good. Coffee would be amazing right now. About last night—”
“Don’t.” His voice was rougher than intended. “We have plenty of time to discuss later…on our date.”
Her eyes widened. “We’re going on a date?”
He smirked. “Yes. We are.”
He swung his legs off the bed and pulled on a T-shirt and sweats, feeling her gaze following him.
She sat up, the sheet clutched like armor.
“What about people noticing?” she whispered. “Right now, I’m nothing. Seen with you, I’m a name. In your world, that’s a target.”
He didn't hesitate. “Let them try.”
He meant it.
They got dressed and made their way to the kitchen.
He guided Sofia down the staircase, his hand brushing lightly against her back.
Noise came from the kitchen as they walked in.
Her fingers twitched nervously as she took in the scene.
Mia was already there, casual in sweatpants and a loose sweater, pouring coffee into mugs. She looked up, her smile warm.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Morning,” Tonio murmured back. He turned to Sofia, who hesitated in the entryway, fingers twisting the hem of her shirt.
“Come on,” he murmured. “It’s just breakfast.”
Sofia’s gaze swept the room, lingering on the security monitor for a beat too long—a reminder that outside, a dangerous world was still waiting.
“It’s never just anything here, is it?” she said, her voice low.
Tonio noticed it too, but he ignored it.
She didn’t need more reasons to worry. She walked until she was beside him.
Luc joined them next. His eyes caught Tonio’s, and a different, heavier acknowledgment passed between them. Luc gave a nearly imperceptible shake of his head. Nothing to discuss here. Not now.
“Sit,” Tonio said quietly, guiding Sofia to a chair.
She obeyed, but her posture was rigid.
He poured coffee for both of them. His knuckles grazed hers as he passed her the mug—a jolt that went far beyond caffeine. Breakfast was simple: eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. Tonio watched her shoulders ease slightly with the first taste of caffeine.
Mia hovered nearby, offering toast to Sofia. He could see the fragile trust in Sofia’s eyes when she looked at him, but he could also see the calculation. She wasn’t just accepting his protection; she was assessing his ability to deliver on it.
He couldn’t stop watching her—the small bite of her lip as she chose a piece of fruit.
All his instincts sharpened: protective, attentive, aware.
Luc spoke then, softly breaking the comfortable quiet. “Sofia,” he said, his voice neutral, but Tonio noted the hint of approval. “It is good to see you.”
Tonio felt Luc watching, weighing every move he made with her.
Sofia nodded, careful. Under the table, his fingers found hers. Steady. Solid.
Breakfast passed in a quiet rhythm, punctuated by the small, human things that made the house feel alive. Tonio noticed when the tension finally eased, when her laugh broke, soft and hesitant, when she reached for a refill without overthinking.
The conversation stayed light, small talk and casual comments that required little calculation. Mia subtly steered the conversation, giving Sofia tiny footholds into a world she wasn’t quite comfortable with.
After breakfast, he rose, stretching briefly. “Come on,” he said to Sofia. “I'll show you around before the day begins.”
She followed, hesitant but steady.
He glanced back at Mia, catching her small, approving smile. A silent acknowledgment: she’d been part of making Sofia feel at ease. When they returned to the main hall after the tour, Tonio stopped. He waited for her to face him.
“You’re safe here,” he said softly, almost a whisper. “I'll make sure it stays that way.”
She met his gaze, and for the first time, he saw trust—not complete, not unbroken, but growing, fragile and bright.
He’d protect it—whatever it cost.
Tonio lingered in the main hall after the tour, watching Sofia climb the stairs. Her steps were lighter, a subtle easing in her posture. That glance back at him—trust flickering—stayed with him.
He pushed into the study. Luc hunched over a laptop, a cigar smoldering between his fingers. Tonio shut the door with a sharp click.
Luc’s eyes lifted from the screen. “The senator’s not fading out.”
Tonio leaned against the desk. “We didn’t count on it.”
“This isn’t a tantrum. It’s a suicide run.” Luc exhaled smoke. “He’s lost everything—deal’s gone, pockets empty. Now he’s leaking names, dates, and operations to the feds. He is seeking vengeance. Sofia is in that.”
Tonio’s fists clenched. He’d hoped the bastard would slink away. “He has nothing concrete.”
“He doesn’t need proof—chaos or hired guns will do.” Luc’s stare didn’t waver.
“He can’t touch her here,” Tonio growled, his voice steel.
Luc leaned in, his voice dropping. “Tonio, taking her out tonight… It’s painting a bullseye on her back.”
The image flashed in his mind: Sofia, silhouetted and alone in a sniper’s crosshairs.
“It’s a damn date,” Tonio snapped. “She deserves one night without shadows.”
“There is no normal for you,” Luc said, his voice flat. He snapped the laptop shut, the sharp sound a period to the debate. “Not with her. A public date makes her a target. Protection increases. Risk increases. You pick which one you can live with.”
Tonio swallowed. The bravado from the morning tasted thin. “Then we neutralize him,” he said, the words cold and final. “Discreetly. The date happens.”
Evening settled over the city, the skyline sharp against the dark.
Tonio stood in the foyer, the wool of his tailored suit a stark contrast to the familiar weight of the holster beneath.
When Sofia descended, the air left his lungs.
The black dress he got her was a shadow against her skin, a simple, devastating line from shoulder to knee.
Her hair was swept up, but a few strands curled against her neck, leading the eye to the bold crimson of her lips.
“You look…” He lost the words, his voice a low rasp. “Incredible.”
A flush warmed her cheeks as she closed the distance between them. “You clean up well yourself.” His hand settled at the small of her back. Her eyes flicked up, heat answering his touch.
The restaurant was quiet and refined, all polished silver and low voices.
Candlelight caught the deep ruby of the wine in her glass. She took a sip, the tart bite a stark contrast to the sharp truth that followed.
“I never pictured this,” she said, her finger tracing the crystal stem. “The constant looking over my shoulder… or you.”
“What did you picture?” He needed to know the quiet dream he was threatening to obliterate.
“A small life. A quiet one. After my upbringing and the senator’s mess, I just wanted to live quietly.
” Her gaze was unflinching, seeing past the suit and the calm facade to the storm beneath.
“Being with you is the opposite of hiding. It’s like choosing to stand in the heart of a storm.
” A wry, almost dark smile touched her lips.
“Terrifying, honestly. But a storm is better than a lifetime of boredom.”
Her honesty was a key, turning a lock he kept sealed deep within. He looked down at his own hands on the stark white linen—the hands that had ended so many lives, some more deservedly than others.
“I remember faces,” he said, the words barely a breath. “They don’t stalk me in nightmares. They sit in the silence and ask why. And when I look at you, every answer feels like a sin. I won’t change. But you’re the only thing keeping me from letting the darkness take everything.”
“You didn’t drag me here. I made a choice,” she whispered, her voice fierce. Her foot found his under the table, a point of contact that was a brand, a jolt of grounding heat that cut through the solemnity.
His phone vibrated against the table. Luc’s name lit the screen. Tonio let it ring, keeping his focus on her. It buzzed again. Harder.
A second later, a text preview lit up his screen:
GET OUT. NOW. They know you're there.
Tonio’s body went still, every instinct switching from dinner to extraction. He dropped a wad of cash on the table and stood, offering Sofia his hand.
“We’re leaving.”
She slid her hand into his, steady, but her brows pinched. “What’s happening?”
“I’ll explain in the car.”
That was enough for her. She nodded once, her grip firm.
He guided her through the crowded dining room, keeping himself between her and every possible angle. They were three steps from the exit when a broad shape filled the doorway.
Dark suit. Sharp haircut. Dead eyes.
“Senator Young wants a word with the lady.” The man reached for Sofia’s arm.
Wrong move.
Tonio reacted before thought existed—wrist catch, pivot, elbow to the throat. A wet, choked sound, then the man crumpled to the ground.
A table clattered nearby. Someone gasped. A waiter froze mid-step, eyes wide. Diners parted without thinking, instinctively clearing a path. Security radios crackled, but Tonio was already moving.