I hadn’t intended to spring this transition on her, but I absolutely was not losing this woman to Valentina’s vicious jealousy, or Rossi’s desire to have something on me. If he ever figured out exactly how much I wanted Belle, he’d try to take her from me. If he succeeded, I would fucking level this fucking city.
Vincent's appearance at my club, his pointed conversation with Belle, wasn't coincidence. He'd been watching, waiting for a weakness to exploit. Now Belle was marked and I absolutely would not risk her. While she was protected atThe Gray, I was going to put a stop to her working there, too. She wasn’t going to be anywhere I wasn’t right by her side. Because I’d had to make arrangements for Belle — and because she’d needed space after the run in with Valentina — I’d let her go about her normal routine. With Vincent’s attention on her, however, I couldn’t let her be in a situation where he could corner her again.
I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated at the tangle of emotions this woman had awakened in me. I'd spent decades building walls between business and pleasure, maintaining a measured distance from anyone who might become leverage against me. Then Belle had looked up at me with those wide green eyes, and every calculated defense had begun to crumble.
Movement caught my eye. The service door swung open, and she stepped into the alley, head down, shoulders hunched against the evening chill. She had clearly gone home to shower and change before returning for her shift, but I decided here and there I hated her in that uniform. I wanted her naked. If I couldn’t keep her naked, I wanted her in my clothes. Her hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail that swung with each step. Even in the dim light, I could see the tension in her frame, the way she glanced nervously over her shoulder before turning toward the street.
My chest tightened at the sight of her.Mine. The word whispered through my mind before I could silence it. I wasn't accustomed to feeling this possessive, this fixated. It was dangerous for both of us. But I couldn't seem to stop and didn’t really want to stop.
I pushed open my car door and stepped onto the sidewalk just as she rounded the corner. She stopped abruptly, her eyeswidening as she met my gaze. For a moment, she looked like she might turn and run back into the club.
"Don't," I said softly, the word carrying in the quiet street.
"I'm tired, Dario." Her voice was flat, and she looked down at the sidewalk as she spoke. "I've had a long day. Whatever this is, can it wait?"
"It can't." I moved closer, noting how she tensed with each step I took. "You're coming home with me. Tonight."
Her expression shifted from wariness to shock. "Excuse me?"
"You're moving into Villa Luca. I've already made the arrangements."
She stared at me like I'd suggested she sprout wings and fly. "I can't just leave my apartment, Dario. I have a lease. I have plants. I have—"
"All taken care of." I cut her off with a dismissive wave. "Your lease has been settled. Your plants will be collected tomorrow, along with everything else you own."
Her mouth opened, then closed. I watched anger replace the shock in her eyes. Good. Anger was easier to work with than fear. "You can't just decide that," she snapped, taking a step back. "You don't get to rearrange my life because we fucked. Once!”
I flinched at the crude reduction of what had happened between us. "This isn't about sex, Belle. It's about your safety." I glanced around the empty street, lowering my voice. "Vincent Rossi was atThe Grayagain today. Looking for you."
Her face paled. "What?" Her whispered question held a wealth of fear.
"Belle, he knows who you are. Who you are to me." My jaw clenched so tight it ached. "He's dangerous. More dangerous than you can imagine."
She shook her head, arms wrapping around herself like a shield. "I'll be fine. I'm careful. I always have been."
"Not careful enough. Not for this." I watched her tremble and fought the urge to simply carry her to the car. Force was the simplest solution, but it would cost me her trust. And I needed that more than I cared to admit. "Belle," I said, gentling my voice. "Please. You’re in danger from Rossi because I let my interest in you show. Let me protect you." I reached out, touching her arm lightly. The contact sent a current through my fingertips, up my arm, settling like a weight in my chest. She looked down at my hand, then back up at my face. I could see the conflict in her eyes, the struggle between her stubborn independence and the fear Vincent had planted. She'd seen something in his eyes that frightened her, even if she didn't understand what it meant.
"Why me?" she whispered. "Why all this trouble for a bartender you've known for less than two months?"
The question caught me off guard. I had asked myself the same thing countless times since she'd first caught my attention. There was no logical answer, nothing that would satisfy either of us. The truth felt too raw, too dangerous to voice aloud. "Because I need you safe," I said finally. "Because the thought of Rossi coming anywhere near you makes me want to burn this city to the ground." I paused, the intensity of my own feelings unsettling. "Because when you're out of my sight, I can't think straight, and that makes me careless. And I can't afford to be careless right now."
Her eyes widened at my admission. "What kind of man are you?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
"The kind who protects what's his," I answered honestly. "Come home with me, Belle."
She didn't speak for several long moments. I waited, giving her the illusion of choice while knowing I would never truly let her walk away. Not now. Not with Rossi circling like a shark scenting blood in the water. Finally, her shoulders slumped in surrender."I need some things from my apartment," she said, her voice small but steady. “Some things can’t wait until tomorrow.”
Relief flooded through me, though I kept my expression neutral. "I'll have Marcus and Matteo meet us there and you can get what you need. If you’ll talk to Matteo, he will see to moving all your things."
She nodded, still uncertain but no longer resisting. I placed my hand at the small of her back, guiding her to the car. The possessive gesture wasn't lost on her. She stiffened briefly before relaxing into my touch.
As I opened the passenger door for her, she paused, looking up at me with those clear green eyes that saw more than I wanted her to see. "This doesn't change anything between us," she said quietly. "I'm not yours just because you're afraid for me."
I smiled, the expression feeling unfamiliar on my face. "We'll see," I said, closing the door once she was seated.
Walking around to the driver's side, I took a moment to compose myself. This was just the first move in a game with stakes higher than Belle could comprehend. Rossi wouldn't give up easily. The Luca family had enemies scattered like landmines throughout the city. We were fair, but we ruled through fear. Rossi had eyed our empire for a long time. I was bringing her into a war zone, painting a target on her back simply by valuing her.
And yet, as I slid behind the wheel and glanced at her profile silhouetted against the city lights, I knew I wouldn't have it any other way. She was already more deeply embedded under my skin than any woman had ever been. Whether she admitted it or not, she was mine to protect now. Mine to keep. God help anyone who tried to take her from me.
