Driving away, she watched his headlights in the rearview mirror—a constant, twin glow that matched her speed, never falling back, never getting closer. Strangely, she didn’t feel afraid. What filled her instead was a charged, dangerous calm. She had a protector. A strategist. It felt surreal… yet it also felt right.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The short drive had done nothing to settle Sofia’s nerves. If anything, the silence had amplified the weight of everything said in the diner. Now, standing in the muted silence of her room, the lockclickedshut behind them.
Tonio had followed her—had insisted, quietly but firmly, that he check she was safe after the attack. The only light came from a single lamp, casting long shadows across his face. She hesitated, her back against the door, searching for words in the space between them.
“I don’t know why I called you,” she admitted, her voice quiet, wanting to get this out. “I just... did.” She lifted her gaze to his. “And I don’t know when I started trusting you. I don’t even know if I should. But you came for me without any hesitation.”
Tonio stood by the table, watching her. He didn’t tense or move, just waited, still and unreadable.
“I’ve spent my whole life keeping people at a distance,” she went on. “Even when I let them close, it’s never all the way.” Her arms crossed tightly. “But after everything that happened... You were the first person I wanted to talk to. That need scares me.”
Tonio didn’t flinch. He took a single, measured step forward. Every instinct her mother had carved into her screamed to retreat.
“The desire I feel for you terrifies me,” she whispered, the confession louder than a shout in the quiet room. “Because I don’t know what that means.”
For a long moment, he said nothing. The hum of the minibar filled the silence. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, threading through the shadows.
“It means you don’t have to know.” The words were steady, an anchor in the quiet room. “There is no meaning to dissect. Just enjoy the moments life places before you. I have been doing this for years.”
Sofia blinked, the words sinking in. Relief loosened something tight in her chest. She exhaled, small and cautious—then caught the way his gaze lingered, shifting the air between them. She should’ve looked away. Instead, she leaned into the quiet comfort of him, the part of her that knew better already too far gone.
Then the air shifted. His gaze flicked to her lips before meeting her eyes again, and her pulse jumped. She should say something, pull back, break whatever this was before it tipped too far. But she didn’t. Couldn’t.
“Tonio,” she started, but the word dissolved.
He didn’t make her finish. His hand rose, fingers brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. The touch was electric. She froze, breath catching—but didn’t pull away.
“You don’t have to figure it all out right now,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Just let me be here.”
Sofia swallowed hard, eyes flicking to his lips. The world outside faded into nothing. There was only his thumb stroking her jaw, the intensity in his gaze, and the terrifying, thrilling sense of falling. Before she could second-guess it, she leanedin. Tonio didn’t hesitate. He met her halfway, his lips brushing hers—soft, certain. Not rushed. Not desperate. Almost gentle. Different from the passion at the diner. Her hand found the rough fabric of his jacket, clutching it as the kiss deepened—slow, careful, yet devastating in its intensity. Their lips brushed, then pressed harder, hungrier. His tongue slid against hers, a hot, teasing clash that stole her breath and fed the fire pooling low in her belly. Each stroke, each glide, felt like he was learning her from the inside out, unraveling her one sensual, molten sweep at a time.
When they finally parted, his forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling in the shallow space between them.
His thumb brushed her cheekbone, his breath as unsteady as her own. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was a surrender—one she hadn’t meant to give, to someone she wasn’t supposed to trust.
The next morning,Sofia woke slowly, the soft light slipping through the motel curtains. She woke with his scent still on her skin. For one dizzying second, she wanted to burrow into it—then the reality of that want jolted through her. Since when did she let someone this close? Since when did she want to?
Twelve apartments, twelve new locks—her mother’s gospel: Keep them out, or they’ll hollow you. Sofia wrinkled her nose and pushed aside the phantom voice of her mother. Tonio wasn't a threat to be managed. He was a shelter she hadn’t had to build. She stayed under the sheet, the memory of his heat still pressed into her skin like armor against yesterday’s panic.
She forced herself out of bed, her limbs heavy. A quick, scalding shower steadied her. She dressed in slim black jeans,a blue sweater hoodie, and sturdy boots—clothes she could move in. When she opened the door, Tonio was already there. He leaned against the hallway wall, dark and composed, the dangerous man from last night resurrected in full. In his hand, he held a latte.
For her. Sofia blinked, startled, then smiled as she took it. “Thank you.”
He nodded once, pushing off the wall with effortless grace. Business now. No softness.
“Here’s the play,” he said, his voice low and controlled. “You’re the decoy.”
Her breath caught. “Decoy?”
His gaze hardened a fraction. “Go to the church. You go in. Sit. Be seen. Talk to Father Gabriel if you can. While they focus on you, I’ll be getting answers from a source you’re better off never knowing.”
She swallowed, her fingers tightening around the rental car keys. Sofia stood there a moment, latte warming her hands, heart pounding. Soon she was in the car and driving out to the church.
Today felt different. She was going to find answers from Father Gabriel. Sofia was well into her journey when the car wobbled, jerking slightly to the side. Her stomach dropped.
No, no, no.
