Vittoria touches her elbow gently. "I'm going to grab us some champagne. Back in a minute."
She glides away, leaving Marina and me in our own bubble despite the crowd pressing around us. My best friend wraps her arms around herself, a protective gesture I recognize from college whenever she felt overwhelmed.
"I know this is hard for you," I say softly. "Being around all of this. Around them."
"That's the thing." Marina's voice drops. "If I hadn't lived with you all for a while now, I would've just seen..." She gestures vaguely at the room. "Criminals. Monsters. Whatever normal people call them."
"But?"
"But they're not just that." Her eyes meet mine, conflicted. "They're human. Vittoria stays up all night hacking systems but also cries over Taylor Swift songs. Nora makes these terrible jokes while teaching me self-defense moves Pietro has showed her. Even Nico, who terrifies me half the time, brought me coffee this morning because he noticed I looked tired."
I blink, surprised. "Nico brought you coffee?"
"Right?" Marina shakes her head. "It's messing with my head. I grew up thinking there were good people and bad people. Clear lines. But living at the compound... they have family dinners. They argue about music and sports. Giulia fusses over everyone eating enough."
"They're still dangerous," I remind her, though I understand exactly what she means.
"I know. God, I know. Dante literally kidnapped me." Her jaw tightens at the memory.
"Marina—"
"I don't want to be part of this world," she says quickly. "I really don't. The violence, the constant threat, the way everyone speaks in code and watches their backs. But I like Vittoria. She's become a real friend. And Nora too."
She pauses, studying my face. "And Lorenzo... I wasn't sure about him at first. The age difference, the way he looked at you like he wanted to devour you?—"
Heat creeps up my neck. "Marina!"
"But he cares about you. Really cares. Not in that possessive, controlling way I expected from a man like him. Well, okay, he's definitely possessive." She manages a small smile. "But it's more than that. He sees you."
My throat tightens. "You think so?"
"Sophia, I watched him watch you during dinner last night. You were just talking to Giulia about recipes, nothing special. But he looked at you like you were rearranging his entire world just by existing."
I glance across the room where Lorenzo stands, his posture relaxed but alert. As if sensing my gaze, he looks up, our eyes meeting across the crowd. Something passes between us, electric and undeniable, before he returns his attention to his conversation.
"The whole situation is insane," Marina continues. "Three weeks ago, I was studying for finals. Now you're married to a crime boss and I'm living in a compound with armed guards."
"Do you hate me for dragging you into this?"
"No." She grabs my hand, squeezing tight. "Never. You're my best friend. I just need you to know that I see them as people now. Complicated, dangerous people who I mostly want to stay far away from. But people."
Lorenzo
The conversation with my associates drags on longer than I want. Every minute away from Sophia feels like an opportunity for someone to corner her, to plant seeds of doubt or make veiled threats.
Pietro appears at my elbow. "Time for the announcement."
Right. The performance continues. Everyone in this room already knows we're married—the photos went viral hours ago—but tradition demands its theater. I excuse myself from the men discussing territory disputes and cross the ballroom toward my wife.
My wife.
The words still feel foreign.
I take Sophia's hand, her fingers immediately interlacing with mine. "Showtime, tesoro."
She straightens her spine, that perfect society smile sliding into place. But I feel the slight tremor in her grip.
"Ladies and gentlemen." My voice cuts through the chatter, commanding attention without shouting. The room falls silent, all eyes turning toward us. "Thank you all for joining us tonight."
