"Why can't you handle it yourself?"
"Because I have other business here that requires my attention. Are you questioning my orders, Luca?"
Silence for a beat. "No. I'll handle it."
"Good. Be thorough. Check everything. This could be a bigger problem than we think."
He hung up without responding. Suspicious bastard, but he couldn't refuse without looking insubordinate.
I waited ten minutes to make sure he'd actually left, then headed straight for Aria's room.
She was sitting by the window with a book, sunlight catching in her dark hair. She looked up when I walked in, and her entire face lit up.
That look. That fucking look was worth every risk.
"We're going out."
"What?"
"Out. On a date. Like normal people. Get dressed." I crossed to her, pulled her up from the chair, couldn't resist running my hands down her arms. "Wear something casual. We're leaving in twenty minutes."
"Kai, that's insane. We can't just leave together. Someone will see. Luca will find out."
"Luca is currently investigating a fake situation at one of our warehouses across town. He'll be gone for hours." I cupped her face, forced her to look at me. "I'm taking you on a real date. No guards, no watching, no hiding. Just us. A few hours of normal."
Her eyes searched mine. "This is reckless."
"I'm aware. Do you want to come or not?"
She bit her lip. I could see the internal debate playing out on her face. The logical part of her brain warring with the part that wanted this as badly as I did.
"Yes. God help me, yes."
"Good. Twenty minutes."
I let her go reluctantly. Every time I touched her, I wanted to keep touching her. Wanted to map every inch of her skin, memorize every curve, brand myself into her so completely she'd never forget who shebelonged to.
I was obsessed. Completely, utterly obsessed with this girl.
And I didn't give a single fuck.
Twenty minutes later, she emerged wearing jeans and a simple blue top that made her eyes look enormous. Her hair was loose, falling in soft waves around her shoulders. Minimal makeup. She looked young and beautiful and absolutely perfect.
I'd changed too. Dark jeans, black button-down, no suit jacket. As close to normal as I got.
We slipped out through the back gate using the service entrance. I'd grabbed keys to one of the staff vehicles, a nondescript sedan that wouldn't attract attention. No family cars with their distinctive plates. No guards. Just us.
The risk was enormous. If we got caught, if Luca found out, if someone reported seeing us together...
Worth it. Completely worth it.
The drive took an hour. I headed to a small town I'd scoped out months ago when I'd first started planning my exit strategy. Far enough from the city that no one would know us. Small enough that people minded their own business.
The restaurant was tucked on a quiet street, family-owned, the kind of place that had been serving the same recipes for three generations. Warm lighting, checkered tablecloths, the smell of garlic and tomato sauce and fresh bread.
Perfect.
We sat in a back corner booth, as far from the windows as possible. Old habits died hard.
