“Turn me into a target in your head,” she corrected.
My jaw clenched.“I’m not saying you’re helpless,” I said, forcing the words out slowly.“I’m saying this feels wrong.”
“It is wrong,” she retorted, anger flaring now.“Someone in my workplace commenting on my personal life when I’ve said nothing?That’s wrong.My business is not their business.”
“Yeah,” I agreed.“It is wrong.”I swallowed, throat tight.“When did this happen?”
“Today,” she shared.“A couple hours ago.”
“And you waited to tell me,” I said, keeping my voice even.
“I didn’t want to ruin what you were doing,” she replied.“Or send you into whatever this is.”
“This is me taking it serious,” I said.
She exhaled.“I know.I didn’t want to be your distraction, Dante.”
I heard the fatigue under her words.The weight of always being the competent one, the one who didn’t let things shake her.
“I’m going to handle it,” she stated.“My way.”
I stared at the dark, pulse steady but heavy.“You can handle it your way.And I’ll handle it mine.”
A beat.“What’s your way?”she asked quietly.
I didn’t tell her about the feed.Didn’t tell her I had already been watching that hallway like it was my own front door.
Because she would see it as control.A breach.A violation.And she wouldn’t be wrong.But my priority wasn’t her approval.It was her safety.
“My way,” I said carefully, “is making sure nobody gets close enough to hurt you.”
She was silent for a long moment.
Then, softer, “Dante, I’m okay.”
“For now,” I said, and I hated how true it sounded.“And as long as I’m breathing, for always.”
I heard movement on her end, like she sat down.“This is why I said I didn’t know if it would work,” she murmured.
I closed my eyes.“I know.”
“Because your world comes with shadows,” she continued, voice quiet.“And my world has its own.Political agendas, personal ones, everything you do being a way for someone to use it as a leg up.”
“Yeah,” I replied because she was right.
A pause.Then she asked, “Are you scared?”
I almost laughed.Me?Scared?I had stared down guns.Buried brothers.Sat with men dying in my arms.But this, this was different.And I had to be honest.
“Yes,” I admitted.“I am.”
Her breath hitched.“Of me?”
“No,” I stated immediately.“Of losing you.”
The words landed between us like something alive.
She didn’t respond right away, but when she did, her voice was softer than it had been all call.“I’ll be careful.”
