"Yes." No hesitation. "That's exactly what I'm going to do."
"That's not how this works. You don't get to just—"
"I do get to. You're here, in my apartment, under my protection, because someone threatened your life. That makes you my responsibility. That makes you mine to protect." I moved around the counter until I was standing in front of him. Close enough to see the anger in his eyes. "And I protect what's mine, Emilio. By any means necessary."
"I'm not your property." But his voice wavered slightly. Like he was trying to convince himself as much as me.
"After the past three days?" I tilted his chin up, forcing him to meet my eyes. "After you've been in my bed twice? After you've let me inside you, let me claim you, let me mark you in ways that mean you'll think of me every time you move today? We both know that's not entirely true anymore."
The statement hung between us. Charged with truth neither of us wanted to acknowledge out loud but both of us felt viscerally.
His pupils dilated. His breath caught. And I knew I was right.
He was mine. Completely. He just needed time to accept it.
Before either of us could push the conversation further, his phone rang. The ringtone he'd set for work calls—something classical and pretentious that probably had significance I didn't understand.
He pulled away from me and answered. "Richard? What's—" His face went white. "What do you mean bomb squad? I'll be right there—no, don't—yes, I understand. I'll stay where I am."
He lowered the phone slowly. Stared at it like it had betrayed him.
"What happened?" I asked, though I could guess.
"Security found a suspicious package addressed to me at the office. The bomb squad's there now. Richard says—" His voice broke slightly. "He says it's serious. They evacuated the entire floor."
I took the phone from his shaking hand and hit redial. Richard answered on the first ring.
"Vitale here," I said. "What's the actual situation?"
"The package is addressed to Emilio Rossi. Hand-delivered to our mailroom this morning. Security flagged it because the return address doesn't exist and it was marked 'personal and confidential.'" Richard's voice was steady but I heard the underlying stress. "NYPD bomb squad is examining it now.They said it could be nothing. Or it could be something very dangerous."
"Cooperate with them fully. Give them whatever they need. But do not—and I'm very clear about this—do not give them Emilio's current location. As far as anyone knows, he's working from home today."
"Understood. I'll keep you informed."
I hung up and turned to find Emilio sinking onto the couch. All the fight had drained out of him. He looked young and scared and completely overwhelmed.
I sat beside him. Close enough that our shoulders touched. Solid contact to ground him.
"They're escalating," he said quietly. "Last night was a warning. This morning is—"
"This morning is them being desperate." I pulled him against my side. Felt him resist for maybe two seconds before giving in. "The Costellos are losing. They know it. So they're trying anything they can think of to force us into a corner. Threats. Bombs. Whatever creates enough fear to make you walk away."
"Maybe I should. Walk away, I mean." He wasn't looking at me. "If I withdrew from the case, they'd have no reason to target me. You could get another attorney. Someone who isn't a liability."
"No." The word came out harder than I'd intended. I turned him to face me. "You're not withdrawing. You're not walking away. You're not leaving me to fight this alone."
"I'm not suggesting you fight alone. I'm suggesting you find someone who won't get bomb threats for defending you."
"I don't want someone else. I want you." I cupped his face between my hands. "I want your brilliant mind. Your ethical backbone. Your ability to see through bullshit and cut straight to what matters. I want you in my court and in my bed and in mylife. So no, you're not withdrawing. You're staying exactly where you are."
"And if they follow through? If that package is actually dangerous? If they—"
"Then I'll burn their entire organization to the ground and salt the earth where it stood." I wasn't exaggerating. Wasn't being dramatic. Just stating facts. "I will destroy everyone who had anything to do with threatening you. I will make sure the Costellos understand that touching you was the worst mistake they ever made."
He stared at me. "You mean that."
"Every word." I kissed him. Hard and claiming. "You're under my protection now. That means something in my world. That means anyone who hurts you answers to me. And I don't forgive. I don't forget. I don't show mercy to people who threaten what's mine."
