"Questions about what?"
"About why Antonio Costello is currently bleeding in a service hallway with a broken nose."
Emilio stopped walking. "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything. Matteo handled it." I kept moving, pulling him along. "And we're leaving before anyone connects us to the incident."
We made it to the valet station. I handed over the ticket and Thomas pulled up within two minutes. Professional as always. He took one look at my expression and didn't ask questions. Just opened the back door and waited for us to get in.
Emilio was quiet until we were in traffic. Then: "Tell me what happened."
"Antonio was running his mouth about you. Making threats. Joking about the bomb scare." I kept my voice neutral. "Matteo heard him and responded appropriately."
"Appropriately? You just said Antonio's bleeding with a broken nose."
"He is. And he deserved significantly worse for what he said." I turned to face him. "He was threatening you, Emilio. Publicly. Laughing about terrorizing you. What did you expect Matteo to do?"
"Not assault him at a charity gala in front of potential witnesses?"
"There were no witnesses. Matteo's not stupid. He grabbed Antonio in a service corridor. Handled it quickly. Left before anyone important saw." I caught his hand. "I know this isn't what you want to hear. But in my world, threats have consequences. Antonio learned that tonight."
"And what happens when he tells people what Matteo did? When he goes to the police? When this becomes another assault charge stacked on top of the one we're already defending?"
"He's not going to the police. He's going to say he fell. Hit his face on a railing. Embarrassing accident." I squeezed his hand. "Luca made sure he understood that any other story would be very bad for his health."
Emilio was quiet for a long moment. Processing. Probably cataloging all the ethical violations and criminal charges implicit in what I'd just described.
"You threatened a witness," he said finally.
"Luca suggested consequences for lying. That's different."
"That's witness intimidation. That's obstruction. That's—" He stopped. Rubbed his face with his free hand. "I can't know about this. Legally, professionally, I can't know about this."
"Then forget I told you. As far as you know, we left the gala early because I had business to handle. You don't know what business. You don't know what happened to Antonio. You were in the ballroom the entire time talking to Senator Williams about campaign finance reform."
"Plausible deniability."
"Necessary protection." I pulled him closer. "I'm sorry you're caught in the middle of this. But Antonio threatened you. Multiple times. With increasing severity. He needed to understand that those threats have consequences."
"So Matteo broke his nose."
"Matteo broke his nose, possibly cracked some ribs, and made it very clear that any future threats would be handled significantly less gently." I brushed his hair back from his forehead. "You're under our protection now. All of us. That means something in our world."
"It means violence. It means intimidation. It means everything I've spent my career arguing against."
"It means you're safe. That's what it means." I held his gaze. "I won't apologize for protecting you. Not to you. Not to anyone."
He looked at me for a long moment. Then leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine. "I should be horrified."
"But you're not."
"No. I'm relieved. And grateful. And completely aware that those feelings make me complicit in everything you justdescribed." He pulled back. "What does that make me, Sandro? What have I become?"
"Someone who understands that the world isn't black and white. That sometimes protection requires force. That loving someone means accepting the things they do to keep you safe." I cupped his face. "You're not corrupt, Emilio. You're just finally seeing clearly."
"That's exactly what a corrupt person would say."
"Maybe. But it's also true." I kissed him softly. "You can process your moral crisis tomorrow. Tonight, let me take you home and remind you why choosing this was worth it."
