He came with my name on his lips and his teeth on my shoulder. Marking me. Claiming me. Proving this was real in the most primal way possible.
We collapsed together. Both breathing hard. Both completely spent.
After a moment he pulled out carefully. Dealt with the condom. Cleaned us both up with gentle efficiency. Then pulled me against his chest and just held me.
"Better?" he asked quietly.
"Much better." I pressed my face against his neck. "I'm sorry. For spiraling. For doubting."
"Don't apologize. You're allowed to be scared. This is scary." He kissed the top of my head. "But I meant what I said. We're in this together. Whatever happens, we face it together."
"I love you."
"I love you too." He tightened his arms around me. "Now get some sleep. Tomorrow we go back to worrying about the trial. Tonight we just exist together."
I fell asleep in his arms feeling safe despite everything. Despite the DA's strategy. Despite Marco's warning. Despite the very real possibility that everything could still fall apart.
But for tonight, we had this. Had each other. Had the certainty of our bodies and our connection and our choice to be together.
Everything else was noise.
***
I woke to my phone buzzing on the nightstand. Early morning light filtered through the windows. Sandro was still asleep beside me, one arm thrown across my waist possessively.
I grabbed my phone. Text from Diana:Need to talk. Come to office ASAP.
My stomach dropped. Diana didn't send urgent messages unless something was wrong.
I extracted myself from Sandro's arms carefully. Found my clothes. Got dressed as quietly as possible.
Sandro woke anyway. "Where are you going?"
"Diana needs me at the office. Urgent." I buckled my belt. "Probably nothing. But I should check."
He sat up. Rubbed his face. "Call me when you know what it is."
"I will." I kissed him quickly. "Go back to sleep. It's barely 6 AM."
"Not likely now." But he settled back against the pillows. "Be careful."
I took the elevator down and drove to Diana's office. She was waiting in the conference room with coffee and a laptop. Her expression was serious.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"The DA filed a motion this morning. They want to call you as a witness in Vitale's trial." She turned the laptop to show me. "They're arguing that your relationship with the defendant is relevant to establishing his pattern of manipulation and corruption."
I read the motion. Felt my blood run cold.
"Can they do this?"
"They're trying. I'll fight it. But Emilio..." She looked at me seriously. "If the judge grants this motion, you'll be on the stand. Under oath. And they'll ask you directly when the relationship started."
Everything Marco warned me about. Everything I'd feared. All of it coming true.
"What do I do?"
"You tell the truth. Or you refuse to answer and take the Fifth. But either way, this just got a lot more complicated."
