"If Reeves is offering immunity, you should take it. Get yourself clear of this." His voice was rough. "I can't let you go down because of me."
"That's not your decision." I stood. "I'm not testifying against you. I'm not becoming an FBI informant. I made my choice."
"Valentino—"
"No. You don't get to martyr yourself here. You don't get to push me away to 'protect' me." I moved closer. "I'm in this. With you. Whatever happens."
"You could go to prison. Reeves made that clear. Conspiracy charges—"
"Are bullshit. I'm a journalist who cultivated sources. That's not illegal."
"It is when you have personal involvement with those sources. When you've knowingly protected criminal activity." He caught my shoulders. "I started this with coercion. That's on record somewhere. He'll find it. And when he does—"
"Then we deal with it. Together." I covered his hands with mine. "I'm not leaving you. I'm not flipping. I'm not running. We face this together."
He pulled me close, holding on like I might disappear. "I'm terrified of losing you. Of you getting hurt because of me."
"I know. But you have to trust that I can make my own decisions. And I'm deciding to stay."
We stood there for a long time, just holding each other. Processing the threat that Reeves represented. The fact that this had escalated beyond a simple investigation into something much more dangerous.
"We need to tell the others," Luca said finally. "Sandro, Matteo, Elio. They need to know what we're facing."
"Okay. When?"
"Tonight. I'll call a meeting." He pulled back to look at me. "But first—are you really okay? Did he threaten you directly?"
"Just implied that I'd face charges if I didn't cooperate. Standard FBI intimidation tactics." I tried to smile. "I've dealt with worse interviews."
"Not with federal agents building conspiracy cases."
"True. But I didn't break. Didn't give him anything he can use." I touched his face. "I'm okay. Shaken but okay."
He kissed me then. Deep and desperate and possessive. When we finally broke apart, his forehead rested against mine.
"I love you," he said. Not "I'm falling for you." Just "I love you."
My breath caught. "Luca—"
"I know it's too soon. I know we're supposed to take this slow. But I love you. And I needed you to know that before—before whatever comes next."
Tears pricked my eyes. "I love you too. For whatever that's worth with all of this chaos."
We kissed again, softer this time. A promise. A commitment. Choosing each other despite the FBI, despite the threats, despite everything sensible that said we should run in opposite directions.
That night we gathered at Sandro's estate. All four partners and their partners. Luca explained what had happened at the FBI meeting. About Reeves's photos, his threats, his case.
"He's going to keep pushing," Sandro said grimly. "This isn't going away."
"We need to accelerate the business restructuring," Stefan suggested. "Get everything legitimate as fast as possible. Take away their ammunition."
"And in the meantime?" Matteo asked.
"In the meantime, we prepare for the worst," Luca said. He looked at me. "And we protect the people who matter."
The meeting went late into the night. Planning, strategizing, preparing for what felt like an inevitable collision with the FBI.
By the time Luca and I made it back to his penthouse, we were both exhausted. Physically, emotionally, mentally drained.
