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We remain silent for a while, watching outside the window as the city moves along its day, unperturbed by the chaos happening a few stories above it.

“If Dahlia is in danger because of this, I will slaughter Luciana in her sleep, and not even you can stop me.” He delivers his threat with cold detachment.

“She’s my sister,” I grit out, knowing it won’t come to that.

“Then fucking act like you haven’t forgotten it.”

The muscle in my jaw ticks in the rhythm of the guilt bouncing in my chest. He’s about to leave when I say, “Thank you for watching over her.”

For a moment, there’s movement in his eyes, a flicker of something I can’t decipher, but it’s gone just as quickly.

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I see my hard reflection in the window, accepting that I don’t care what my choosing Luciana means as much as I should because with her by my side, I’ll gain so much more—everything.

Heading back to my office, I look through my meetings, wanting to end this day sooner so I can visit my sister and mother at the compound and then I’ll head home to her.

Just wanting to hear her voice, I call Luciana. With every unanswered second, my nerves threaten to knot up my stomach. I can’t believe how nervous she makes me, even though I know how she feels from the inside out. When she picks up after a few rings, she says my name in a soft voice but with a hint of nostalgia, instantly unsettling me.

“What is it, amore?” I feel it in every atom of my body—attuned to her. Something bothers her.

“Thinking,” she sighs. I don’t like that. I want to make her happy and give her so many reasons to be joyful about that nothing ever bothers her.

“Dangerous.”

A small chuckle seeps through the line, and she says, “Do you believe in fate?”

“Ever since I met you, yes. There’s no way to explain otherwise what you’ve done to me in such a short amount of time.”

“Mm-hmm,” she says noncommittally.

“Why are you asking?”

“Then do you think there are things we have to do that are stronger than our wishes just because we were meant to do them?”

“That would excuse everything we did in life. Where would the accountability be?”

“So, we all have to pay for our sins eventually, right?”

“What do you want me to tell you?” I sense there’s something deeper going on. It drives me insane that I don’t know.

“Would you say to have me is worth everything?”

“You know damn well that it is.”

There’s a sharp intake of air and she huffs. “You’re crazy, Enzo. So crazy that no mental institution would know what to do with you.”

“They would know. They would just have to bring me the cure to my fucking madness and that’s you,” I snap.

She remains quiet, but I hear her heavy breathing, and I continue, “Are you looking for a fight?”

“Maybe.”

I rake a hand through my hair, not knowing how to make her understand that I’ve got her. “I am always on your damn side. You don’t have to prove to me how strong you are. I know that. There’s no power battle here.”

“I am not worth it,” she whispers.

“You are.”

“I am your personal Helen of Troy…” Her tone rises to a high-pitched, ringing sound of despair.