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Chapter Twenty-Two

Romeo

The elevator doors slide shut behind us with a quiet hiss, and the weight of what just happened presses down on me like a vice. My jaw tightens, my fists clenching and unclenching as I stare at the glowing numbers on the panel.

Every second that ticks by only amplifies the image burned into my mind—Salvatore’s hand wrapped around Viviana’s wrist, his smug smirk daring me to fail.

He almost took her.

The thought sends a wave of fury coursing through me, hot and relentless. I can still hear the gunfire, smell the blood, feel the adrenaline pounding in my veins. Nothing will ever compare to the terror I felt when I saw her in Salvatore’s grip.

I glance at her now, standing stiffly beside me, her arms crossed. She hasn’t said a word since we left the car, but the tension radiating off her is impossible to ignore.

As the elevator dings and the doors open to the penthouse, I step out first, scanning the room as though danger could be lurking behind every corner. “Matteo,” I bark, my voice sharp, “double the guards. No one gets in or out without my say-so, and I mean no one.”

Matteo nods, his face grim as he starts issuing orders to the men already stationed throughout the penthouse. I turn to Viviana, who’s lingering near the elevator, her expression hardening as her gaze locks with mine.

“Go to your room,” I say, my tone leaving no room for argument.

She doesn’t move. Instead, she steps forward, her shoulders squared, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. “No.”

My patience snaps. “This isn’t up for discussion, Viviana. You’re going to your room, and you’re staying there until I say otherwise.”

“Like hell I am,” she fires back, her eyes blazing. “You don’t get to order me around after what just happened.”

“After what just happened?” I repeat, my voice rising despite my best efforts to stay calm. “You mean after I saved your life?”

She laughs bitterly, the sound sharp and biting. “Saved me? You’re the one who put me in danger in the first place! You promised me, Romeo. You swore Salvatore wouldn’t touch me, and yet there I was, being dragged across that room like a goddamn pawn in your game.”

Her words hit their mark, and I take a step closer, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “I underestimated him,” I admit, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “It won’t happen again.”

“That’s not good enough,” she snaps. “You keep underestimating me, too. What happens next time? What happens when I don’t have a way to defend myself?”

“You don’t need to defend yourself,” I growl. “That’s what I’m here for.”

“What if you’re not?” she challenges, stepping closer until we’re almost chest to chest. “What if something happens to you, Romeo? What then?”

Her question catches me off guard, and for a moment, I have no answer. The thought of not being there to protect her isn’t something I’ve allowed myself to consider.

She sees the hesitation and presses on, her voice softer now but no less determined. “I should have a say in this, Romeo. In my own safety. My own life.”

“You don’t understand—”

“No,” she interrupts, her eyes locking onto mine. “You don’t understand. You think you can control everything, but you can’t. And in trying to, you’re making me more vulnerable, not less.”

The words sting because they’re true, and I hate that she can see through me so easily. I exhale sharply, raking a hand through my hair as I step back. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Viviana. That’s all that matters.”

Her laugh is bitter, and she shakes her head. “That’s exactly why this keeps happening. You think your promises are enough, but they’re not. They never are.”

My jaw tightens, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “You think I don’t know what’s at stake here? I’m doing everything I can to protect you—”

“By treating me like a child!” she snaps, cutting me off. “By deciding everything for me without even asking what I want or need. You say you’re protecting me, but all you’re doing is controlling me.”

I take a step closer, the anger in her voice igniting something deep and volatile inside me. “You don’t know the world you’re in, Viviana. You don’t know the kind of men we’re dealing with.”

“Whose fault is that?” she retorts, her voice trembling with both anger and something else—something raw. “You keep me in the dark, Romeo. You keep me locked away, making decisions that affect me without ever giving me a choice.”

Her words land like a blow, and for a moment, I’m silent. She’s right. She should have a say, but the idea of letting her take any risks, of giving her even the illusion of freedom in a world this dangerous, makes my stomach twist.

“You’re mine to protect,” I say finally, my voice low but firm. “I’ll protect you in whatever way I see fit.”

Her expression hardens, and she takes a step back, shaking her head. “Then you’re no better than Salvatore.”

The words hit hard, and my fists clench at my sides. “I’m nothing like him,” I growl, the room suddenly feeling too small, too suffocating.

“Then prove it,” she says quietly, her voice steady now. “Stop treating me like a pawn. Let me have a say in my own life.”

I stare at her, the weight of her words pressing down on me, and for the first time, I feel a flicker of doubt. I’ve built my world on control, on dominance, on ensuring nothing slips through my grasp. With Viviana, nothing feels certain.

After a long moment, I turn away, my jaw tight as I bark over my shoulder. “Go to your room. We’ll talk later.”

The words hang in the air between us, sharp and cold. I don’t look back at her, my steps measured and deliberate as I move toward the study. My chest feels tight, and I try to tell myself it’s just the lingering tension from the meeting, the adrenaline that hasn’t quite burned off. I know better.

I pause in the hallway, my hand gripping the edge of the doorframe. Her silence stretches behind me like a weight, and I can feel her watching me, waiting. I should keep walking. I should leave her to cool off and focus on the plans for Salvatore’s inevitable retaliation.

I can’t.

I turn slowly, my gaze locking onto hers. She hasn’t moved, her arms still crossed, her chin tilted defiantly. The anger in her eyes hasn’t dimmed, but beneath it, I see something else—something raw and uncertain.

“Viviana,” I say, my voice softer now, almost hesitant.

“What?” she snaps, the fire in her tone undercut by the slight tremor in her voice.

My hand drops to my side, my jaw tightening. “You don’t understand what you mean to me,” I say finally, the words rough and unpracticed. “What it would mean if I lost you.”

Her expression falters, surprise flickering across her face before she quickly masks it. “Don’t do that,” she says, her voice trembling now. “Don’t act like this is about me. This is about control. It’s always about control.”

“No,” I say firmly, taking a step closer. “This is about you. About the fact that I can’t think straight when it comes to you. About the fact that losing you would destroy me in ways I didn’t think were possible.”

Her breath catches, and I see the crack in her armor widen. She doesn’t back down. “Then why don’t you trust me?” she asks, her voice soft but cutting. “Why do you keep treating me like I’m too fragile to handle the truth?”

“I can’t risk it,” I admit, my voice breaking slightly. “The thought of you getting hurt, of Salvatore or anyone else taking you from me, makes me—” I stop myself, clenching my fists. “It makes me weak, Viviana. I can’t afford to be weak.”

She stares at me, her lips parted, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. For a moment, neither of us speaks, the weight of my words settling between us like a storm cloud.

“You don’t get to decide that for me,” she says finally, her voice trembling with emotion. “You don’t get to decide how much I can handle.”

I step closer, closing the distance between us until we’re only inches apart. “I do when it comes to your safety,” I say, my voice low but steady. “I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

Her eyes flash with anger, but there’s something else there, too—something hesitant, something vulnerable. I lift a hand, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, my fingers lingering against her cheek. “You mean more to me than I can put into words,” I admit quietly. “I just don’t know how to show it without ruining everything.”

Her lips part, her breath warm against my skin as she stares up at me. For a moment, the tension between us shifts, softening into something fragile and tender. I lean in, my lips brushing against hers, testing, waiting for her to meet me halfway.

But she pulls back, her hands pressing against my chest to stop me. “No,” she says softly, her voice steady despite the crack in it. “Not like this.”

I freeze, my hand still resting lightly on her cheek as I search her eyes. “Why?” I ask, my voice low. “You want this as much as I do.”

“I can’t trust you,” she says simply, her words cutting through me like a blade. “Not until you’re honest with me. About everything.”

My jaw tightens, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “I’ve been honest with you,” I say, my voice rising slightly. “I’ve told you more than I’ve told anyone.”

“Not enough,” she counters, her eyes hardening. “You’re still holding back. I can see it. Until you stop, this—us—can’t happen.”

Her words are painful to me, and I step back, letting my hand fall to my side. I want to argue, to tell her she’s wrong, but the truth lodges in my throat like a stone. She’s right. I am holding back. As much as it terrifies me, I know she deserves more than half-truths and secrets.

“Fine,” I say finally, my voice cold. “You want honesty? You’ll get it.”

She looks at me, but I don’t wait for her response. I turn and walk toward my study, my mind racing. If I want her trust, I’ll have to give her something real—something I’ve kept locked away for years.

Inside the study, I pour myself a drink, the burn of the whiskey grounding me as I consider my next move. My past isn’t something I share, not even with Matteo. For Viviana, for the fragile thread connecting us, I’ll make an exception.

The weight of her accusations—and the truth behind them—is too much to bear. The whiskey burns its way down my throat, but it doesn’t numb the ache. I leave the study, the glass still in my hand, and find her in the living room.

She’s sitting stiffly on the couch, arms folded, her expression guarded as her gaze locks on to mine.

I sit across from her, the glass dangling from my fingers as I stare at it for a long moment. “My brother, Carlo, was the better man,” I begin, my voice rough. “He was smart, kind, everything I wasn’t. When our father ran the family, Carlo was the one who protected me. From him. From everyone.”

Her eyes widen slightly, but she says nothing.

“One of my father’s rivals found out I was his weak spot,” I continue. “A man like Salvatore. They came for me. Carlo…” I pause, the words catching in my throat. “Carlo traded his life for mine.”

Viviana inhales sharply, her lips parting, but I press on. “He saved me, and I’ve been trying to live with that ever since. No matter what I do, I can’t shake the guilt. I failed him, and every move I’ve made since then has been to ensure that no one else I care about ever pays that price again.”

Her voice is barely a whisper. “So that’s why you’re like this.”

I nod, meeting her gaze. “That’s why I can’t lose you.”