Chapter 5 - WHISPERS IN THE DARK
Victor carried me up the stairs himself, ignoring the chaos of his men sweeping the grounds and dragging the bodies away. He kicked the door to his private suite open and laid me gently on the massive king-sized bed.
"Don't move," he commanded, disappearing into the master bathroom and returning with a first-aid kit.
"The boys?" I rasped, my jaw throbbing in agony.
"Safe. Shaken, but safe. Because of you." Victor sat on the edge of the bed, dipping a cotton ball in antiseptic. He reached out, his large, calloused fingers gently tilting my chin up. The touch was a shocking contrast to the violent man I had seen minutes ago. "You threw yourself at a loaded gun with a gardening tool, Serena. Are you insane?"
"They are just boys," I whispered, wincing as the alcohol stung the cut on my cheek. "I protect what is mine."
Victor’s hand froze. His dark eyes locked onto mine, the air between us suddenly shifting, growing heavy and electric. "Yours?" he murmured softly.
"They are my responsibility," I corrected quickly, my heart hammering against my ribs.
He didn't pull away. Instead, his thumb brushed lightly over my uninjured cheek. "I have spent my entire life building walls to keep monsters out. And yet, the bravest person in my house is a woman who walked in soaking wet with thirty-six dollars to her name."
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For a second, the mafia boss vanished, leaving only a man who looked devastatingly lonely. But the moment was broken by a soft knock at the door. Little Leo peeked his head in, clutching his stuffed bear. He walked silently to the bed, climbed up, and curled into my side, resting his head on my shoulder.
"Thank you, 'Rena," Leo whispered. His first words in a year. Victor stared at his son, tears shining in his eyes, and in that moment, I knew I could never leave this family.
