Chapter 7 - Whispers in the Sanctuary
The ride back to the estate was bathed in a surreal silence.
Inside the armored limousine, the city lights flickered across Naomi's face. Her heart was still racing from the kiss—a kiss that had been fierce, claiming, and impossibly tender all at once. Luca sat beside her, his tie loosened, watching her with an intensity that made the car feel uncomfortably small.
"Are you all right?" Luca asked, his voice softer than she had ever heard it.
"I think I'm still in shock," Naomi admitted, looking down at her lap where their hands rested inches apart. "I've never seen anyone stand up to the Valentis like that. In this city, people whisper their name with fear."
Luca reached over and covered her hand with his. "People fear what they don't understand. The Valentis built their power on extortion and cruelty. I built mine on loyalty and discipline. There is a vast difference."
Naomi looked at his strong profile. "Why did you do that tonight, Luca? You didn't just expose Vivian. You... you claimed me in front of everyone. You made me a target."
Luca turned his head, his amber eyes locking onto hers in the shadowy interior. "You became a target the second you protected my mother. By claiming you publicly, I placed the entire weight of the Moretti syndicate between you and harm. No one will dare touch you now without expecting total annihilation."
He paused, his thumb gently tracing the smooth skin of her wrist. "And besides... I don't give speeches I don't mean."
Naomi held her breath. "Luca..."
"You risked your life for my mother without asking for a dime, Naomi," he whispered, leaning closer until his breath ghosted over her cheek. "I have lived thirty-two years in a world where everyone wants a piece of my empire. Friends, allies, lovers—they all had a price. You are the first person who walked into my house and gave everything without expecting anything in return. Do you really think I would let a woman like you go?"
Before Naomi could answer, the limousine swept through the fortified iron gates of the Moretti estate and came to a stop in front of the grand entrance.
Marco, Luca’s head of security, opened the door with a grim expression. "Boss. We have a situation."
Luca’s demeanor transformed instantly back to steel. He stepped out of the vehicle and helped Naomi down. "Report."
"Vincente Valenti didn't go home," Marco said quietly, keeping his voice low as they entered the grand foyer. "Our surveillance teams at the docks intercepted an encrypted comms burst. Vincente hired an external strike team from Chicago—the Romanov outfit. They're mercenaries. Unsanctioned."
Luca’s eyes narrowed into slits. "He knows he’s ruined legally, so he’s going for scorched earth."
"Where is my mother?" Luca demanded.
"Miss Isabella is asleep in the reinforced panic quarters on the third floor," Marco answered. "She's guarded by our six best operators."
Luca turned to Naomi. "You will go to my mother’s quarters immediately. You don't leave her side until I come for you."
Naomi shook her head, grasping his forearm. "Luca, no. Let me help. I know the layout of the back corridors—the service passages Vivian might have given them access codes to!"
Luca looked at her, surprised by her defiance, but his jaw remained firm. "Naomi, this is a firefight, not an argument."
"I survived on the streets for ten years before I became your mother’s caretaker, Luca," Naomi said, her voice ringing with fierce conviction. "I know how rats crawl into closed spaces. Let me check the service wing security monitors with Marco. Please."
Luca stared into her determined eyes for three seconds. A rare, genuine smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Marco," Luca commanded. "Give her an earpiece and a secondary sidearm. If she tells you a blind spot is breached, you listen to her."
May you like
Marco nodded respectfully. "Understood, Boss."
Luca placed his hands on Naomi’s cheeks, pulling her face up and kissing her forehead with fierce possessiveness. "Stay alive, Naomi. I still have a promise to keep to you."
