The Betrayer's Embrace
An Hour Later – Safehouse Near Siena
I lay Sofia on the bed, kissed her cheek, and closed the door.
Dante sat on a chair, shirt off, dressing the cut on his shoulder.
I knelt alongside him. “Let me help.”
He stared at me. “Do you think she’s done?”
I shook my head. “No. This was her first move. Not her last.”
He glanced into my eyes. “Then we finish this together. Every step.”
I leaned into his arms. “Every breath.”
We kissed—desperate, broken, entire.
But then—
A phone buzzed.
Dante grabbed it up. His face froze.
I leaned over. The message read: “You have 24 hours. Or I go public with everything. Including the girl’s true father.”
I gazed at the name.
Unknown Sender.
But the number… It was Valentina’s.
“Dante, I need to tell you somet
