BOUND TO THE BOSS

Chapter 8: The First Test

Three days passed.

The Rossi family did not attack. No threats. No messages. Just silence.

Elena knew that silence was dangerous. It meant they were planning. Waiting. Watching.

Dante was on edge. He barely slept. Barely ate. His men reported every hour. Nothing.

"They're waiting for something," Elena said one evening.

They were in the study. Dante was pacing.

"Waiting for me to make a mistake."

"Then don't make one."

He stopped. Looked at her. "Easier said than done."

"I never said it would be easy."

He walked to her. Took her hands.

"If something happens to me, Rosa will take you to the safe room. You stay there until help arrives."

"Nothing is going to happen to you."

"You don't know that."

"I know I won't let it."

Dante kissed her forehead. "You're too stubborn for your own good."

"It's served me well so far."

---

The next morning, Elena received a letter.

It was slipped under her door. No envelope. Just a single sheet of paper.

*"We know about you and Dante. We know you're his weakness. Leave him now, or we will make you watch him die."*

Elena's hands shook. She read the letter three times.

Then she walked to the study.

Dante was on the phone. He hung up when he saw her face.

"What's wrong?"

She handed him the letter.

Dante read it. His expression went cold. Deadly.

"Who gave you this?"

"I don't know. It was under my door this morning."

He grabbed his phone. Called his head of security.

"Someone was in the house last night. Find them. Now."

He hung up. Turned to Elena.

"You're moving to the safe room. Now."

"I'm not hiding."

"You're not safe here."

"I'm not safe anywhere. That's the point."

Dante grabbed her arms. His grip was firm. Not painful.

"I cannot protect you if you refuse to let me."

"Then teach me to protect myself."

Dante's eyes widened. "What?"

"Teach me to fight. To shoot. To defend myself. That way, I'm not a liability. That way, I can help."

"You're not a liability."

"Then prove it. Train me."

---

Dante stared at her for a long moment.

Then he nodded. "Fine. But you follow my instructions exactly."

"I always do."

"You argue with me constantly."

"I argue when you're wrong. There's a difference."

He almost smiled. "Let's go."

---

He led her to a basement room. Padded floors. Mats on the walls. Weights in the corner.

"This is where I train."

Elena looked around. "It's bigger than my old apartment."

"I spend a lot of time here. It helps me think."

He handed her a pair of gloves. "Put these on."

She did. They were too big. He took them back. Found a smaller pair.

"First lesson: stance."

He showed her how to stand. Feet apart. Knees bent. Hands up.

"Protect your face. Always."

She mimicked his stance. He corrected her posture. His hands were firm. Professional.

"Good. Now, throw a punch."

Elena swung. He blocked.

"Again."

She swung again. He blocked again.

"Faster."

She threw a series of punches. He deflected each one.

"Not bad for a beginner."

"I had a good teacher."

He stepped back. "Now, defend yourself."

He threw a slow punch. She blocked it.

"Faster."

Another punch. She blocked.

"Good. Again."

---

They trained for an hour.

Elena's arms ached. Her knuckles were red. But she did not stop.

Dante pushed her. Hard. But he was patient. Correcting. Encouraging.

"You're a fast learner," he said.

"I'm motivated."

He handed her a bottle of water. She drank.

"Why do you want to learn this so badly?"

"Because I'm tired of being afraid. Tired of hiding. Tired of being the one who needs protecting."

"You'll always need protecting. That's not a weakness."

"Then let me protect you too."

Dante's expression softened. "You already do."

"How?"

"By being here. By not running. By making me feel like I'm worth saving."

Elena set down the water. Walked to him.

"You are worth saving, Dante. You always were."

He pulled her close. Kissed her.

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"Then I'll die happy."

He laughed. Low. Warm.

"You're impossible."

"So you've said."

---

That night, they sat in the study.

Elena's muscles ached. But she felt strong.

"The Rossi family won't expect me to fight back," she said.

"They won't expect you to do a lot of things."

"Then we have the advantage."

Dante looked at her. "You're not going to stop, are you?"

"Never."

He took her hand. Kissed her knuckles.

"I'm glad you're on my side."

"I'm glad you let me be."

They sat in silence, holding hands.

The enemy was still out there. Watching. Waiting.

But Elena was no longer afraid.

She had found her place.

Beside the devil.

And she would fight to stay there.