ISABELLA

Chapter 39

Riccardo’s POV

My hands gripped the steering wheel a little too tight—not because I was driving, but because my blood was boiling.

“Leo,” I finally said, voice low but sharp. “What the f**k was that back there?”

He didn’t answer immediately, his jaw tight, eyes fixed ahead. His fingers drummed against his laps, almost calm, almost unreadable.

“You know what I’m talking about,” I snapped, leaning forward. “That Moretti asshole. Isabella. What the hell does he know about her?”

“He knows what he knows. Doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me!” I barked, cutting him off. “You just… let him bring up her name like that? You—” I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my anger. “You know she’s… she’s important. And you just sit there?”

Leo finally turned his head slightly toward me, his dark eyes cutting into mine. “Do you think I don’t know that, Riccardo?” His tone was cold, measured, lethal. “Do you think I’m not thinking ten steps ahead, watching every move, making sure she’s safe?”

I shook my head, frustration boiling over. “Safe? She’s exposed now! You let Moretti talk about her like she’s some… some bargaining chip. You can’t just keep her close and pretend the world won’t notice. This—” I gestured toward the street outside, the city lights blurring past—“this is dangerous. She doesn’t even know the half of it!”

“She will know, when the time is right. Not a second sooner. And she’s not just some girl, Riccardo. She’s mine to protect. And no one,” his voice dropped, low and rough, “no one is going to touch her while I’m breathing.”

I swallowed hard, conflicted. Part of me wanted to argue, to tell him he was overstepping, that no one belonged to anyone. But another part—the part that had known him my whole life—knew that when Leo said something like that, he meant it.

I exhaled slowly, leaning back against my seat, still tense. “Just… make sure you don’t underestimate them. Moretti doesn’t play fair, and neither do we. But… don’t drag her too deep into this, Leo. She’s not ready for it.”

Leo’s eyes softened for the tiniest fraction of a second, then hardened again. “She’ll be ready because she has no choice. And if you think I’m letting her be in danger for one second… you’re wrong.”

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Leo’s pov

Matteo had gone ahead to make sure the perimeter was secure, and I could hear the faint sound of Aria’s breathing through the open hallway.

I found her first. Aria was sprawled across Isabella’s bed, a popcorn-strewn blanket half covering her, fast asleep. I exhaled softly. She looked peaceful… blissfully unaware of the world outside these walls.

“Matteo,” I muttered, stepping closer, “take her to her room.”

He blinked but didn’t hesitate, carefully lifting Aria in his strong arms. She murmured something incoherent, but he just smiled faintly and carried her off down the hallway, leaving me alone with Isabella.

She was still asleep, curled slightly on her side, hair fanned across the pillow. The faint rise and fall of her chest was mesmerizing, and despite everything—the danger, the tension, the world—I felt this need to protect her. To keep her close.

I knelt beside the bed for a moment, studying her, memorizing the curve of her cheek, the softness of her lips, the way her lashes rested against her skin. No one had ever made me feel this… tethered.

Careful not to wake her, I lifted her gently into my arms. She stirred slightly, a soft murmur escaping her lips, but she didn’t open her eyes. I smiled faintly, adjusting her so she rested against my chest, feeling the warmth of her small body against mine.

I lay back slowly on the bed, careful, making sure she was comfortable. Her head rested on my shoulder, her hand brushing against mine, still asleep. The temptation to hold her, to protect her, to never let go, was unbearable.

I whispered, almost to myself, “You’re safe now, Isabella. I’ve got you.”

Her soft breath tickled my skin, and I closed my eyes, letting the world fade.

I didn’t move. I didn’t speak. I just held her, feeling the weight of the unspoken—the danger she didn’t yet understand, the secrets she didn’t yet know, and the way my world had irrevocably shifted the moment she entered it.

And for now, that was enough.

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Isabella’s POV

I woke to the faint warmth of sunlight spilling through the curtains, brushing against my face. I didn’t move, letting the gentle rhythm of breathing near my ear ground me.

And then I realized… I wasn’t alone.

My eyes slowly adjusted, and there he was—Leo. His chest rose and fell steadily, arms wrapped loosely around me, fingers brushing against my hair. His dark hair fell slightly into his forehead, and his lips were relaxed in sleep. He looked… impossibly calm, impossibly untouchable, and yet somehow completely vulnerable in this quiet moment.

I couldn’t stop myself from staring. My heart thudded against my ribs, and I swallowed hard, trying to process how it felt to be held like this—safe, yet exposed in a way that sent shivers down my spine.

His scent filled my senses: leather, faint cologne, something uniquely him that I could never forget. I traced a finger along the line of his jaw, careful not to wake him, and felt this odd mixture of comfort and longing tighten in my chest.

I wanted to move, to shift, to wake him, but some part of me feared breaking the moment. Seeing him like this… so still, so human, was almost more intimate than anything else between us.

I pressed my forehead lightly to his chest, letting his heartbeat echo through me. “Leo,” I whispered softly, almost afraid he’d hear, almost afraid I’d break the spell.

But he didn’t stir. His hand tightened just slightly around me, like instinctively he was still protecting me even in sleep.

I couldn’t help but smile, a small, shy curve of my lips.I felt… grounded. Safe. Wanted.

And as I lay there, staring at him, I realized just how deep this slow-burning connection had already taken hold.

I finally decided I needed to get up, to stretch and start the day. Slowly, carefully, I began to shift, easing my body from his chest. My hand brushed the sheets, and I leaned forward—just a little.

A firm, commanding hand clamped around my waist, holding me in place. My stomach jumped, and I froze, my eyes snapping to him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was low, gravelly, and unmistakably awake. His dark eyes were fixed on me, sharp and dangerous, yet protective in a way that made my heart hammer.

I blinked, caught between shock and embarrassment. “I… I just wanted to get up,” I stammered.

“No,” he said, tightening his hold slightly. “Not yet.” His gaze roamed over me like he was memorizing every inch, every detail, every movement. “You’re not leaving this bed without me knowing.”

My cheeks flushed hot. “Leo…” I whispered, a mixture of awe and exasperation in my voice. “I thought you were asleep.”

A ghost of a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “I was pretending,” he murmured, his eyes never leaving mine. “You should know by now that I don’t sleep when it comes to you.”

I swallowed hard, my body frozen under his touch. The realization hit me like a wave—he hadn’t been asleep at all. Every movement I’d made, every shift, he’d felt. Every breath I took, he’d known.

“You’re… intense,” I whispered, my voice trembling slightly.

“I protect what’s mine,” he said simply, his hand still firmly on my waist. “And right now, that’s you.”

I shivered under his gaze, a strange mix of fear, fascination, and something else I couldn’t name. I realized just how much of himself Leo wasn’t showing—not yet, not ever.