“Why?” Elena’s voice cracked. “Why do you care so much about a stranger?”
Dante was quiet for a long moment, studying their joined hands. When he spoke, his voice was soft but certain.
“You’re not a stranger to me. Not really.” He looked up, meeting her eyes. “I recognized something in you that night at the ball. Something broken and brave and beautiful, all at once. Someone who’d been hurt but hadn’t let it destroy her core. I knew—” He paused. “I knew I wanted to protect that. Protect you.”
“That sounds like a savior complex.”
“Maybe.” A small smile tugged at his mouth. “Or maybe I just know what it’s like to be underestimated by people who should value you. And maybe I want to be there when you prove them all wrong.”
The pie arrived, breaking the moment. Elena picked at hers with h
