Morning came with a quiet I didn’t trust.
The sun crept over the hills, burning through the mist that cloaked the villa, and for a brief moment, it almost looked peaceful. But I knew better. Peace was the kind of illusion that cracked the second you blinked.
I stood by the window, coffee in one hand, phone in the other, going over the messages Tomas had sent. Everything was in motion.
The vineyard in Palermo was secured. Luca’s men were already in position. The invitations had been delivered to Ricardo’s circle.
All that was left was to walk right into it. I glanced at the small luggage placed next to me on the couch. My flight was in a few hours. But the hangar was quite a distance from our hideout so I had to leave early enough.
"Jace, are you going on a trip?"
Mira’s voice came softly from behind me, still thick with sleep.
I turned. She stood there in one of my shirts, the hem brushing her thighs, her hair a beautiful mess. For a second, I almost forgot how heavy the day was supposed to be.
"Just a short trip," I said. "Nothing you need to worry about."
Her eyes narrowed. "Won’t you tell me where you’re going?"
I didn’t say anything. Not because I didn’t want to tell her what was going on but because it felt like there was no need for it.
"Jace, you did something the last time." I could hear the annoyance that circled her words.
I forced a small smile. "And I came back, didn’t I?"
"That’s not the point, Jace." She crossed her arms, staring me down like she was trying to peel back every layer of calm I was hiding behind. "You’ve been distant. Cold. I barely see you anymore, and when I do, you talk like everything’s fine when it clearly isn’t. And I know you’re mad at me for talking to Roberto but don’t keep me in the dark ."
"Don’t ’Mira’ me. You promised you’d stop shutting me out." Her voice trembled, equal parts anger and heartbreak. "Do you have any idea what it’s like lying awake every night wondering if you’re coming back alive?"
Her words hit harder than I wanted them to. I set the coffee down and took a step toward her. "You’re safe here. That’s what matters."
She scoffed, tears gathering in her eyes. "Safe? I’m not safe, Jace. I’m trapped. In this house, in this silence, waiting for you to come home. That’s not safety...it’s torture." Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⁂𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾⁂𝔫𝔢𝔱
I clenched my jaw. She didn’t understand. She couldn’t.
If she knew what I was about to do, she’d try to stop me. She’d cry, beg, or worse follow me into a war that wasn’t hers.
"I just need a few days," I said finally. "Then everything changes."
"Tell me where you’re going." She came closer.
Her eyes widened. "No?"
I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "This isn’t a discussion."
Her chin lifted stubbornly. "You don’t get to make decisions for me anymore. I deserve to know what’s happening."
The frustration simmering in my chest finally cracked. "You want to know? Fine. I’m going to fix what should’ve been buried years ago. I’m trying to end this war so you’ll never have to wake up afraid again."
She stared at me, speechless for a second. "At what cost?"
That was the truth. Every last word of it.
She shook her head, tears spilling now. "You’ll die trying to protect me, and I can’t... I can’t live with that, Jace."
Her voice broke on my name, and something inside me snapped.
I reached out and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her flush against me. Her breath hitched as our eyes met—anger, fear, love, all tangled together.
"You want me to stay?" I asked roughly, my voice barely above a whisper. "You want me to stop fighting?"
She didn’t answer, but her lips parted like she wanted to. That was all the invitation I needed.
I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her like my life depended on it. Maybe it did.
She wrapped her slender hands around my neck while I lifted her, my mouth not leaving hers.
When I pulled back, we were both panting heavily and I looked straight into her eyes as my thumb massaged her clit. She moaned into my mouth. That was when I slipped a finger in and fucked her with it. She clung to me even tighter as I placed her on the bed and hovered over her.
"Jace," she gasped when I added another finger.
I didn’t respond. I simply brushed my free hand over her nipples and watched with interest as they hardened under her shirt, poking out with such confidence.
Amidst her loud moans as I pumped my fingers into her, I placed my mouth on her nipple, alternating between both of them.
Her cries filled the room, getting louder as her orgasm hit. I didn’t stop my sweet torture even as she writhed under me. I ignored my own need even when my cock was threatening to burst out of my pants.
When it was over, she was trembling, breathless against my chest, and I could still taste the salt of her tears on my lips.
I held her face, forcing her to meet my eyes. "Listen to me, Mira. You’re safe here. Lucas and the others will watch the house. No one gets in, no one gets close. I’ll be back before you know it."
Her hand gripped my wrist. "You promise?"
"I don’t make promises I can’t keep." I leaned down, brushing my thumb along her jaw. "This one, I will."
She swallowed hard, nodding, even though I could see the storm still raging behind her eyes.
I turned to leave, grabbing my jacket from the armchair.
"Jace," she whispered, voice trembling.
I paused at the doorway.
I didn’t trust myself to turn around. I just let out a low breath and said quietly, "I love you too mia cara, more than anything."
By the time the engines started in the courtyard, the sky had turned gray again. Palermo waited, and so did Ricardo.
Just an ending... one way or another.