Chapter 12
I stared into Lorenzo’s intense gaze, my mind racing with everything I’d witnessed. The weight of his question hung heavy in the air between us.
“I…” My voice trailed off. I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “I need time to process this, Lorenzo. What happened down there – it didn’t disturb me the way it probably should have. Those men deserved what they got. If this is how you deal with monsters who prey on innocent women, I can’t fault you for it.”
His grip on my waist loosened slightly, but his eyes never left mine.
“But this life…” I gestured to the cold concrete walls around us. “It scares me. Not because of what you do, but because of what it means for us.”
Before I could finish my thought, Lorenzo’s hand moved in a blur. The metallic click of a gun being cocked echoed through the corridor. My heart stopped as I watched him press the barrel against his own temple.
“Lorenzo, what are you-”
“Listen to me carefully, cara mia.” His voice was steel wrapped in silk. “If anyone ever hurts you again – if a single tear falls from your eyes because someone dared to cause you pain – I will destroy them. And if I fail to protect you…” He pressed the gun harder against his head. “If I fail you like that bastard Dominic did, I won’t hesitate to pull this trigger.”
My hands shook as I reached for his face. “Lorenzo, please…”
“This isn’t a threat or a promise, Valentina. This is who I am. Your protection, your happiness – they’re worth more than my life. I need you to understand that.”
A tear rolled down my cheek as I cupped his face in my trembling hands. “I understand, Lorenzo. But please, put the gun down. If you ever did that – killed yourself because you couldn’t protect me – that guilt would destroy me more than anything anyone else could ever do.”
His expression softened, and a small smile played at the corners of his mouth as he lowered the weapon. I threw my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. His heartbeat thundered against my ear, strong and steady.
He tilted my chin up and captured my lips in a searing kiss that made my knees weak. Before I could catch my breath, he swept me into his arms.
“Lorenzo!” I yelped as he strode back into the mall, carrying me like I
Chapter 12
1:53 Sun, 2 Mar
weighed nothing.
95%
Shoppers stopped to stare, some whispering behind their hands, others openly gaping at us.
“Everyone’s looking,” I whispered, heat creeping up my neck.
“Let them look.” He smirked. “They’re just jealous I’m holding the most beautiful woman in this world.”
“You’re impossible.” I hid my face against his shoulder.
“Impossibly charming?”
“Impossibly arrogant.”
He chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest as we reached the escalator. “You love it.”
“I’m perfectly capable of walking,” I protested as we reached the top floor. “But where’s the fun in that?” He finally set me down, keeping one arm wrapped around my waist.
I gazed down at the bustling mall below us, watching people move like colorful dots across the polished floors.
Lorenzo’s arm tightened around my waist as he pulled me closer to the railing. “This is all yours now.”
“What?” I turned to face him, confused by his words.
His lips curved into that dangerous smile I’d come to know so well. “Every shop, every floor, every inch of this Mall belongs to you.”
“What?” The word came out as a shocked whisper this time. My hands gripped the glass railing for support as I stared at him in disbelief.
“The largest shopping center in the country – it’s yours, cara mia.” His fingers traced my jawline. “I signed the papers this morning. Consider it an early wedding gift.”
I looked back at the sprawling complex below – six floors of luxury boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The sheer scale of it made my head spin. The same mall where I used to window shop, dreaming of things I could never afford, was now… mine?
“Lorenzo, this is…” My voice trailed off as I struggled to find words.
“Just the beginning.” He pressed a kiss to my temple. “I told you – everything I have is yours.”
