“Leave?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. The word tasted foreign on my tongue. “What do you mean, leave?”
Matteo stood in the doorway, his tall frame silhouetted by the dim light filtering in from the living room. His expression was guarded, but I could see the tension in the way his hand repeatedly ran through his hair. “It’s not safe here anymore. Not for us. Not for Ava. The leaks, the attempts on my life… it’s escalating. There’s someone behind it, and I don’t think this is a war I’m ready to take. Not anymore.” He paused, his voice softening. “Especially now that I have people to consider-you and Ava.”
The words hung in the air like a weight pressing down on my chest. I gripped the edge of the kitchen counter for support, feeling as though the ground beneath me had shifted. “Matteo, this is our home,” I said, my voice cracking. “It’s Ava’s home. We can’t just-”
“We can,” he interrupted, his tone firm but not cruel. His dark eyes locked onto mine, unwavering. “And we will. I won’t risk losing either of you.”
The finality in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I knew Matteo could be stubborn, but this wasn’t just his usual dominance. This was fear-real, bone-deep fear.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep the rising panic at bay. “Matteo,” I whispered, stepping closer to him, my hand brushing against his shirt. “Talk to me. Really talk to me. What aren’t you telling me?”
For a long moment, he didn’t answer. His jaw clenched, his shoulders visibly tense. Then, finally, he spoke, his voice low and gravelly. “There’s a man,” he began, each word carrying the weight of something deeply buried. “A Russian mobster. He’s not like the other ones we’ve dealt with. He’s calculated. Patient. Years ago, there was… an issue. A shipment that went south, a deal that was never resolved. He lost money, pride, and now he’s out for blood.”
My breath hitched. “And he’s coming for you?”
“For us,” Matteo corrected, his voice cold but resolute. “He’s been waiting, chipping away at our defenses. Someone on the inside is feeding him information-shipment schedules, routes. It’s why the cartel’s operations have been falling apart.”
I felt a pit form in my stomach. The cartel was the backbone of Matteo’s power, the fortress that kept enemies at bay. If it was crumbling, what was left to protect us?
He looked at me then, his eyes searching mine, filled with something I rarely saw in him: vulnerability. “I don’t want this fight,” he admitted, his voice barely audible. “Not because I’m afraid of losing, but because I know the cost. Winning or losing… it’ll come at a price I’m not willing to pay. Not now. Not with you and Ava in the picture.”
The weight of his words hit me like a physical blow. My heart twisted as I tried to process everything. This wasn’t just about Matteo or the cartel. It was about us. About Ava. About the life we’d built in Algreen Cove.
“But… this is Ava’s home,” I said weakly, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “This is where she’s growing up, where she’s making her memories. We can’t just uproot her-”
“We don’t have a choice,” Matteo said, his voice soft but unyielding. He reached out, cupping my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that spilled onto my cheeks. “I know it’s hard. I know you love this place. I love it too. But Ava doesn’t need Algreen Cove to feel at home. She needs us. And I’ll be damned if I let her become collateral damage in someone else’s war.”
His words pierced through my chest, and I let out a shaky breath. “Where do we even go?” I asked, my voice trembling.
He gave a small, almost bitter laugh. “Somewhere with a name you can’t pronounce,” he said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The attempt at humor felt misplaced, but I couldn’t help the weak smile that formed on my own.
“Matteo…” I started, but he cut me off with a kiss to my forehead, the gesture so tender it made my heart ache.
“I’ve already started making arrangements,” he said, his voice steady. “I wanted everything to be in place before I told you. I didn’t want you to worry until it was necessary.”
“Too late for that,” I muttered, earning a small chuckle from him. “And Ava? How do we explain this to her? She’s just a child. She won’t understand why we have to leave.”
“We’ll make it an adventure,” he said, his confidence almost convincing. “We’ll tell her we’re going on a trip, exploring a new place. Kids are resilient. She’ll adapt. And wherever we go, we’ll make it home.”
I nodded, though my heart felt heavy. Memories of Algreen Cove flooded my mind-the carnival rides with my sister, the afternoons spent dancing in the park, the lazy summer evenings with Ava chasing fireflies. This city was more than just a place to me. It was my history, my identity. And now, I had to leave it all behind.
“When do we leave?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“In two days.”
I blinked, stunned. “Two days? That’s not enough time to-”
“We don’t have time,” he said, his tone final. “The longer we stay, the more danger we’re in. Everything we need is already being arranged. Passports, transportation, safehouses. We’ll be ready.”
I stared at him, trying to find the words to argue, to plead for more time. But deep down, I knew he was right. The urgency in his voice, the fear in his eyes-it was all the confirmation I needed.
Matteo reached for me again, pulling me into his arms. His warmth was a temporary balm to the storm raging inside me. “I’ll make this right,” he murmured against my hair. “I swear to you, Helena. I’ll keep you and Ava safe, no matter what.”
I clung to him, my mind racing with questions and fears. What would life look like in this new place? Would we ever feel safe again? Would Ava grow up resenting us for taking her away from everything she knew?
As the night wore on, Matteo stayed by my side, answering my questions with as much reassurance as he could offer. He didn’t have all the answers, but his determination was unshakable. And for now, that was enough.
Later, long after Matteo had fallen asleep, I sat by Ava’s bedside, watching her tiny chest rise and fall with each breath. Her innocent face was peaceful, unaware of the chaos swirling around her. I reached out, gently brushing a curl from her forehead.
“I’ll protect you,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “No matter where we go. No matter what it takes.”