Damien.
*The night after Valentina went to bed*
It refused to stop. The storm.
And it matched the chaos in my head, rain hammering against the windows of the study as I stared into the darkened room. The glass of whiskey in my hand trembled slightly, though I told myself it was from the cold.
Not from the words spilling out of his lips.
“She has a safe phone,” Reed had said that night, his voice calm yet pointed as he leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed.
I hadn’t responded at first. I had only raised a brow, silently demanding he explain why that piece of information mattered.
“Isabella called her on it once,” he continued, his tone quieter now. “That’s how Valentina knew about Luca’s plans. She discovered Isabella must have been working against Luca… perhaps she knew about Luca’s plans and wanted to help her sister…” He stopped then, clearing his throat. “That doesn’t matter anymore. But the moment she knew you were in danger, she didn’t hesitate. She was ready to throw herself into the fire for you.”
A part of me had known something was up when Valentina left the safehouse and followed me willingly… well, that was a stretch. But hearing it confirmed was different.
It felt like a blow to the chest, like I’d been caught off guard in a fight. But I cleared my throat and shoved it to the back of my mind.
To be dissected later.
“You’re telling me this why?”
Reed pushed off the doorframe, stepping into the room. His footsteps were deliberate, his dark eyes never leaving mine.
“Because you’re a bastard,” he said flatly.
I set the glass down harder than necessary, the sharp sound cutting through the tension. “Watch your tone, Reed.”
“No, you watch yours,” he snapped back, his calm veneer cracking. “You treat her like she’s expendable, like she’s just another pawn in your twisted game. But Valentina’s not like us, Matteo. She’s not made for this life… yet she’s still standing beside you, risking everything to keep you alive.”
I said nothing, because what could I say? He wasn’t wrong.
“Don’t screw this up,” Reed said, his voice softer now, but no less insistent. “Don’t hurt her again. She deserves better than that.”
The weight of his words settled heavily on my shoulders, but it was the look in his eyes that drove it home. He wasn’t just the man I had sent to save Valentina when all hope seemed lost. He was some kind of protector for the woman I loved… he became a friend to her.
“I love her,” I admitted, the words barely above a whisper. Saying it aloud felt like ripping open a wound, exposing the raw truth beneath.
Reed’s brows lifted in surprise, but he recovered quickly, a grim smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Then maybe start acting like it, Matteo.”
*Present*
The roar of the engine filled the silence as I sped down the winding road, the tires skidding slightly on the rain-slicked pavement. Valentina sat beside me, eerily calm, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.
I glanced at the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Reed’s car following close behind. Somehow, his presence made me feel like we might actually make it out of this alive.
The explosion shattered that illusion.
It started as a low rumble, then erupted into a deafening roar. The shockwave rocked the car, sending it swerving dangerously as fire and smoke lit up the morning sky behind us.
“Reed…” Valentina’s voice was barely audible, but the fear in it was unmistakable.
I didn’t look back. I couldn’t.
Not when my priority was keeping her alive. But the image of Reed’s car disappearing into the flames burned itself into my mind, the kind of guilt that would haunt me forever.
“Hold on,” I said, my voice tight as I slammed the gas pedal down. The car shot forward, the engine growling in protest.
The gunfire started then. Sharp cracks cutting through the rain as bullets pinged off the car. My hands tightened on the wheel, my jaw clenching as I swerved to avoid the shots.
“Matteo!” Valentina’s hand gripped my arm, her voice sharper now. “We can’t just run. Give me a gun.”
“No,” I said without hesitation.
Her eyes narrowed, anger flashing in them. “Don’t be stupid. I can help…”
“I said no,” I growled, cutting her off. “You’re not putting yourself in danger.”
She glared at me, but before she could argue, another shot hit the back tire. The car skidded wildly, and it took everything I had to keep it from spinning out of control.
“Dammit!” I cursed, slamming the wheel with my palm.
“We’re sitting ducks if you don’t let me help,” Valentina said, her voice steady despite the chaos around us.
I hesitated, my mind racing. She wasn’t wrong. We were outnumbered, outgunned, and running out of time. But the thought of her with a weapon in her hands, of her being a target…
Another bullet struck the side mirror, shattering it. Valentina flinched but didn’t back down.
“Matteo,” she said, her tone softer now. “Please.”
Reluctantly, I reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a handgun, handing it to her. “Be careful,” I said, my voice rough.
She didn’t respond. She rolled down the window, the wind and rain whipping through the car as she leaned out to aim.
Her first shot missed, but the second hit its mark, taking out the windshield of the truck behind us. It swerved, crashing into a ditch.
“Nice shot,” I muttered, pushing the car faster.
But there was no time to celebrate. Another car appeared behind us, its headlights cutting through the darkness.
Valentina fired again, her movements controlled and precise. She was a natural, and the realization filled me with equal parts, pride, and dread.
“Hold on,” I said, taking a sharp turn onto a dirt road. The car jolted violently, mud spraying as the tires struggled for traction.
In the distance, I could see the faint outline of the forest. If we could make it there, we might have a chance.
But just as hope began to flicker, another shot rang out, hitting the front tire. The car lurched, skidding off the road and slamming into a tree.
Pain shot through my side as the seatbelt dug into my ribs. Beside me, Valentina groaned, clutching her arm.
“We need to move,” I said, my voice hoarse as I fumbled with the seatbelt.
But before we could, the sound of approaching footsteps froze me in place.
They’d caught up.
I looked at Valentina, her face pale but determined. She was everything I didn’t deserve… brave, selfless, and strong in ways I never could have imagined.
Reed’s words came back to me then, a haunting reminder of what was at stake.
“She didn’t hesitate to save you.” He had said.
And now, as the shadows closed in around us, I realized just how much she’d risked for me.
“I love you,” I murmured, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
Valentina’s eyes widened, but there was no time for a response. The footsteps were getting closer, and I knew we had only seconds to act.
“Stay behind me,” I said, my voice firm as I grabbed the gun from her hands.
For once, she didn’t argue. Instead, she reached for a second weapon in the glove compartment, her expression grim.
If anyone touched what belonged to me again, I wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet through their head.