Chapter 5 - The Morning After
Nora woke up to the soft rays of morning sunlight filtering through the heavy velvet drapes of her bedroom.
For a few seconds, she lay still under the warm, silky duvet, her mind foggy, expecting the sudden, sharp sound of Cameron’s key turning in the front door lock—the sound that had signaled the start of her daily nightmare for months.
Then she saw the vaulted ceilings, the marble fireplace, and remembered where she was.
She sat up slowly, pulling the soft white cotton robe around her shoulders. Her bruised arm throbbed slightly, but the overwhelming panic that usually gripped her heart was absent. The house was quiet, filled only with the faint, comforting scent of fresh coffee drifting up from downstairs.
A soft knock sounded at the mahogany door.
"Nora, dear?" Mrs. Gable’s voice called out from the hallway. "Are you awake?"
Nora walked over to the door and turned the deadbolt. "Yes, Mrs. Gable. Come in."
The housekeeper pushed open the door, carrying a silver tray laden with fresh berries, warm croissants, eggs, and a pot of steaming coffee. Behind her stood two women wearing sleek black aprons, holding several garment bags filled with brand-new clothing.
"Good morning, child," Mrs. Gable smiled brightly, setting the tray on the table near the window. "Mr. Vance had these clothes brought in from the boutique downtown this morning. He wants to make sure you have everything you need."
Nora looked at the luxurious garments—tailored trousers, soft cashmere sweaters, silk blouses, and elegant leather boots—all in her exact size.
"I... I can't accept all of this," Nora gasped, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of Dante’s generosity. "It's too much..."
"Nonsense, dear," Mrs. Gable said firmly, pressing a warm cup of coffee into Nora’s hands. "Mr. Vance doesn't do anything by halves. He’s currently downstairs finishing his morning calls. He asked if you would join him for breakfast in the sunroom when you're dressed."
Twenty minutes later, dressed in a soft cream cashmere sweater and dark tailored trousers, Nora walked down the grand staircase toward the sunroom at the rear of the estate.
The sunroom was a glass-enclosed conservatory filled with exotic plants and flooded with bright morning light. Dante sat at a long marble table, reading a folded morning newspaper, a cup of black coffee at his hand. He was dressed impeccably in a crisp white dress shirt with the top button undone and the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing strong, corded muscles and dark tattoos curling up his wrists.
As Nora stepped into the room, Dante laid his newspaper down and stood up.
His gray eyes swept over her, taking in her refreshed face, her clean hair, and the way the cashmere sweater softened her fragile appearance. A look of quiet satisfaction crossed his features.
"Good morning, Nora," Dante said, his deep voice filling the bright room. "Did you sleep well?"
"I did," Nora said softly, sitting in the chair he pulled out for her. "Better than I have in a very long time. Dante... thank you for the clothes. But you really didn't have to—"
"They are yours," Dante interrupted gently, sitting back down across from her. "You don't need to apologize for receiving basic comfort in this house."
Nora looked down at her hands, her heart swelling with an emotion she couldn't quite name. "Mrs. Gable said you have calls this morning. Is it... is it about Cameron?"
Dante took a slow sip of his coffee, his expression remaining perfectly calm.
"I am meeting with Cameron and his uncle, District Attorney Richard Vance, at eleven o'clock today," Dante informed her smoothly.
Nora’s breath hitched, her fingers clutching her napkin tightly. "Dante, please be careful. Richard Vance has the entire police force in his pocket. If Cameron tells him you took me, they'll use every legal trick to ruin you!"
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Dante leaned across the marble table, his dark eyes locking onto hers with a fierce, absolute confidence that made her tremble.
"Little bird," Dante whispered softly. "They don't have tricks that can touch me. By twelve o'clock today, Cameron Vance will never step within a mile of you again. And by the end of the week, his uncle will be begging me for mercy."
