Chapter 4
The estate was silent when Alessandro returned at three in the morning.
He stripped off his damp coat in the grand foyer, handing it to a sleepy butler, and walked upstairs. His boots made almost no sound on the thick runners carpet as he walked down the east wing corridor.
When he reached Sophia's suite, he noticed the door was slightly cracked open.
Alessandro frowned, his instincts instantly flaring. He drew his sidearm, taking slow, deliberate steps toward the gap in the door, pushing it open with his foot.
The scene inside made him freeze.
The room was dimly lit by a soft reading lamp. Sophia was sitting on the rug near the foot of the bed, fast asleep, her head resting against the frame. Beside her, sitting perfectly upright like a massive black statue, was Bruno. The dog’s ears were perked up, his dark eyes wide awake, watching the door intently.
Emma was fast asleep on the bed above them, clutching her teddy bear, her small face serene and peaceful.
As Alessandro stepped inside, Bruno let out a soft rumble in his throat—not a growl of hostility, but a signal of recognition. The dog didn't move from his post beside Sophia.
The faint sound caused Sophia to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, disoriented, and she scrambled back in sudden alarm when she saw a tall silhouette standing in the shadows.
"Shh," Alessandro whispered, holstering his weapon and stepping into the lamplight. "It's me."
Sophia let out a ragged breath, pulling her sweater tight around her chest as she stood up on shaky legs. "Mr. Moretti... I'm sorry. I tried to stay awake until you brought Bruno back down, but I fell asleep."
"I told you to leave him here," Alessandro reminded her, his voice soft in the quiet night. He walked over to the bed, looking down at the sleeping child. "She sleeps well."
"She feels safe," Sophia said softly, looking at Bruno, who finally leaned over to rest his heavy head against Sophia’s ankle. "She hasn't slept through the night without nightmares in almost two years. But tonight... she didn't cry once."
Alessandro looked at Sophia, taking in the faint dark circles beneath her eyes, the vulnerability she tried so desperately to hide behind her professional demeanor.
"You don't have to live in fear here, Sophia," Alessandro said, stepping closer to her. The subtle scent of rain, leather, and faint gunpowder clung to him, but Sophia found herself remarkably unthreatened by it.
"Fear follows people like me, Mr. Moretti," Sophia whispered, looking up into his stormy gray eyes. "When you run from someone who wants to hurt your child, every shadow looks like a weapon."
"Julian Vance won't hurt her," Alessandro stated flatly.
Sophia’s breath hitches. Her eyes widened in terror. "You... you know his name?"
"I know he operates on the South Side," Alessandro replied, his tone hard as iron. "I know he tries to buy shipments he doesn't own. And I know he made the mistake of existing in the same city as my estate."
"Please," Sophia begged, grabbing Alessandro's sleeve without thinking, her hands trembling. "Please, don't get involved. He's dangerous! He has police officers on his payroll! If he finds out where we are, he'll bring men here—"
Alessandro looked down at her small hand clutching his arm. He didn't pull away. Instead, he reached over with his free hand and gently covered her fingers with his warm, solid palm.
"Sophia," Alessandro said, his voice dropping into a deep, steady rhythm that sent a shiver straight down her spine. "Look around you. You are in the Moretti stronghold. The police don't come here. Men like Julian Vance don't enter these gates unless I permit them to crawl inside."
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He tightened his grip on her hand slightly.
"You and Emma are under my blood debt now. No one touches you. No one."
