The Moretti house had grown quieter as night settled in. The card game had ended, plates from dinner were stacked in the sink, and most of the boys were sprawled across the couches, half-watching the late-night news.
Dante arrived just past ten. The room shifted the moment he walked in—his presence sharper, heavier than the others. He scanned the space once, his jaw tight, and his gaze immediately landed on Mia.
"You're staying here tonight," he said without preamble.
Mia looked up from the armchair, frowning. "Why?"
"Because I said so," Dante replied. His tone was clipped, but there was an edge beneath it—worry, not anger. "Things are heating up. Word is some of the rival crews are sniffing around campus. I don't want you walking back to that dorm."
Mia crossed her arms, unimpressed. "I can take care of myself."
Dante crouched in front of her, lowering his voice. "Maybe. But I don't gamble with your safety."
The room fell into a hush. Marco coughed, breaking the tension. "So, Mia's stuck with us all night? Great. Can't wait to hear her complain about our mess."
One of the cousins smirked from the couch. "Better question—why didn't she drag her bestie with her? from what Marco blabbers you can't breathe without her."
A ripple of laughter moved through the room, and Mia rolled her eyes. "You're all idiots," she muttered, pulling out her phone.
But the thought stuck. If she was going to be stuck here under her brother's watch, she didn't see why she had to suffer alone. She dialed quickly, pacing toward the hallway for a shred of privacy.
"Ava?" she said when her friend picked up. "Hey. Change of plans. You're staying with me tonight."
There was a pause on the line, Ava's confusion bleeding through her tone. "At your brother's house?"
"Yes," Mia replied, already heading back toward the living room with a wicked little smile. "Don't argue. Pack a bag. You're not getting out of this."
When she hung up, she tossed her phone onto the couch and grinned at the boys. "Congratulations, gentlemen. You just invited Ava over. Try not to scare her away."
The laughter that followed masked the flicker in Ethan's eyes. He said nothing, but his stillness gave him away. The night had just become more complicated.