The courtyard was empty now, save for the shadows of the evening creeping along the walls of the Morelli estate. Elena Rossi's heart pounded in her chest as she clutched the coat around her thin frame, still trembling from the unexpected danger that had chased her here.
Alessandro followed her silently, his gaze sharp as ever. His presence was suffocating, overwhelming… and yet, in a strange way, comforting. Elena couldn't understand it, and that frightened her even more.
"Why are you trembling?" Alessandro's voice was low, almost dangerous, but not unkind.
"I… I just—" Elena's words faltered. She didn't want to admit how scared she really was. How could she, when every inch of her body screamed that she didn't belong in this world?
Alessandro stepped closer, closing the distance until the cold night air was cut off by his warmth. "You don't have to lie to me," he said. "I can see everything. Fear, hesitation… weakness." His eyes locked onto hers, unblinking, commanding.
Elena's stomach fluttered, a mixture of fear and something she couldn't name. She wanted to pull away, but her legs refused to move. "I… I didn't know where else to go," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the evening wind.
"That's fine," Alessandro said, his lips curling in a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "You're here now. Safe."
The words should have comforted her, but they only made her pulse race faster. She knew the safety he offered was not to be taken lightly. Alessandro didn't tolerate mistakes, weakness, or hesitation—but somehow, she felt a strange sense of relief being under his control.
"Come inside," he said, gesturing to the grand halls behind him. "You'll warm up, have something to eat. Then… we'll talk."
Elena nodded, barely trusting her own voice. She followed him through the massive front doors, her eyes taking in the grandeur of the Moretti estate for the first time. Everything gleamed with wealth and power: marble floors, crystal chandeliers, priceless paintings lining the walls. But it wasn't beauty that struck her—it was the weight of the family's presence. This was Alessandro's world, a world she had no right to enter, and yet here she was.
Alessandro led her to a small sitting area with heavy curtains that kept the night at bay. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the room. He gestured for her to sit.
"You're cold," he said, removing his coat and placing it over her shoulders. "Keep it on. You're not leaving this room until you've eaten and warmed up."
Elena's fingers trembled as she adjusted the coat around herself. The scent of his cologne—sharp, commanding, intoxicating—clung to her senses. She swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. "I… thank you," she murmured.
Alessandro's eyes softened just slightly, but the edge never left his voice. "Don't thank me yet. You have no idea what kind of world you've stepped into."
Elena looked down at her hands, twisting them in her lap. "I… I'll do whatever I have to," she whispered.
His gaze swept over her, assessing, calculating. She was weak, fragile—but intelligent enough to survive… maybe. "Good," he said finally. "Because you're under my protection now. And I don't tolerate failures."
Her pulse raced again, but this time it wasn't just fear. A strange mixture of fascination and… something else simmered beneath her nerves. Every word he spoke, every glance he gave, seemed to push her further into him—even when she tried to resist.
For Alessandro, it was simple. She was vulnerable, beautiful in her fragility, and utterly his responsibility now. And deep down, he knew that this fragile girl would either break under his world… or rise and become something more than he ever expected.
The night grew quiet, save for the crackling of the fire. Elena sat in silence, feeling both terrified and inexplicably drawn to the man who had already begun to dominate her world—and her heart.