Chapter 10 - The Safehouse in the North Woods
The Wisconsin compound was an imposing fortress built of solid stone and heavy timber, perched on a cliff overlooking a tranquil, mist-covered lake.
It was completely self-sustaining, equipped with satellite communications, solar generators, and twenty elite Romano loyalists patrolling the perimeter.
For the first three days, peace settled over us.
I spent my days caring for Mrs. Romano.
With the correct, untampered medications and proper physical therapy exercises I designed for her, her strength improved dramatically.
She began standing on her own for short periods, leaning gently on my arm as we walked through the pine-scented gardens.
One evening, after Mrs. Romano had gone to sleep, I walked out onto the wide wooden veranda overlooking the moonlit lake.
The night air was crisp and cold.
A warm wool blanket was draped over my shoulders from behind.
I turned around and saw Matteo.
He held two mugs of steaming spiced cider.
“You should be resting, Claire.”
“I couldn't sleep,” I said, accepting the mug. “It’s too quiet here compared to the city.”
Matteo leaned against the wooden railing beside me, looking out over the dark water.
“When this is all over,” he asked softly, “what do you want to do?”
I thought about it for a moment.
“I want to finish nursing school. I want to buy a small house for my parents where my dad doesn't have to break his back doing manual labor anymore. And I want to make sure my brother graduates college without debt.”
Matteo looked down at me, the moonlight reflecting in his dark, intense eyes.
“Consider your family taken care of. Your father’s mortgage was paid in full yesterday. And your brother’s university tuition has been established in an untouchable trust fund.”
I stared at him in shock, my breath catching in my throat.
“Matteo... why did you do that? That’s hundreds of thousands of dollars!”
He took a step closer, his hand coming up to gently cup my jawline.
His thumb brushed softly across my lower lip.
“Because you gave me back my mother,” he whispered, his voice thick with raw emotion. “Because you avenged my father. And because for the first time in my life, I am looking at a woman who loves my family for who they are, not for the empire they control.”
My heart hammered against my chest like a trapped bird.
“Matteo, I’m just a maid...”
“Never say that again,” he murmured fiercely.
He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine.
The kiss was gentle at first, full of unspoken gratitude and reverence, but it quickly deepened into a fierce, intoxicating passion that stole every coherent thought from my mind.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, sinking into his warmth, feeling the powerful beat of his heart against mine.
May you like
When we finally parted, breathless in the cold mountain air, Matteo rested his forehead against mine.
“You are mine, Claire. And no one will ever touch you again.”
