Chapter 15 - The Aftermath
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The ride back to the estate was silent, heavy with the adrenaline of the narrowly avoided assassination.
When they walked through the front doors of the mansion, Hannah felt her knees finally give out. The reality of the night—the guns, the betrayal, the mafia execution she had just witnessed—crashed down on her.
Lorenzo caught her before she hit the floor. He lifted her effortlessly into his arms, carrying her up the grand staircase to his private quarters.
He kicked the heavy oak door shut behind them and gently set her down on the edge of his massive, plush bed. He crouched in front of her, taking her trembling hands in his.
"I am so sorry, Hannah," Lorenzo murmured, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I promised you would be safe tonight, and I failed you."
"You didn't fail me," Hannah said, looking down into his dark, tormented eyes. "You protected me. You always protect me."
Lorenzo shook his head, guilt carving deep lines into his handsome face. "My world is violent, Hannah. It is dark and bloody, and you are entirely too pure for it. You should pack your things. I will have Marco drive you anywhere you want to go. I will fund your shelter for the rest of your life. But you need to leave me, before I drag you down with me."
Hannah stared at him. He was giving her an out. He was offering her exactly what she had wanted a month ago.
But a month ago, she hadn't known the man beneath the monster. She hadn't seen the way he cared for a broken animal, or the way he looked at her as if she hung the moon.
Hannah reached out, weaving her fingers into his dark hair, and gently pulled his face up to meet hers.
"I'm not going anywhere, Lorenzo," she whispered fiercely. "I'm not a fragile little girl who runs when things get scary. I'm staying right here. With you."
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Lorenzo let out a ragged groan. The absolute devotion in her eyes shattered his control entirely.
He stood up, pulling her up with him, and crushed his mouth against hers. There was no hesitation this time. The kiss was passionate, consuming, and desperate. Hannah wrapped her arms around his neck, sinking into the heat of his body as they fell back onto the mattress together.
