Page 115 of Beneath the Shadows

Dante:What’s going on?

Me:I’ll explain when you’re here.

I bring the tea to Alessia. “Careful, it’s hot.”

“Thank you,” she murmurs, her voice barely audible. She looks down at the tea, then back up at me, her eyes softening just a little. “You remembered.”

“I remember everything,” I reply, my voice low.

And I do. Every detail, every memory of who she was before all of this. It’s all still with me, no matter how much has changed.

“Dante’s on his way. We’ll figure this out.” But even as I say the words, a familiar darkness coils deep within me—a shadowy presence, reminding me that whoever did this won’t stop. They’ve made that hauntingly clear.

Minutes later, the doorbell rings. I stand to answer it, but Alessia’s hand shoots out, gripping my arm.

“Don’t leave me,” she pleads.

My heart clenches at the vulnerability in her voice. She’s openly reaching for me—seeking comfort from me. I wish it didn’t have to happen under these circumstances. I want her to feel safe with me because she wants to, not because she feels she has no other choice.

“I have to let Dante in,” I say softly, covering her hand with mine. “I’m not going far.”

She hesitates but slowly releases me. The warmth of her touch lingers on my skin as I walk to the door.

Dante steps inside, his expression dark. “What happened?” he asks, keeping his voice quiet.

“Someone left a message. It’s on the patio,” I say, my voice low, almost growling. “Take care of it.” I look over my shoulder to where Alessia sits, her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. “I need to make sure she’s okay and then I’ll meet you in the office.”

He gives a curt nod, heading out to deal with the knife.

I crouch in front of her. “Tesoro,” I murmur. “I’m going to talk to Dante. I need you to stay right here, okay?”

Her gaze lingers on me, searching for reassurance I can’t fully give. “Okay,” she whispers.

“I’ll leave the door open. If you need me, just come in.”

I hate leaving her alone, but we need to get right on this. The sooner the better.

“When did this happen?” Dante asks, holding up the plastic bag containing the bloody knife.

“Sometime while we were out,” I say, sinking into my uncle’s old chair. “We got home about twenty minutes ago. The knife was already there.”

“Draco?”

“It has to be,” I say, my jaw clenched. “No one else has the nerve to come this close.”

“You need more security,” Dante says, his tone firm. “Guards outside and an alarm system.”

“I won’t turn this house into another cage to keep her locked in,” I snap, the words slicing the air between us.

“It doesn’t have to be forever,” he counters. “But until this threat is dealt with, we can’t leave either of you exposed.”

The floor outside creaks, and I know Alessia’s in the hall listening. I close my eyes for a moment, trying to steady myself. As much as I want to shield her from all this, there’s no escaping the world we live in.

I just hope I can protect her—without losing her in the process.

Alessia

The sight of the blood-soaked knife on the patio sears itself into my mind, a grotesque reminder of the world I’ve tried so hard to leave behind. My heart hammers in my chest, but beneath the fear, there’s a cold certainty. There’s only one person capable of sending such a twisted message.

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