Page 124 of Beneath the Shadows

He glances at me, a tired smile tugging at his lips. “I’ll rest later,tesoro.”

I know there’s no point in arguing, so I let it go for now. As I turn to leave, he takes my hand. “How about you grab your camera, and we’ll go for a walk?”

“That sounds perfect,” I reply, hoping fresh air will help clear both our minds.

As we prepare to leave, I glance around at the room full of men. I never thought I’d feel comforted by the presence of so many armed guards, but with Antonio, it’s different. Instead of feeling trapped or suffocated like I always did around my father and Valentino, I find myself wanting to help, to lighten the burden he’s carrying. I don’t want him to face this alone. For the first time, I don’t want to run—I want to stand by his side. But I still have no idea how to shoulder any of this.

Outside, the warmth of the sun melts some of my tension. Antonio keeps a watchful eye as we walk, his hand tightly holding mine. I don’t think my father is reckless enough to make a move in broad daylight, especially in such a populated area, but Antonio’s protective instincts never waver.

“Can we stop by the gallery?” I ask after a while. “I want to let Ophelia know I’ll have new photos soon.”

Antonio raises an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his gaze. “Sure,” he says. “Wherever you want to go.”

Snapping photos along the way, I capture moments of the bustling city. As we come upon Love Park, an idea hits me. “We don’t have any pictures of us,” I say, tugging him toward the iconic Love sign.

“I’m not much for pictures,” he grumbles, trying to resist.

“Please.” I bat my eyelashes playfully. “For me?”

He rolls his eyes but can’t hide his smile. “Fine. But I’ll take that,” he says, snatching the camera from my hands.

“Give that back,” I laugh, reaching for it.

“You’re always behind the camera,” Antonio teases, snapping several pictures. “I want some photos of my beautiful wife for my office.”

“Really?” No one’s ever wanted photos of me. My father didn’t have any personal pictures in his office and there were no family portraits on our walls.

“Yes, really,” he says, his voice low and sexy. He steps closer, pulling me into a kiss, capturing a few selfies with the camera. “Hopefully I didn’t cut our heads off,” he chuckles.

In moments like these, when it’s just us, I almost forget the darkness that surrounds us. I cling to these peaceful moments, hoping they’ll carry me through the inevitable trials ahead.

We reach the gallery, still laughing. “I’ll wait out here,” Antonio says.

“No way. I want to introduce you to Ophelia. Please,” I say, giving him a playful pout. “It won’t take long.”

He hesitates, then smirks. “Alright,tesoro.Let’s go.”

“Allie, what a wonderful surprise,” Ophelia greets us as we step into the gallery. She glances at my camera with a smile. “I hope this means you’ll have more photos soon. I’ve had some many customers asking for them.”

“It does,” I reply, unable to keep the grin off my face. “I wanted to introduce you to my husband, Antonio.”

Ophelia’s expression shifts slightly, but she quickly composes herself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she says, though I can sense her wariness.

Antonio nods politely. “Likewise.”

Ophelia continues to eye him warily. I’m sure she recognizes him from his involvement in the mafia, but she doesn’t say anything.

“Your wife has such talent,” she continues smoothly. “I’ve been trying to convince her to have a gallery show. Maybe you can help me talk her into it?”

Antonio turns to me, his gaze steady. "Is this what you want, Alessia?"

A smile tugs at my lips as I nod. "I’d love it."

Without hesitation, he replies, “Then it’s yours,tesoro. Whatever makes you happy.”

His words fill me with a sense of joy I didn’t expect.

Ophelia claps her hands, her excitement contagious. "Wonderful! How soon would you like to get started?”

---