Page 41 of Of Oaths and Secrets

I shoot him a sideways glance and then turn to the woman who’s been guiding us. She gives me an encouraging smile, clearly trying to ease the situation.

“Do you have things for sale here?” I ask.

“Uh, yes, we do,” she replies, her voice a little hesitant. “We have the essentials—leashes, collars, food, toys…”

“Good,” I say, nodding. “Give me what I need. Everything she’ll need to start.”

She quickly gathers the items, placing them on the counter: a soft bed, a collar and leash, a couple of toys, and some high-quality dog food. “That’ll be a hundred and two dollars,” she says, looking a bit more at ease now.

I reach into my pocket, pulling out my wallet and handing her two crisp hundred-dollar bills. “Keep the change,” I say, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Her eyes widen, clearly taken aback. “Oh, thank you! That’s very generous of you.”

I give her a curt nod, taking the bags of supplies in one hand while Paolo scoops up the newly adopted dog, who seems more than happy to go along with this unexpected adventure.

I take the wheel while Paolo holds the dog in his lap, the little creature looking oddly content in the midst of all this. We pull up to the house, and I hand the keys to Paolo. “Get the stuff inside,” I tell him, taking the dog from his arms. She nestles against me as if she’s already found a home.

As I walk up the steps, Teresa appears in the doorway. “She’s in her room,” she says with a knowing smile.

I nod, my nerves growing with each step I take up the stairs. I can’t remember the last time I felt this uncertain about anything. When I reach Nora’s door, I place the small dog bed in front of it and then knock lightly. Without waiting for a response, I retreat quickly to the end of the corridor, my heart pounding in my chest.

The door opens, and Fate looks up at her with a joyous bark. Nora’s laughter rings out, bright and carefree, and I’m completely undone by it.

That laugh… It hits me like a punch to the gut. I’m struck by how much I want to say—so many things, all at once—but the words don’t come. My heart swells with emotions I didn’t expect, yet I stay silent, afraid to break the magic of the moment. It’s overwhelming, this new feeling inside me, but I can’t bring myself to speak. Somehow, the silence says everything.

Nora looks up, and the smile on her face is the final blow—it’s a smile that could bring anyone to their knees. Men would burn cities to see it again, bring her the hearts of her enemies on a silver platter. This smile is a dangerous weapon.

She bends down, reaching for the little dog, cradling her in her arms with such tenderness that it makes my chest tighten. “You brought me a dog?” she asks, her voice soft, almost disbelieving.

I nod, feeling more awkward than I’ve ever felt in my life. “Yeah, I thought… I thought you might like her. She’s a rescue.”

Nora looks down at the dog, who’s snuggling into her as if she’s found her forever home. Her fingers stroke the dog’s soft fur, and for a moment, I see something in her eyes—something warm, something grateful.

“She’s perfect,” she murmurs, and when she looks back up at me, there’s a softness in her expression that wasn’t there before. “Thank you. This means more than you know.”

I don’t know what to say. I’m not used to this—this gratitude, this gentleness. I’m better at dealing with threats, with the cold calculation of business. But this? I’m out of my depth.

Nora steps closer, still holding the dog in one arm, and before I can react, she stands on her toes, leans in, and presses a light, warm kiss to my cheek. The touch of her lips against my skin is like a jolt of electricity, sending a shock straight to my core.

Fuck me, she’s not only dangerous… she’s lethal.

I freeze, completely thrown off balance. My heart races, and I can feel the heat rising to my face. I’ve faced down enemies without flinching, stared death in the face without batting an eye, but this… this has me completely undone.

“I… um…” I stammer, not sure what to do with my hands, my thoughts, my entire existence at this moment. “You’re… welcome.”

Nora giggles softly as the ball of fluff licks at her neck, the sound like a melody in the air. “You’re thoughtful, Rafaele. More than you let on.”

I swallow hard, trying to regain some semblance of control, but the truth is, I don’t know how to respond tothis.I don’t know how to respond toher.Because no, I’m not thoughtful, no, I don’t care… at least not until her.

“I… um, I’m glad you like her,” I manage to say, my voice barely steady. I step back, needing to put some distance between us before I do something stupid, like kiss her back. “I should… let you two get to know each other.”

Nora just smiles at me, that devastating smile that’s going to haunt me for days. “Thank you,” she says again, her voice full of warmth. “This really means a lot to me.”

I nod, still unable to find the right words. “I… yeah. I’m going back to work.”

And then, before I can embarrass myself any further, I turn and head back down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. I can still feel the ghost of her lips on my cheek, and for the life of me, I can’t stop the small smile that tugs at my own lips.

What the hell is happening to me?

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