THE MAFIA BOSS NOTICED I WAS SERVING DINNER WITHOUT EVER TURNING MY LEFT SIDE TOWARD THE TABLE—AND THE MAN BESIDE HIM STOPPED EATING. At first, I thought nobody had noticed.

The rain had finally stopped by the time we returned to the Romano estate.

The heavy iron gates, which had felt like a prison just a few hours ago, now stood wide open, welcoming us back. The driveway was lined with Marco’s men, a silent guard of honor standing in the dark, ensuring nothing would ever breach these walls again.

Inside the grand foyer, the house was warm and bathed in soft, golden light.

Leo sat on the velvet sofa in the sitting room. Dr. Bennett’s replacement—a young, nervous physician who knew how to keep his mouth shut—was carefully wrapping Leo’s injured shoulder.

When Luca carried Mia into the room, time seemed to stop.

Leo looked up. His bruised, battered face completely crumpled.

“Mia,” Leo choked out, trying to stand despite the doctor’s protests.

“Daddy!” Mia shrieked.

Luca set her down, and the little girl ran across the Persian rug, throwing herself into her father’s uninjured arm. Leo buried his face in her curls, sobbing openly, rocking her back and forth.

“I’m sorry,” Leo wept, kissing the top of her head. “Daddy is so sorry he left you.”

“Uncle Luca kept me safe,” Mia whispered, pointing back at us. “And Anna.”

Leo looked over Mia’s shoulder at his older brother. The rift between them—years of anger, exile, and misunderstanding—seemed to dissolve in the quiet space between them.

Luca walked over and placed a heavy, grounding hand on Leo’s uninjured shoulder.

“You’re home, Leo,” Luca said softly. “You’re both home. We rebuild from here.”

Leo nodded, tears streaming down his face. He squeezed his brother’s hand.

I stood in the doorway, watching them. A profound sense of peace settled over me, easing the ache in my bruised ribs. The family was whole again. The secrets were out in the open.

I turned to slip away into the hallway. My job was done. I needed to get back to my tiny room in the staff quarters, change out of my ruined uniform, and call the hospital to check on Lily.

“Where are you going?”

Luca’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

I turned back. He had crossed the room and was standing just a few feet away, his dark eyes fixed on me.

“To my room, sir,” I said quietly, instinctively reverting to my formal tone. “I need to change. And I should probably check the kitchen, see if—”

“Stop,” Luca said gently.

He closed the distance between us. He didn't care that Marco was standing in the hall, or that his brother was watching. He reached out and took my hand, his thumb tracing the knuckles that were bruised from where I had hit the gunman.

“You are not going to the staff quarters, Anna,” Luca said, his voice a low, steady rumble. “You are not putting that uniform back on. And you are certainly not checking the kitchen.”

I blinked up at him, confused. “I don’t understand.”

“You saved my niece,” Luca said, his eyes burning with an intensity that made my heart race. “You saved my brother. You saved me. You are not a maid in this house anymore.”

“Luca, I need the job,” I panicked slightly. “Lily’s medical bills—”

“Are paid,” Luca interrupted smoothly. “In full. Forever.”

I stared at him, the air rushing out of my lungs. “What?”

“I had Marco wire the funds to Mercy Hospital on the drive back,” Luca said softly. “Lily is being moved to a private suite tomorrow morning. And as soon as she is stable enough, she is coming here. There are six empty bedrooms in the east wing. I’ve already ordered one to be fitted with the medical equipment she needs.”

Tears instantly flooded my eyes. I covered my mouth with my free hand, a sob tearing from my throat.

“You… you did that for me?” I wept.

“I would burn the world down for you, Anna,” Luca murmured, stepping closer until there was no space between us. “I thought you understood that by now.”

He reached up and gently wiped a tear from my cheek.

“You don't work for me anymore,” Luca said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. “Unless, of course, you want to leave.”

I looked up into the dark, soulful eyes of the man who had terrified me just a few hours ago. He wasn't a monster. He was a protector. He was the safest place I had ever known.

“I don't want to leave,” I whispered.

Luca smiled. It was the first time I had ever seen a genuine, unguarded smile on his face. It changed him completely. It made him devastatingly handsome.

He leaned down, and gently, reverently, he pressed his lips to mine.

It wasn't a harsh kiss. It was soft, full of gratitude and a deep, simmering promise of everything that was to come. I closed my eyes, kissing him back, feeling the heavy burden of the last few years finally lift from my shoulders.

From the sofa, I heard Mia giggle.

We pulled apart, both of us smiling.

Luca wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me securely against his side, careful of my ribs.

I looked at Mia, safe in her father’s arms. I thought of Lily, finally secure and cared for. And I looked at Luca, the man who had shattered my world only to build a better one for me to live in.

The heavy iron gates of the Romano estate were locked again for the night.