Chapter 30 30
Lily
The soft thump of drawers opening and the rustle of folded fabric fill the room as I pull my suitcase from under the bed and lay it open. The sunlight streaming through the curtains is gentle, casting a golden glow over everything, as if the universe is telling me to breathe.
Bella is sitting cross-legged on my bed, a small pile of my clothes beside her as she carefully folds one of my favorite tops.
“You’ll miss plenty of the courses at the university,” she says as she smooths out a blouse and hands it to me.
I shrug gently, placing it in the case. “Yeah… I’ll continue when I come back. I need this pause right now. Just to figure things out.”
Her eyes meet mine for a moment. No judgment—just quiet understanding. “Yupss. I totally get it.”
She picks up a soft, sky-blue dress next. The moment I see it, I pause. My fingers linger on the fabric before I take it from her. Sebastian had picked this one for me. I remember how he had insisted on following me into the fitting room, just to see how it looked. He'd stood behind me, hands on my waist, smiling at my reflection like I was the only woman in the world.
I close my eyes briefly, and a smile tugs at the corner of my lips.
“Put it in,” Bella whispers softly, as if sensing the memory. I do.
I turn to my vanity and begin packing a small pouch with my makeup—foundation, lip balm, a few shades of lipstick, barely-there mascara. But the one thing I don't forget is my bikini. Sicily has beaches, after all. And if I’m going to heal, maybe swimming in the sea is part of it.
“How can I not swim?” I murmur with a faint laugh as I toss the bikini in.
Bella leans back on her arms, watching me. “What time is your flight?”
“Seven. This evening,” I reply, zipping the pouch and nestling it between folded jeans and cotton tees. “Dante will come pick me up.”
“Of course he will,” she smirks playfully, then her voice softens. “I’m going to miss you a lot.”
I pause. She’s always been here since everything happened. Holding me together on the days I didn’t know how to breathe. I walk over and sit beside her, resting my head on her shoulder.
“And I’ll miss you too.”
We sit there like that for a while, the suitcase open in front of us, my heart halfway between the past and the unknown adventure ahead. The air smells like fresh laundry and something else—something hopeful.
Sicily is calling.
And maybe, just maybe, I’m ready to go.
DANTE’S POV – At the Godfather’s Mansion
The godfather’s study always smells like old cigars and polished wood. Heavy curtains block the sunlight while the dim golden glow of antique lamps flicker softly across the leather-bound books stacked on shelves behind him. The silence is only broken by the faint scratching of a pen against paper as I go over the final documents for the trip.
Lily’s name is on the temporary residence permit, the travel record, and the sealed envelope in front of me—just in case anything happens. I double-check every word on the screen of the iPad.
I look up when the godfather speaks, his voice calm but sharp, like steel under velvet.
“Make sure you leave no trace of where Lily is after you land. I’ll handle the rest on my side.”
I nod. “Yes, sir.”
The flight confirmation glows on the screen: Flight AZ145 – JFK to Palermo, 7:00 PM.Commercial flight. Just like we planned. No private jet, no security detail drawing attention. Just two names in a sea of passengers.
“If I get any more messages from Sebastian,” the godfather continues, “you’ll be the first to know.”
I nod again, jaw tightening slightly at my brother’s name. Every time I hear it, I remember the ache that never really left. I remember Lily’s face the day we learned he was gone. And I remember her falling apart, the weight of grief crushing both of us differently.
“Yes.”
I scroll through the last checklist. House—ready. Located just outside of Palermo, away from the noise. A wide cliffside villa with olive trees, sea breeze, and long, quiet mornings. The place was mine since I turned twenty-five, part of the inheritance my mother left behind. I haven’t stepped foot in it since. Felt like a museum of a past I couldn’t touch.
Plus, I own a nightclub there—Notte Bianca. White nights. Fitting. It barely operates now, but it’s still mine, still legal, still useful.
“And don’t worry about the mafia council here,” the godfather adds. “I’ve got them in my grip.”
I bow my head slightly, a silent acknowledgment. “Yes, lord.”
He leans forward now, his tone darkening. “One last time, Dante—listen to me. Be aware. Especially about Lily. Sebastian left her in my protection, and I will not live with myself if something happens to her.”
I look him in the eye and speak with a firm, quiet conviction.
“I’ll take care of her. You don’t need to worry.”
The godfather’s eyes soften just a bit, but his words remain as heavy as ever. “You are the third person I trust after Sebastian and my right hand. If I had a third hand, Dante—it would be you. You know that.”
My throat tightens, but I hold it all in. “I know. And I won’t disappoint you.”
He gives one final nod. “Good.”
I close the iPad, slip the papers into the envelope, and rise from the chair. As I step out of the study, I check the time—still a few hours until I go pick Lily up.
She has no idea what she means to us all. To Sebastian. To me.
And as long as I breathe, no one will ever hurt her.