83 – Mine

83 – Mine

Damien...

I ignore Chiara and her ill-timed comments. I’ll deal with her later. Leonor looks like a frightened rabbit. I check her eyes, her pupils are still as dilated as before.

“Did you get hurt?” I ask, and she shakes her head.

Leonor watches my siblings with a mix of curiosity and fear.

This meeting was never supposed to happen.

“The shipment’s all over the floor. How could you let that girl wander in here alone?” Dario mutters, busy with the bags.

Leonor, Leonor... you truly don’t know how to obey me, not even in a moment like this. Now isn’t the time to challenge me.

I focus on the next steps. I’ll deal with my woman later, we’ll have plenty of time from now on.

“Take care of it, Dario. Chiara, go calm the old man down. As far as everyone’s concerned, his bride was kidnapped”, I say, and she raises one eyebrow at me.

“You’ve got to be kidding. For fuck’s sake, Damien, the old man’s wife? You’re stealing her on his wedding night? Have you lost your mind?” Chiara says, genuinely worried.

They’re my siblings, they get away with certain things when talking to me. But with my new position, that’s about to change. They’ll have to learn what respect sounds like.

I let it go for now. She’ll be the one to find the Don’s body soon enough. For now, I’m still just the heir, not the Don himself.

“You know what to do. We meet at the docks at dawn”, I say before leaving them behind and taking Leonor with me.

I don’t bother checking what they think about it. They can argue all they want, but they always end up following my orders. They know better than to defy me.

The old man went out at the right time, with dignity. At least he wasn’t deposed. Lucky him.

Leonor keeps looking around nervously. She doesn’t ask where we’re going, sparing me the headache of convincing her to come along.

We take the elevator to one of the hotel’s private floors. Facial recognition grants us entry.

Carlota Moretti waits for us on her sofa, sipping wine. Her assistant stands beside the expensive furniture, head bowed, performing her role as the matriarch’s property.

Carlota rises, rehearsing a smile.

“Leonor, this is your grandmother, Carlota Moretti.”

The matriarch waves a hand, dismissing introductions. Leonor takes a step back, trying to put distance between us.

“You’re even more beautiful in person, my dear. A bit of neglect in how my daughter raised you, but nothing that can’t be corrected.”

Carlota brushes a hand over Leonor’s hair and face. The way Leonor flinches sparks an immediate dislike in me. I don’t appreciate anyone making her shrink like that.

“You were the one who ordered that couple to be killed”, Leonor says, her first words to her grandmother.

Carlota smiles and somehow manages to guide her onto the sofa beside her.

“We need to get to know each other better. We’ll have plenty of time from now on. You’ll learn more about this world and your role in it. I’ll take care of that personally”, Carlota says.

Leonor looks straight at me, silently begging for help. I step closer. She’s not ready for this.

“I don’t want any of this. I just want my normal life back. I don’t even like crime, I’m just a normal girl, that’s all. You can’t force me into anything.”

“Your mother failed her purpose, her only purpose, but let’s start with the basics. You were never a normal girl, and we have a lot of lessons to catch up on.”

“What if I refuse? What are you going to do, kill me?” Leonor asks, standing abruptly, panic flooding her voice.

The assistant moves instantly, and so do I. No one touches her. No one takes what’s mine.

“Leonor’s tired after everything that happened today. I’ll take her away for a while. When she comes back, you can talk again”, I say, and the matriarch rises from the sofa, stiff and regal.

“You’re not taking my granddaughter away from me, Damien. Not now that we’ve finally reunited.”

I pull Leonor close. She curls into my arms, trembling. I’ve never seen her this scared. No one is taking her from me, not after everything it took to get here. She’s mine, and she’s staying with me.

“You really think you’ll get anything from her like this? You won’t. Trust me, I’ll take good care of her until she’s ready. You know she needs to stay away right now. The first place they’ll look for her is here, and you know it”, I tell her.

Carlota studies me, weighing my words.

She looks at Leonor with disdain.

“She looks like a frightened little goat... Fine, Damien. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. But I want regular updates. If your way doesn’t work, there’s no argument in the world that will make me leave Leonor with you. Understood?”

I nod.

Mine. Leonor is entirely mine.

I run my hand through her blue strands. Through the entire conversation, she’s done nothing but glance between me and the matriarch, no defiance, no escape attempts, nothing.

More than ever, she needs me.

“The shipment’s in the arranged suite. Dario will handle the details. We’ll discuss the second delivery later”, I say, and we take our leave.

Leonor follows me silently, glancing around the whole time. I wish I knew what was going through her head.

“Where are you taking me, Damien?” she asks once we’re in the car.

“You’re going to say goodbye to someone.”

She looks at me, confused.

It’s time for you to start claiming your place, my Nor.