Chapter 5 - THE SAFEHOUSE
An hour later, we were miles away from the burning Rossi mansion, tucked away in an opulent, highly fortified penthouse suite in the heart of downtown. Reinforced steel doors, biometric scanners, and a dozen heavily armed men guarded every entryway.
The room was warm and smelled of cedar and rain.
I sat on a soft velvet sofa, wrapped in a thick wool blanket, holding Leo. The tiny baby was fast asleep, his skin warm, his breathing steady and peaceful for the first time in weeks. I had fed him again before he drifted off, and his small tummy was finally round and full.
A doctor—a trusted personal physician loyal to Lorenzo—stepped back from examining the baby.
"It's a miracle, Mr. Rossi," the doctor said in awe, packing his stethoscope into his leather bag. "The paralytic compound in his system is already breaking down. His vital signs are completely stable. If he hadn't received natural milk tonight, his digestive system would have failed completely within another twelve hours. This young woman literally saved his life."
Lorenzo stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the rainy city lights below. He had changed into a clean black shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal dark tattoos covering his forearms.
"Thank you, Doctor. Escort him out," Lorenzo said without turning.
The doctor bowed respectfully and left the penthouse, closing the heavy double doors behind him.
Silence fell over the room.
I looked down at Leo, brushing my thumb gently over his soft cheek. Despite the horrific events of the night, a sense of quiet peace washed over me. For three weeks, I had felt empty, like a shell of a person floating through a gray world. But holding this baby, feeling his need for me and my ability to keep him alive, had restored a tiny spark of life inside my shattered heart.
Footsteps echoed softly on the hardwood floor.
Lorenzo walked over and sat on the coffee table directly across from me. Up close, without the anger and adrenaline, I could see the dark circles under his eyes, the deep lines of grief etched into his face. He looked like a man who had been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders for far too long.
"Why did you do it?" he asked softly, his voice low and rich. "You knew the rules of my house. You knew entering the nursery could have gotten you killed."
I swallowed hard, looking into his deep brown eyes. "Because he was crying. And no child should ever have to cry alone in the dark."
Lorenzo looked down at his son, his expression softening in a way that made my breath catch in my throat. "His mother died bringing him into this world. I thought... I thought God was punishing me for the things I’ve done by taking him too."
"He's a fighter, Mr. Rossi," I whispered. "He just needed someone to give him a chance."
Lorenzo reached out, his long fingers gently touching Leo’s tiny hand. The baby instinctively wrapped his microscopic fingers around Lorenzo’s pinky. A rare, breathtaking smile touched the corner of Lorenzo’s lips.
"Call me Lorenzo," he said softly, looking back up at me. "Clara... you cannot go back to your old life. Julian is still out there, and he knows what you did. My enemies will view you as my vulnerability."
My heart sank. "I don't have a life to go back to anyway."
Lorenzo reached into his pocket and pulled out a key card, placing it on the table between us. "Then stay here. Stay with my son. Be his nurse, his protector... and let me protect you."
Before I could answer, a loud knock echoed at the penthouse door. One of Lorenzo’s guards stepped inside, looking grim.
"Boss," the guard said nervously. "We swept the ruins of the mansion. Julian wasn't there. But we found a message left on your office desk."
May you like
Lorenzo stood up instantly, his demeanor snapping back to absolute steel. "What message?"
The guard held up a bloody piece of cloth. "He took your ex-boyfriend from the courtyard, boss. And he says if you want the maid to stay alive, you have to hand over the Rossi trust keys by midnight tomorrow."
