Chapter 9 - The Long Drive Back
The sun had set completely by the time Vittorio’s car pulled up the winding gravel driveway of the coastal safe house. The exterior lights of the villa were glowing warmly against the dark ocean backdrop.
Inside, the house smelled of garlic, basil, and roasting chicken—a scent so comforting and familiar that it hit him like a physical blow the moment he pushed the front door open.
Elena was standing by the kitchen counter, plating a warm, rustic meal. When she heard the door open, she froze, dropping the serving spoon back into the ceramic dish with a sharp clatter. She hurried out into the hallway just as Vittorio walked in.
He looked tired. There was a small smudge of soot on his white shirt collar, and his jacket was missing, but his eyes were bright, clear, and completely free of the heavy, crushing weight that had haunted him when they first met.
"Is it over?" Elena asked, her voice trembling slightly as she stopped a foot away from him.
"It's over," Vittorio said, a genuine, unreserved smile breaking across his face for the first time since she had known him. "The Moretti family is dismantled. The city is quiet. And nobody will ever threaten you or your brother again."
Elena let out a breath she felt like she had been holding for days. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over her lashes, but this time they were tears of pure, unadulterated relief.
Before she could say another word, Vittorio closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against his chest. The embrace was fierce, protective, and filled with a warmth that defied every dark corner of his part in the underworld.
Elena buried her face in his shoulder, her hands resting against the lapels of his shirt, letting herself breathe in the scent of cedar, salt, and home.
"I told you I always come back for dinner," he murmured softly against her hair.
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"You're impossible, Vittorio Bellandi," she whispered, laughing through her tears.
"Maybe so," he said, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes, his thumb gently wiping away a tear from her cheek. "Be careful, or you're stuck cooking for me for the rest of your life."
