When we finally part, hugs traded and promises made, I feel wrung out in the best way, full and aching all at once.
The limo ride back is quieter than the one there.
Everyone’s tired, content.
The city slides past the tinted windows in ribbons of light. Sandro and Evi sit close, murmuring to each other, Sandro’s hand resting protectively over her stomach.
Miko leans back, eyes closed, arm draped around Anika’s shoulders, a faint smile on his lips like he’s already home in his mind.
Raf and I sit side by side, and when our knees touch, neither of us moves away.
It’s a small thing, almost nothing.
And yet it feels loaded, electric as warmth pools in my stomach.
My body is still humming from the dance, from the way he held me like it mattered.
His hand rests on his thigh, fingers relaxed.
Once, his knuckles brush my dress when the limo turns.
He stills, and so do I.
The silence isn’t awkward. It’s… comfortable.
And that’s what scares me most.
When we reach the mansion, the night has gone cool.
The others peel off with quiet good nights, leaving Raf and me alone in the hallway that leads to our room.
He opens the door, stepping aside to let me enter first.
The lights come on softly, illuminating the space that oddly feels less like a battleground and more like a truce line.
I slip off my heels, flexing my toes with a sigh.
“That was… quite the night,” I say lightly.
He hums in agreement. “You’re surprisingly… formidable in a crowd.”
I smile despite myself. “Don Rafael, is that a compliment?”
He chuckles, low and warm, and something in my chest loosens.
As I set my clutch on the dresser, the weight of what he did for me presses back in. I turn to face him, emotion thick in my throat.
“Thank you,” I say, more quietly this time. “For Riley.”
He pauses, jacket half-off, and looks at me fully. “There’s no need to thank me. Your family is always welcome here.”
“I know,” I say. “But I’m grateful all the same.”
His shoulders relax, the tension bleeding out of him like air from a held breath. “You’re welcome.”
For a moment, we just stand there, the space between us charged but gentle.
Then he swallows, his eyes dropping as he turns away.