Page 116 of Bound in Obsession
Nico
These past few days have been pure chaos.
Finding Sienna, Massimo discovering I only had one of his daughters, Domenico’s death, tightening security across all my territories… it’s been one storm after another.
Yet through all of it, there’s one thing that keeps me grounded. One thing that stops me from spiraling into the darkness I know so well.
Eleonora.
She’s my peace.
Coming home to her in my bed, feeling her warm body pressed against mine, wrapping her in my arms, it settles something deep inside me I didn’t even know was restless.
I’ve never slept this well in my life. Before her, three or four hours a night was lucky. Now I sleep for six, sometimes seven hours straight, only waking when she shifts closer to me in the morning, seeking my warmth even in her sleep.
She’s the missing piece I never knew was missing.
I never believed something was absent in my life until she came crashing into it. It’s like I had been sleepwalking through existence, and she woke up parts of me I didn’t know existed.
The possessiveness I feel toward her sometimes scares even me. I know little about love, but I know I care about her more than I’ve ever cared about anything. I would burn cities to the ground before I let anyone hurt her.
That’s why I arranged the burial for Domenico. If her sister is at peace, Eleonora is at peace. And if she’s at peace… then I am too.
A happy wife, a happy life,right?
Tonight, long after Eleonora had fallen asleep in our bed, I slip out of the room and head to my office.
Marco is already waiting inside, leaning against the desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand. The moment I close the door behind me, he straightens.
“We’ve got a problem,” he says without preamble.
I walk over to the bar and pour myself a drink. “Talk.”
“Rumors are spreading faster than we expected. Gallo isn’t backing down. He’s still pushing hard for Eleonora. He’s telling people Massimo promised her to him and that you stole his bride. Some of the smaller families are starting to whisper that you're about to start a war over a woman.”
I take a slow sip, letting the burn settle in my chest. “And the sisters?”
“Massimo’s moving them. He’s trying to hide Camilla and Daniela, probably to use them as backup bargaining chips if Gallo keeps pressing. We’ve got eyes on two possible locations, but nothing confirmed yet.”
I nod, already three steps ahead. “I’ve made some calls. I want them secured before Massimo can ship them off or hand them over. I don’t care what it costs. Get them under our protection, I don’t want Eleonora knowing how bad it is.”
Marco studies me for a long moment. “You’re keeping this from her?”
“She doesn’t need to carry this weight right now,” I say, voice low. “She’s already terrified for them. If she finds out how close Gallo is to getting his hands on another one of her sisters, she’ll try to run straight into the fire. I’m handling it.”
Marco exhales. “This is getting complicated, Nico.”
Before I can respond, the office door opens.
Eleonora stands there in one of my shirts, hair messy from sleep, eyes wide with worry.
“What?” she says, voice soft but sharp.
The room goes dead silent.
I set my glass down slowly, my jaw tightening. She wasn’t supposed to wake up. She wasn’t supposed to hear any of this.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
