Chapter 17 Protecting Her

In a restaurant near the Trevi Fountain, Antonio perused the menu before placing their order. As they waited for the food, his phone buzzed. Rising to answer it, he walked outside, his expression darkening as he spoke. Rose watched him through the window, noticing the tension etched across his features. When Antonio returned to the table, his usual composure had been replaced with a somber demeanor. Despite his obvious preoccupation, he maintained a polite conversation with her. “Is there anywhere else you’d like to visit?” he asked, trying to focus on her. Rose shook her head, her concern obvious. “No, but… are you alright? You looked worried when you were on the phone.” “It’s nothing,” Antonio replied with a faint smile, masking his inner turmoil. The truth was far from simple—Lorenzo’s forces had ambushed one of his men and were barely clinging to life. Their food arrived, and Antonio pushed his anger aside. This was his first date with Rose, and he was determined not to let anything ruin it. After lunch, Antonio’s car arrived as planned, taking them to a nearby park. Stepping out, he instructed his two bodyguards to wait by the car while he and Rose strolled further into the serene landscape. Antonio reached for her hand, cushioning it as they walked. “I love moments like this,” he said, his voice calm. “Quiet times like this remind me of how little I let myself rest. Sometimes, I forget what it’s like to take a day off.” Since Vega had disappeared three years ago, Antonio had buried himself in work, using his responsibilities to distract from the emptiness. But today was different. Rose sat beside him on a bench, maintaining a polite distance. She occasionally glanced at him, unsure of what to say. The gentle breeze tousled her hair, catching Antonio’s attention. Without warning, he leaned back and rested his head on her lap, closing his eyes. Rose flinched. “What are you doing?” “Stay like this for a while,” Antonio murmured, his voice low and soothing. Reluctantly, Rose complied, letting him rest on her lap. As she looked down at his face, peaceful in repose, her heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t deny how handsome he was, and her thoughts strayed to the night they first met. What was I thinking, trying to seduce someone like him? “Staring at me like that… are you starting to feel something?” Antonio teased, opening his eyes. Startled, Rose quickly looked away, her face flushing. Antonio sat up, leaning in closer to her. “You weren’t asleep?” she stammered. “No,” he said, smirking. “But you still haven’t answered my question. Will you be with me?” Rose hesitated, her emotions in turmoil. “Isn’t this a bit fast? I barely know you…” “That’s alright,” Antonio whispered. “I won’t rush you.” Despite his reassurance, Antonio knew the dangers of having someone like Rose by his side. His world was fraught with peril, and protecting her would mean putting his own life on the line. As they returned to the car, Antonio sensed something was wrong. He halted abruptly, his hand instinctively moving to the gun at his hip. “What’s wrong?” Rose asked nervously. “Stay quiet,” he whispered, scanning the area. “Damn it,” Antonio muttered under his breath. Reaching for his phone, he called Rossi, requesting immediate backup. He turned to Rose, his expression serious. “Stay here. No matter what happens, don’t come out. Do you understand?” Rose nodded, her fear obvious as she moved to hide behind a nearby tree. Antonio approached the car cautiously. His sharp eyes quickly assessed the scene—two of his bodyguards were pinned against the hood of the car, guns pressed to their heads. Opposite them stood Lorenzo, a smug grin plastered across his face. “Lorenzo,” Antonio growled, his jaw tightening at the sight of his men, battered and bruised. “Your men weren’t much of a challenge,” Lorenzo sneered, stepping forward. “What’s wrong, Antonio? Not going to shoot me?” Antonio’s grip on his gun tightened, but he held his ground. “What do you want?” Lorenzo’s gaze shifted to the tree where Rose was hiding. A malicious grin spread across his face as he gestured mockingly. “Your little companion… she’s quite the liability, isn’t she?” Antonio’s heart sank. Lorenzo had discovered Rose. Lorenzo motioned to his men, who dragged Rose out from behind the tree. One of them pressed a gun to her waist, forcing her to walk forward. “Let her go,” Antonio said, his voice low but commanding. Lorenzo chuckled. “Oh, no. I think I’ll keep her for a while. She’s more useful than I thought.” Antonio raised his gun, aiming it at Lorenzo’s head. “Release her, or I’ll kill you right here.” “Go ahead. Pull the trigger,” Lorenzo taunted. “But if you do, I can’t promise she’ll walk away unharmed.” Antonio’s mind raced. If he acted rashly, Rose’s life would be in danger. He needed to stall until Rossi arrived with reinforcements. Lorenzo’s hand roughly grabbed Rose’s chin, forcing her to look at him. “Such a pretty face. It’d be a shame to ruin it.” Rose flinched, her eyes pleading as she glanced at Antonio. For a moment, his icy exterior wavered, but he quickly steeled himself. “Lorenzo, this isn’t about her. Let her go, and we can settle this.” “Settle this?” Lorenzo laughed. “No, Antonio. I think I’d rather see how far you’ll go to protect her.” Before Antonio could respond, a gunshot rang out from the trees. One of Lorenzo’s men fell, clutching his chest. The distraction was all Antonio needed. He lunged forward, striking Lorenzo across the face. Lorenzo stumbled back, wiping blood from his lip before pulling out his own gun. Another gunshot echoed as Antonio fired, hitting Lorenzo in the hand and forcing him to drop his weapon. “Get to the car!” Antonio shouted to Rose. She nodded, running toward the vehicle as Antonio turned his attention back to Lorenzo. “You’ve made your last mistake,” Antonio said, his voice cold. Lorenzo smirked, despite the blood dripping from his hand. “This isn’t over, Antonio. You can’t protect her forever.” With that, Lorenzo’s men retreated, dragging their wounded boss to a waiting car. Antonio watched as they sped away, his jaw clenched. As he turned back to the car, he saw Rose waiting inside; her face pale but determined. Antonio exhaled, a wave of relief washing over him. For now, she was safe. But he knew this was only the beginning. If he wanted to keep her in his life, he would have to be ready for anything—and he wouldn’t let anyone take her from him.