His Ruthless Redemption (Isabella and Dominic) novel Chapter 56

earn how to live with that.

Chapter 56

Isabella’s POV

If I pretended hard enough, life almost felt normal.

Almost

It had been a few days since we returned to Florence. A few days of a routine I never expected to have again with Dominic dropping Mateo and me off every morning, picking us up every evening. On the days he couldn’t make it, a car always waited outside, tinted windows and security detail etched into the very air.

We had all our meals together most days. Not candlelight or romance. Just presence. He listened when Mateo talked. He asked me about work. It was civil. Steady.

Safe

Sometimes the steadines

“Aperitivo night.”

And the truth

I needed

Satu

sing. Sometimes it felt like a trap.

esterday. “You’re coming out with us. No excuses”

dn’t feel like I was living inside a minefield of my own memories.

oo quickly. I’d already told Mateo that I’d be home late at night today while I was getting him happily agreed. He had been used to me coming home late sometimes when I went out with etings ran too late. So, it wasn’t too big of an issue for him. Besides, María doted on him as much as and I had no doubts in my mind that she wo ke good care of him.

e kitchen finishing my coffee, Mateo perche ticed ease, preparing breakfast plates.

ate tonight,” I told her, passing Mateo his ack

bedded with the warm affection of someo have fun, si? Maybe a movie before b

ned. “Can we watch the one will

Siccolo,”

led. I could do this. I

yself.

er beside me kicking his legs. María moved

is sleepy, just tuck him into bed. I’ll check on him

long before she knew us. She touched Mateo’s hair.

Dominic wall

go

flicked to me, sharp as ever.

clarifying.

asked me to go out. It’s been a while.”

He just nodded once and said, “Finish your breakfast. I’ll drop youth

The car ride was its own ulent battlefeld

Mateo chattered in the backseat and Dominic anverged every YWWAL TURK warm. 1 ward our

look at the way his hand flexed on the steering wheel

We dropped Mateo first like usual I hugged him, pressing akin to his cheek before setting hien go the moment be disappeared through the doors. Dominic spoke

“Luca will be there tonight?

Of course that was what this was about

“Yes.” I said quietly “He’s my friend. So yes, he’ll be there”

Dominic’s fingers tightene

My brows pulled toge

“You don’t ha

someone

1 stare

steering wheel. “Be careful”

with my friends, not into a war”

No find you,” he said, looking straight ahead. “And you don’t have to do much for

hink Luca would do?”

his jaw clenched was an answer.

n,” I said, voice too calm for what I felt. “But I can take care of myself”

pe, frustration simmering like a storm. “Y

thing to vulnerability I’d heard from h

ng that for five years. I’m just not used to

han I expected.

I whispered, needing the conversa

ald crack me open

and pulled up outside my of

uld say anything else.

space.

air.

to stop wat

e third, the world went soft around the edges Laughter echoed und us. Chiara leaned against me, both of us swaying to the

re too pretty to look like you’re planning a murder

Topend my manh

Then closed it

Y

Horaidy phone and in my hand, that d

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