Chapter 9 - The Confession
The medical wing of the Caruso estate was silent save for the beeping of Dante's heart monitor.
The graze on his shoulder had been deeper than he realized, and blood loss had caused him to pass out once Clara and Leo were safe.
He woke up in a pristine white bed. Clara was sitting in a chair beside him, holding his hand. Her face was bandaged, but to Dante, she had never looked more beautiful.
"You're awake," she whispered, her eyes shining with tears.
"Leo?" Dante rasped, his throat dry.
"He's asleep. He's okay. Because of you."
Dante looked at their intertwined hands. "I'm sorry, Clara. I brought this violence into your life. You pawned your laptop to save your son, and instead, you got dragged into a mob war."
"Dante, stop," Clara squeezed his hand. "Before you, I was invisible. I was drowning. You didn't just save my son's life. You saved my soul. You showed me what it feels like to be protected. To be valued."
Dante looked into her eyes, the walls he had built around his heart for thirty years finally crumbling to dust.
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"I love you, Clara," he confessed, his voice breaking. "I have lived my entire life in the dark. You are the only light I have ever seen. I want to spend the rest of my life making sure you and Leo never have to be afraid again."
Clara leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. It was a kiss that sealed a promise. "We aren't going anywhere, Dante. We're home."
