Chapter 204
Aria’s POV
I woke up to warmth. Lots of it. One arm wrapped around my waist, another slung over my shoulder, and a heavy leg resting acroen mine. I blinked slowly, my body still sore in the best way, and smiled sleepily. Everything smelled like heat and skin and them. I realized Dante and Enzo must have joined sometime in the night while I was already asleep. I didn’t even feel them get into bed, but now I was surrounded by them, tucked in tight between strang bodies and steady breathing. I nestled deeper into the soft sheets, my cheek resting on someone’s bare chest, and felt Dante’s fingers twitch slightly against my hip like he was dreaming. I almost fell back asleep right then, wrapped in warmth and comfort.
But something made my eyes drift to the door.
It was open.
Just a crack.
And in that tiny sliver of space, I saw someone standing there. Watching.
A shadowed figure, still and quiet.
I couldn’t see their face, couldn’t tell if it was a man or woman, but they were staring straight at me.
And the moment our eyes met, they turned and ran.
I screamed.
Everything happened so fast. The moment the sound left my mouth, the warmth around me exploded into motion. The triplets shot up, muscles tense, eyes wild. Dante was already halfway out of bed, Matteo reaching for something on the table, Enzo pulling me into his arms protectively.
“There was someone,” I gasped. “At the door. I saw them.”
“Where?” Matteo’s voice was sharp, already moving toward the door.
“Just now. They were watching. Then they ran.”
Matteo and Dante took off, disappearing down the hall.
Enzo pulled the blanket tighter around me and grabbed his phone, barking instructions to the guards. “Lock down the house. Check every exit. Sweep the entire compound. Check the beach perimeter too. No one leaves the island.”
I curled into him, still shaking. “I couldn’t see who it was,” I whispered. “It was too dark. Just a shape. They were tall maybe. I don’t know.”
He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my back slowly. “It’s okay. You did good. You woke us. That’s what matters.”
I nodded, still trying to calm my heartbeat. “What if they were already inside? What if they were watching for a while?”
My heart pounded so hard it hurt the sound of it rushing in my ears like a waterfall crashing in my skull and my limbs wouldn’t move fast enor stuck underwater but my mind raced ahead my skin crawling with the knowledge that someone had been watching us watching me while I lay their arms exposed vulnerable I kept seeing the shape, in the doorway even though they were gone now like a phantom burned into my vision and every instinct screamed danger but I also felt this strange detachment like the room around me wasn’t real like I was watching myself from the ceiling floating there as the boys moved ali muscle and command Enzo clutching me tighter his chest against my back anchoring me as Matteo disappeared into the shadows like a panther and Dante’s jaw clenched so hard I could practically hear his teeth grinding I’d never seen them move like that not in unison not in defense of me and something about it struck a chord deep in my chest something primal and trembling because I knew then with absolute certainty that they would tear this place apart to find whoever dared come near me and even through the shaking even through the leftover fear I felt this heat rising under my skin a warm rush of safety and possession and something that almost felt like awe because they weren’t just pretty faces and dangerous smiles they were lethal and they were mine
“They won’t get near you again,” he promised. “Not while we’re breathing”
Minutes passed. Then Matteo and Dante came back, both shirtless, breathing hard, eyes alert, Dante came straight to me, brushing ing hate from my gently
Chapter 204
“Are you alright?”
“I’m okay. Just… shaken.”
“We couldn’t catch them,” Matteo said, frustrated. “But they couldn’t have gotten far. It has to be someone on the island.
“We checked on Chiara,” Dante added. “Still asleep. Didn’t even notice the chaos, She’s useless in emergencies.”
Enzo snorted. “Deep sleeper of the year.”
I smiled weakly despite everything, grateful for even that small moment of levity.
Enzo’s arms never left me and the steady beat of his heart beneath my cheek was the only rhythm I could focus on as the adrenaline in my wins beg slowly ebb away replaced by something softer heavier quieter Dante was crouched beside the bed again one hand trailing up and down my shin absentmindedly as if needing the constant contact just as much as I did and Matteo hovered nearby pacing at first then finally giving in and clothing into the bed on my other side his presence solid and grounding I breathed them in the clean scent of salt and skin the faint lingering cologne on Watten’s throat where I tucked my face and the warmth of Enzo’s chest beneath my fingertips each inhale calmed me a little more the residual fear tucked away in the corners of my mind until it began to feel like a fading dream instead of a lingering threat Dante brought me a glass of water and held it for me while 1 sipped the glass cool against my lips his other hand brushing hair back from my face with a tenderness that made my eyes sting I looked at them each is turn and something in my chest twisted not with panic this time but with the weight of how deeply I felt for them how safe they made me feel even when the world outside cracked open and let something ugly inside they didn’t falter didn’t freeze they protected they reacted they held and soothed and stayed and I didn’t have to ask for it the softness in their strength undid me piece by piece until I was warm again not from blankets or the heat of their skin best from the quiet certainty that they weren’t going anywhere and neither was I and as my limbs grew heavy and my eyes began to slide shut again 1 let me give in not because I was escaping but because for the first time in a long time sleep didn’t feel like vulnerability it felt like trust.
The boys talked for a few more minutes about increasing security, patrol rotations, infrared cameras. I barely followed it, my body starting to grow beary again. My eyelids fluttered closed even as I leaned further into Enzo’s side.
“Go to sleep, baby,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“We’ve got you,” Matteo said softly from the other side.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Dante added, reaching to squeeze my hand.
I nodded sleepily, their voices like a lullaby. Safe. Strong. Here.
And wrapped in Enzo’s arms, with the others close, I finally let sleep pull me under again.
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