Chapter 5 - The Price of Defiance
The men hesitated. In Chicago, everyone knew that an attack on a Romano property meant war, but an attack on a property guarded by a woman who didn't blink was a wildcard they hadn't prepared for.
"This isn't over, sweetheart," the leader spat, dropping the container of gasoline into the mud before turning and sprinting toward the mouth of the alley. The second man followed closely behind, their boots splashing through the dark puddles.
Bella stood in the rain, her body shaking violently as the adrenaline began to fade. The fire extinguisher felt incredibly heavy in her hands. She collapsed against the brick wall, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps.
A pair of headlights cut through the darkness of the alley as a dark sedan roared to a halt. The door flew open, and Dante Romano stormed out into the rain, his face absolute thunder.
"Bella!" he roared, reaching her in three long strides. He grabbed the fire extinguisher from her hands and tossed it aside, his large hands coming up to grip her shoulders. "What the hell were you thinking? Matteo called me the second the security line pinged a disturbance. You should have stayed inside!"
"They... they had gasoline, Dante," Bella whispered, her voice cracking as she used his first name for the first time. She looked up at him, her hair slicked down by the rain, her clothes soaked. "They were going to burn the library. The children's books... everything we built."
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Dante stared down at her, the fury in his eyes suddenly softening into something raw, intense, and deeply protective. "Books can be replaced, Bella. You can't."
Before she could answer, he pulled her into his chest, his large arms wrapping around her securely, shielding her from the cold wind. Bella buried her face in his shoulder, the scent of cedarwood and rain enveloping her completely. She knew she was standing in the arms of the most dangerous man in the city, but in that moment, she had never felt safer.
