Chapter 4 - The Waking Nightmare
Sunlight broke through the rain clouds late the next morning, casting long rays of golden light across the white medical suite.
Claire’s eyes fluttered open slowly. Her body ached with a dull, throbbing pain, and monitors beeped steadily beside her bed. She gasped, trying to sit up as panic seized her chest.
"Sadie... where is Sadie?!"
A firm, gentle hand rested softly on her shoulder, easing her back down onto the pillows.
"She's safe," a deep, calm voice replied.
Claire turned her head. Sitting in a chair beside her bed was a tall man in a dark suit. He had dark, intense eyes, a strong jawline, and a presence that practically radiated quiet authority. His face was stern, but the look in his eyes was surprisingly soft.
"Who... who are you?" Claire rasped, her throat dry as sand.
Enzo poured a glass of water from a bedside pitcher, inserting a flexible straw and holding it up to her lips. Claire took a few grateful sips before slumping back.
"I'm Enzo Marchetti," he said simply. "The man you were supposed to meet at Lombardi's."
Claire closed her eyes as tears leaked down her pale cheeks. "I'm so sorry... I wanted to go. I had my blue dress on... but men broke through the door... they hit me... they were looking for—"
"I know," Enzo interrupted gently, taking her hand. His calloused fingers wrapped around hers with protective warmth. "Your daughter ran six blocks barefoot in the rain to find me. She’s upstairs right now, eating breakfast with my sister. She didn't get a scratch on her."
Claire sobbed in relief, squeezing Enzo's hand with all the little strength she possessed. "Thank you... oh God, thank you..."
"You don't need to thank me," Enzo said, his voice dropping into a solemn vow. "You were under my sister's care, which means you are under my protection. The men who did this to you have nowhere left to hide."
Claire looked up at him, studying the rugged lines of his face. She had heard rumors about the feared Don of the Marchetti family—that he was ruthless, cold, and emotionless. But looking at him now, holding her hand while her daughter slept safely upstairs, she saw something entirely different.
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"Why are you doing this for a stranger?" she whispered.
Enzo looked down at their joined hands. "Because when your little girl collided with my leg last night, she asked me if I was a cop. I told her I was something different. It's time I proved it to her."
