"What ?"

"I understand if you don't want to. But, at least listen to what I have to say." Dante pleads. I nod, sitting next to him on the couch.

"Okay. So a few hours back, when I came back from work, I saw a small box at my doorstep. I asked my guards who had brought it and they said it was the mailman. When I opened it, I saw these." He said giving me a few pictures.

What I saw a few moments later, made my heart leap out of my chest. They were pictures of me. Some at my apartment, some at Marc Technologies and a few pictures of Dante and I talking at Romano Industries.

But, in every picture, there were two crosses on my eyes drawn by a red color marker.

"What ?" I asked, but it came out as a whisper.

"I don't know who this is, or what they want. All I know is that you're in danger and I need to keep you safe." Dante tells me while wrapping his arm on my shoulder.

"Could this be Dmitri ?" I asked him, slightly resting my head on his shoulder.

"I don't know, Azalea. But, I will find out." He said, reassuringly.

"So, back to my first question. Do you want to live with me ?" Dante asks.

"No, it's alright. I can protect myself. I'm not completely defenseless. Thanks though." I tell him, with a smile.

"Look, Azalea. I know you can. But-" he sighs. "If anything happens to you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself, knowing that I could have stopped it."

He cares about me.

"No, Dant-" I was interrupted by him.

"You can get your own room, it will be yours and you can live normally." He tries to convince me.

"Look, I appreciate it. I really do. I just don't to be a burden on you." I said.

"Don't you ever think like that. You aren't a burden, you will never be." Dante said, smiling warmly.

"Okay, I'll move in then. But how long ?"

"For as long as you want, Stellina." Dante replied, winking.

"Have you eaten dinner yet ?" I asked him, ignoring his new found nickname for me.

"No, not yet. I'll leave now." He said, hesitantly.

It is raining very heavily now and there was going to be a huge storm tonight. It wasn't safe for anyone to drive. The fact that he still came to my house talk to me, warmed my heart.

Without thinking for another second, I asked him, "Do you want to stay the night ? 'Cause you know, the storm.." pointing at the window.

"Oh, no its okay. I'll go home." He denied.

"Oh come on, its okay. We could order pizza and have a movie marathon together. It will be fun !" I insisted.

"If you want to be blessed by my presence, just say so." Dante replied, cheekily.

"Yeah, right. I am just being polite. If you want to leave, you can." I told him.

"Are you sure you don't mind ?" He asks.

"I'm sure." I say, with a smile.

"Well, follow me. I'll show you around. There's nothing much to show actually. That's the kitchen." I said, pointing at kitchen behind me.

When he sees me walking towards my room, he follows. "This is my room, and that's the bathroom. The clothes will be on the bed by the time you come out."

"Nice. Thank you." Dante says.

After he went for a shower, I ordered pizza and kept a huge sweatshirt and sweatpants on the bed. I occasionally bought huge clothes from the men's section, because let's face it; it's comfortable.

I got a few blankets and tossed them on the couch. I even decided to make popcorn. While I was getting the seasoning ready, I heard Dante's voice.

"Care to explain why you have men's clothes, just laying around at home ?"

"See, the clothes made for women are not always comfortable. So, I buy men's clothes someti - " I stopped mid sentence when I turned around.

Dante was leaning on the counter behind me..shirtless. His hair was wet, tiny water droplets falling from the wet strands.

Woahh...his tanned abs. How many are there ?

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Eight ? When does he have time to work out ? This man looked like he was carved by the Greek Gods themselves.

"You know it's rude to stare." His voice snaps me out of my daze. My eyes look up to meet his face. He looks right back at me with a smirk.

"I wasn't staring, dumb ass." I retort. "Why aren't you wearing the shirt I gave you ?"

"I was going to, but then I smelled the popcorn, so I came. Why ? Am I distracting you ?"

"Oh please. I've seen much better." I try to convince him. He chuckled and went back in the room. The doorbell rang so I opened it, knowing that it was the delivery dude.

I took the pizza, thanked him and shut the door behind me with my foot. I turned and saw Dante, who is now fully clothed, with the popcorn bowl in his hands. The both of us sit on the couch next to each other and start eating.

"What do you want to watch ?" I asked him.

"I don't mind anything. You choose." He replies, casually.

"Okay. Horror movie it is !" I shout. I've always liked horror movies ; ever since I was a child.

"Wait..what ? Horror ?" He asks, his voice filled with panic. Is Dante scared ?

"Yeah, why ? Is the the big bad mafia Don scared of horror movies ?" I tease.

"Pfftt me ? No." Dante denies.

He's clearly lying.

"Okay. Annabelle it is !"

I played the movie and laid back on the couch; pizza in my hand. I few minutes into the movie, I looked over to Dante and almost died laughing.

The guy had the hoodie of the sweatshirt on and held the blanket in front of his face, blocking the TV screen.

"I'm not scared." I mocked him. He gave me a playful glare and I chuckled.

I got up and found myself laying down on the couch. I felt something heavy on my stomach.

I looked down and saw Dante almost on top of me. He was asleep on my stomach, his face snuggled facing my stomach, with an arm wrapped around my waist.

He didn't look like a CEO nor like a Don. He looked peaceful and...calm.

I switched the TV off and snuggled closer to Dante, wrapping my arms around the back of his neck. I fell asleep almost immediately, but not before whispering,

"Goodnight, Dante."

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