Chapter 2 POV (Matteo)

It was quiet in the car, deafeningly so; it smothered me. Not after what just went down, not when my best friend was dead, Silas-the man that I'd trusted with everything, the one that always had my back-was gone, Alessio, his father, the man whom I respected even when I didn't agree with was murdered in cold blood.

And Lilianna.

She was here, back in my world after years of silence, and she wasn't alone. Her son-her son-clung to her like she was the only thing that kept him tethered to this earth.

I grasped the wheel tighter, flying across New York's depressing streets. A few questions I had, but they could wait. The kid needed to settle down, and so did she. She'd been through enough today.

"Where are we going?" she whispered, her voice slicing through the dense silence.

"My place," I returned with a rigidness to my tone, my head not moving.

"I have somewhere to stay," she returned, the trembling in her voice laced with defiance in it.

I turned my glance towards her and my jaw tightened. "Not anymore, you don't. Since what happened tonight, you're a target. Both of you."

Her green eyes-narrowed, the same eyes now haunting my dreams-""I didn't ask for your help."

I came to a red light and turned fully to face her. "No, you didn't. But I gave it anyway because that's what Silas would've wanted. Or do you want to get yourself and your son killed out of pride?"

Her mouth thinned into a line, and fire licked in her gaze. Good-she needed that fire to survive.

Whimpering from the child brought those walls down in a second. She turned to him with cooing soft reassurances while her fingers combed through his dark curls.

"We're almost there, buddy," I said, softening my tone for the boy's benefit. "You're gonna like it. I've got a big place with lots of room to run around."

He looked up at me then, and wide brown eyes latched onto mine. Something in him tugged my chest.

"What's your name, kid?" I asked light enough.

"Callum," he mumbled bashfully, his voice no more than a whisper.

"Callum," I said again, the name rolling off my tongue. "That's a strong name.

Lilianna shot me a look but said nothing. For now, she kept her secrets, but I'd get them out of her eventually.

The rest of the drive in silence and strain until I pulled up to my brownstone parking, stepped out, and scanned the street for any signs of trouble before opening the door for them.

"Come on," I said, extending my hand to Callum. He looked up at his mother again.

"It's okay," she said softly, giving him a gentle nudge of her hand.

Callum took my hand, and something about that small action goaded a rush of very unwanted emotion through me. I suppressed it, tucked it away as I led them inside.

The only sound came from the soft hum of the security system. I clicked on the lights to flood sleek modernity into the room.

"You can stay in the guest room upstairs," I said, nodding toward the staircase. "It's got a lock on the door, but no one's getting past my men anyway.

Lilianna nodded, her features guarded. She looked around the house, her gaze coming to rest on the polished wood floors and minimalistic décor.

"Where's your nanny?" she asked tartly.

"My cousin," I said, one brow arched. "And she's not here. It's just us tonight."

Her shoulders lost a fraction of their tension, but she did not release Callum.

"I'll show you to the room," I said, and fronted through the stairs. The guest room was one of the safest places within the house, its locks specially reinforced and an en-suite bathroom. It was nothing fancy, but it was safe.

"This will do," she said shortly.

I watched her get Callum onto the bed, tugging his little shoes off and tucking him under the covers.

"You're safe here, baby," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

Something in me, which I didn't want to acknowledge, stirred at the sight of her with her son-so protective, so loving. I looked away and gave them a moment.

When she finally emerged from behind the door, pulling it closed behind her, I was waiting for her in the hallway.

"We need to talk," I said, keeping my voice low.

She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the wall. "About what?"

"Don't play games with me, Lilianna. You disappear for three years and now you're back with a kid in tow. A kid that's-"

Don't, she cut in, her voice slicing. "Don't go there, Matteo."

I narrowed my eyes, stepping closer. "You think I'm stupid? He's got my eyes.

Her lips parted, but nothing came from them. In that instant, that flame in her eyes flickered and was consumed by something raw and honest.

"It doesn't matter," she finally said.

"Oh, the hell it doesn't," I snarled-the anger spilling over. "Why didn't you tell me, Lilianna? Why did you run?

She looked away, and her shoulders slumped. "Because I didn't want this for him," she whispered. "I didn't want him growing up in this world tainted by violence and bloodshed. I wanted to give him a chance at a normal life."

"And you thought you could do that without me?

"I didn't have a choice," she said, her voice trembling in her throat.

I stepped back, rubbing a hand over my hair. I wanted to be angry, but I couldn't-not with the anguish in her eyes, with the weight she'd shouldered alone for so many years.

"Things are different now," I said finally. "You can't take care of him on your own. Not from the Russians."

She let her breath out hard, rubbing her temples. "I know. That's why I'm here.

"Then let me help you," I said, and my voice gentled. "Let me protect you both."

She looked up at me, her green eyes indecisive. For a second, I thought that she might argue, but then she nodded.

"Okay," she whispered. "But this doesn't change anything."

"It changes everything," I said, sure.

Her lips thinned, but she didn't fight me. She was tired, too, like me.

"You must rest," I said, nodding toward the guest room. "We'll speak again in the morning."

She turned to me then, her head still angled back toward the door, now closed behind her. "Grazie, Matteo. For saving us."

I nodded. Watched her disappear into the room.

I let my back fall against the wall as I exhaled a heavy sigh, finding myself finally alone. My mind began to wander as replays of tonight's events still ran in my brain: Silas was gone, Lilianna was back, and Callum.

I had not been in a position to get him out of my head, those eyes; eyes too familiar from a stranger. He was mine, and I needed her to say it for me to know it was the truth.