Chapter 143: I Want To Help

Dimitri left the office feeling something settle in his chest.

He had a plan.

He had a partner he trusted.

He had evidence to use as leverage.

And he had a reason to build something better instead of just burning everything down.

Now he just had to tell Eve.

Tell her about his fsther’s empire.

Tell her about The Covenant.

Tell her about the war he was planning.

Tell her that the next year, maybe more....was going to be dangerous, complicated and bloody.

And hope she chose to stay anyway.

***

POV: EVE

Eve woke to an empty bed.

Again.

She reached for Dimitri automatically, found cold sheets, and she frowned.

He’d been doing this more often lately, disappearing before dawn, working in his office, coming back to bed with dark circles under his eyes and tension in his shoulders.

Something was wrong.

Eve had known it for days now. Had felt it in the way he held her too tightly at night, the way he watched her like he was memorizing her face.

She pulled on one of his shirts, padded out to the kitchen.

Nonna was there, making espresso.

"Buongiorno, cara."

"Morning, Nonna." Eve accepted the tiny cup gratefully. "Have you seen Dimitri?"

"He left early. Meeting with your brother." Nonna studied her face. "You are worried."

"Yes."

"He will tell you soon. Whatever is weighing on him." Nonna patted her hand. "He is just gathering his thoughts first. Making plans. Your man is a strategist....he does not move until he has thought through every angle."

"I know. But I hate not knowing." Eve took a sip of espresso. "I hate feeling like he’s protecting me from something instead of including me."

"Then tell him that. When he returns." Nonna’s smile was knowing. "He listens to you in ways he has never listened to anyone. Even me."

Eve was about to respond when the elevator chimed.

Dimitri stepped out, still wearing yesterday’s clothes and looking exhausted.

His eyes found her immediately, and something in his expression made her chest tighten.

"Eve." He crossed to her, pulled her into his arms. "We need to talk."

"Okay." She pulled back enough to see his face. "About what?"

"Everything." He glanced at Nonna. "Sorry, but this needs to be private."

Nonna waved him off. "Go. I have errands anyway." She grabbed her coat, paused at the elevator. "Whatever you tell her, nipote, trust that she can handle it. She is stronger than you give her credit for."

Then she was gone.

Dimitri led Eve to the living room, sat down on the couch, pulled her beside him.

"I’m going to tell you things," he said carefully, "that are going to sound insane. Dangerous. Possibly terrifying. And I need you to listen to all of it before you decide how you feel. Can you do that for me picola?"

Eve’s heart was pounding, but she nodded. "Yes."

"Okay." He took a breath. "Marco’s been investigating my father’s business dealings. He found something. An illegal pharmaceutical company called Prometheus Laboratories that my father owns."

Eve listened as Dimitri explained everything.

The banned substances Prometheus produced. The biological weapons development. The partnership with The Covenant, the organization that had killed his mother.

The virus that had come from research Antonio helped fund.

The offshore facility...Phantom Base where nobody knew what experiments happened.

And finally, the plan.

To overthrow his father. To take his position. To use his connections to infiltrate The Covenant and destroy them.

By the time he finished, Eve’s hands were shaking.

Not from fear.

From fury.

"Your father," she said carefully, "has been running human experiments. Developing biological weapons. Profiting from torture and death. For sixteen years."

"Yes."

"And the virus that killed your mother came from research he funded."

"Yes."

"And you’re going to take everything from him." Eve’s voice was steel. "You’re going to strip him of his power, use it to destroy The Covenant, and rebuild into something that doesn’t profit from human suffering."

"That’s the plan."

Eve stood, paced to the window.

Dimitri watched her, his expression carefully neutral, waiting for her reaction. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

"How long will it take?" she asked.

"What?"

"To build forces in Italy. To position yourself. To be ready to move against him." She turned. "How long?"

"Months. Maybe a year or more."

"And you’ll be traveling back and forth. Spending time in Italy building relationships while Mike runs things here."

"Yes." Dimitri stood. "Eve, I know this is a lot...."

"I want to help," she interrupted.

He blinked. "What?"

"I want to help. To be involved." Eve crossed back to him. "You said we’re partners. That means I don’t sit on the sidelines while you plan a war. I help you plan it."

"Eve, this is dangerous...."

"So is loving you. So is being in this world at all." She took his face in her hands. "I told you weeks ago that I chose you knowing exactly what that meant. This is part of it. So stop trying to protect me and start treating me like the partner you claim I am."

Dimitri stared at her, something like wonder crossing his face.

"You’re not scared."

"Of course I’m scared. Your father is a monster who runs human experiments and you’re planning to go to war with him." Eve’s voice was fierce. "But I’m more angry than scared. And I want to help you tear down everything he’s built and make something better."

"Mike said you’d react like this."

"Your brother knows me well." Eve smiled slightly. "So. What can I do?"

Dimitri pulled her into his arms, held her tight.

"I don’t deserve you," he said into her hair.

"Probably not. But you have me anyway." She pulled back. "Now tell me everything. All of it. The people you’re targeting. The strategy. The timeline. Everything."

So he did.

They spent the next hour going through files, discussing strategy, making plans.

And Dimitri realized that Mike and Nonna had been right.

Eve wasn’t fragile.

She was fierce.

And having her as a true partner, not someone to protect, but someone to strategize with, made everything clearer.

It made everything possible.