Chapter 148: What Brings The Devil To My Home?

Eve’s eyes locked on his.

Silver-gray and intense and filled with so much emotion it made her chest ache.

"I love you," he said, his voice raw. "No matter what happens in Italy. No matter how long this takes. I love you."

"I love you too." Eve’s hands came up to frame his face. "Come home to me."

"Always."

He made love to her with aching tenderness, each thrust measured, controlled, designed to make her feel cherished.

When they came together, it was with whispered confessions and tears neither of them acknowledged.

Afterwards, Dimitri held her close, his heart pounding against her back.

"How long will you be gone?" Eve asked quietly.

"Three days. Maybe four." His arms tightened. "Giovanni wants to meet in person. Can’t do this over the phone or video. Has to be face-to-face so he can read me, make sure I’m serious."

"And you’re meeting where?"

"His villa in Tuscany. The one you found with the underground construction." Dimitri pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "Marco’s team confirmed it’s a weapons cache. Illegal arms he’s storing for Antonio. Which means he’s more compromised than my father probably knows."

"Which gives you leverage."

"Exactly." Dimitri rolled her to face him. "I show him proof that I know about the cache. Offer him a choice, keep working for Antonio and risk exposure, or work for me and get protection plus better terms."

"What if he refuses?"

"Then I make sure Antonio finds out about the weapons cache and let them destroy each other." Dimitri’s smile was cold. "Either way, I win."

Eve traced his jaw with her fingers. "Be careful. Please."

"I will. I have Marco with me. Plus four others. All loyal. All prepared for anything." He caught her hand, kissed her palm. "And I have you waiting for me. That’s motivation enough to stay alive."

They lay tangled together until dawn started breaking through the windows.

Finally, reluctantly, Dimitri pulled away.

"I need to shower. Get ready." He kissed her forehead. "Try to sleep a little more. You didn’t get enough rest."

"Neither did you," Eve pointed out.

"I’ll sleep on the plane." He stood, magnificent and naked and completely unselfconscious. "Go back to sleep, picola. I’ll wake you before I leave."

But Eve was too wired to sleep.

She watched him move through their morning routine....shower, shave, dress in the dark suit that made him look like exactly what he was: dangerous, powerful, lethal.

At 6 AM, he came back to the bed, sat on the edge.

"Mike’s waiting downstairs with the car. Marco’s already at the airfield." He touched her face gently. "I’ll call when I land. Text every day. And I’ll be home before you know it."

"I’ll be here." Eve sat up, kissed him softly. "Go overthrow your father. Come home to me."

"In that order. I promise." One more kiss....deeper, longer, like he was memorizing the taste of her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Then he was gone.

Eve heard the elevator doors close, listened to the silence of the penthouse, and finally let herself feel the fear she’d been holding back.

He was walking into danger.

Meeting with a man who could betray him, who could tell Antonio what Dimitri was planning, who could get him killed.

And she had to just... wait.

Trust that he knew what he was doing. Trust that Marco would keep him safe. Trust that he’d come home.

Eve lay back down, pulled his pillow close, breathed in his scent.

Closed her eyes.

And eventually, around 4 AM, exhaustion won.

She drifted into restless sleep, her phone clutched in her hand, waiting for his call.

***

POV: DIMITRI

Tuscany, Italy

The villa was exactly as Eve’s research had described.

Eighteenth-century architecture. Sprawling grounds. Vineyards stretching for acres.

And underneath it all, Dimitri knew, a weapons cache worth millions.

The car pulled through the gates at sunset, golden light painting everything in amber.

Marco sat beside him, three more men in the vehicle behind.

"You sure about this?" Marco asked quietly.

"No." Dimitri’s smile was slight. "But we’re doing it anyway."

They’d landed in Rome six hours ago. Driven north through countryside that should have been beautiful but felt hostile.

This was Antonio’s territory.

Every mile they drove was controlled by his father’s people, his father’s allies, his father’s eyes.

One wrong move and Dimitri wouldn’t make it out alive.

But that was the game.

High stakes. High risk. High reward.

The car stopped in front of the villa’s main entrance.

Giovanni Ricci stood waiting...tall, silver-haired, expensive suit, the easy confidence of a man who’d survived decades in a brutal business.

Dimitri stepped out of the car, buttoned his jacket, and walked forward.

"Mr. Ricci." He extended his hand. "Thank you for agreeing to meet."

"Mr. Valentino." Giovanni’s handshake was firm, assessing. "Or should I call you Dimitri? We’re practically family, after all. Your father and I have worked together for many years."

"Dimitri is fine." He gestured to Marco. "My head of security. I hope you don’t mind him joining us."

"Not at all. Though I must say...." Giovanni’s eyes swept over Marco and the other men. "You came prepared for war."

"I came prepared for business." Dimitri’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. "In our world, there’s not much difference."

Giovanni laughed...a genuine sound. "True enough. Come. Let’s talk inside. I have wine from my vineyard. You’ll tell me if it’s worth what I’m charging Antonio for it."

They walked through the villa....Renaissance art on the walls, marble floors, the kind of wealth that came from decades of illegal weapons dealing.

Giovanni led them to a study....dark wood, leather furniture, a desk that probably cost more than most people’s cars.

"Please. Sit." He poured wine, handed glasses to both Dimitri and Marco. "Now. What brings the Devil himself to my humble home?"

Dimitri took a sip of wine...excellent, actually and set down his glass.

"I’m going to be direct, Giovanni. You strike me as a man who appreciates directness."

"I do."

"I’m building a power base in Italy. Recruiting people who might be interested in better terms, better protection, better opportunities than what my father currently offers." Dimitri’s eyes were steady. "I’m starting with you."