MELTING ICE

The days after my confrontation with Damon were a blur. I threw myself into work, using the controlled chaos of Moretti Couture to distract myself from the growing ache in my chest. But no matter how hard I tried to focus on sketches and fittings, my thoughts kept drifting back to him.

I hated how much I missed him, how his absence felt like a physical weight pressing down on me. Damon had warned me about his world, about the dangers lurking beneath the surface, but he hadn't pushed me away entirely. And that gave me hope—fragile, flickering hope—that he might let me in.

---

By the time Friday rolled around, I couldn't take the silence anymore. I needed answers, needed to see him. So, I found myself standing outside his penthouse, my heart pounding as I pressed the buzzer.

The door opened almost immediately, and there he was, looking as devastatingly handsome as ever in a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His blue eyes widened in surprise when he saw me.

"Vivienne," he said, his voice low and cautious. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you," I said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "We need to talk."

He closed the door behind me, his expression guarded. "I told you, Vivienne. There are things I can't tell you."

"And I told you I'm not afraid," I shot back, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "You're the one keeping me at arm's length, Damon. But I can't do this—whatever this is—if you don't trust me."

He stared at me for a long moment, his jaw clenched. Then, without a word, he walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. I watched as he downed it in one smooth motion, the tension in his shoulders palpable.

"You want the truth?" he said finally, his voice cold and sharp. "Fine. But once you hear it, there's no going back."

I swallowed hard, my resolve wavering for a split second. But I nodded. "I want to know."

He set the glass down and turned to face me, his eyes dark and unreadable. "I'm not just an architect, Vivienne. I'm also the head of La Mano Nera."

The words hung in the air between us, heavy and suffocating. I stared at him, my mind racing as I tried to process what he had just said.

"La Mano Nera," I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "The mafia?"

He nodded, his expression grim. "It's not something I chose. It's something I inherited. My father built the empire, and when he died, it fell to me."

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest. "So all those rumors… they're true?"

"Yes," he said simply. "But I've worked hard to keep that part of my life separate from everything else. From you."

I shook my head, struggling to wrap my mind around it. "Why? Why would you stay involved in something like that?"

"Because walking away isn't an option," he said, his voice hard. "If I leave, the entire organization collapses, and chaos takes over. I've spent years trying to clean up the mess my father left behind, to make things as… ethical as they can be in this world. But it's not perfect. It's never going to be."

I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. Everything I thought I knew about Damon was suddenly cast in a new, terrifying light. But even as fear and doubt crept in, I couldn't deny the pull I felt toward him.

"Why are you telling me this now?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Because you deserve the truth," he said, stepping closer. "And because I couldn't stand the thought of losing you without giving you the choice."

I looked up at him, my heart breaking at the vulnerability in his eyes. "Damon, I don't know if I can—"

"You don't have to decide right now," he said, cutting me off. "But I need you to understand what you're walking into if you stay. This life isn't safe, Vivienne. It's dangerous, and it will always be dangerous. But if you choose to stay, I'll do everything in my power to protect you."

The weight of his words settled over me, and I realized that this was the moment of truth. I could walk away, return to the safety of my carefully curated life, and never look back. Or I could take a leap of faith, knowing full well that it might cost me everything.

"I need time," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his expression unreadable. "Take all the time you need."

---

I spent the next few days in a haze, replaying our conversation over and over in my mind. Damon's confession had shaken me to my core, but it hadn't changed how I felt about him. If anything, it had only made me more certain of the depth of my feelings.

But was love enough to overcome the darkness that surrounded him? Could I truly accept the risks that came with being a part of his world?

Bianca noticed my distraction during a late-night fitting session. "You're a million miles away," she said, pinning the hem of a gown. "What's going on?"

I hesitated, unsure of how much to share. But Bianca had always been my sounding board, and I needed her advice now more than ever. "It's Damon," I said finally. "He told me the truth about his life."

Her hands stilled, and she looked up at me, her expression serious. "And?"

"And it's complicated," I said, letting out a shaky breath. "He's not just an architect, Bianca. He's… involved in things. Dangerous things."

Her eyes widened, but she didn't look surprised. "I told you to be careful."

"I know," I said, my voice breaking. "But I can't help how I feel. I'm falling for him, Bianca. And I don't know if I can walk away."

She sighed, standing up and crossing her arms. "You need to ask yourself if you're ready for what that means. Loving someone like Damon isn't going to be easy, Vivienne. It's going to test you in ways you can't even imagine."

"I know," I said, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. "But I think he's worth it."

Bianca studied me for a long moment, then nodded. "If you believe that, then fight for him. But make sure he's willing to fight for you, too."

---

That night, I found myself standing outside Damon's penthouse once again. My heart was pounding, and my palms were sweaty, but I knew what I had to do.

When he opened the door, his expression was a mix of surprise and relief. "Vivienne."

"I've made my decision," I said, stepping inside. "I'm not walking away."

His eyes searched mine, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of hope. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I said, my voice steady. "I don't care about the risks, Damon. I care about you. And I'm willing to face whatever comes, as long as we face it together."

He reached for me, pulling me into his arms. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

As I held him, I knew that this was only the beginning. The road ahead would be anything but easy, but for the first time, I felt ready to face it. Because no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together.