(Alessandro's POV)
She shouldn't be here.
That was the first thought that crossed my mind the moment I saw her again that morning.
And it was the only thought that refused to leave.
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She stood near the edge of the room like she didn't belong in it.
Like the space itself rejected her.
Or maybe… like she was trying not to take up too much of it.
Too quiet. Too careful.
Too unaware of what she was doing to the atmosphere around her.
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I leaned against the wall, watching her without saying a word.
She hadn't noticed yet.
Good.
Because I wasn't ready for her to look at me.
Not when I was thinking like this.
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She was small.
Smaller than I remembered.
Maybe because the first time I saw her, I was focused on the fact that she was a problem.
Now…
I was seeing everything else.
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Her height barely reached where it should have.
Five-three, maybe.
Fragile-looking.
But not weak.
There was a difference.
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Her hair fell down her back in soft waves, longer than I expected.
Dark. Thick. Natural.
The kind of hair people noticed without trying.
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And her eyes…
That was the problem.
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Green.
Not dull. Not common.
Bright enough to stand out even when she was trying to disappear.
The kind of eyes that didn't belong in a place like this.
The kind that made people look twice.
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I exhaled slowly.
She didn't fit here.
Not in this apartment.
Not in this world.
Not anywhere near us.
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And yet…
She was here.
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"Why are you staring at her like that?"
Matteo's voice broke through my thoughts.
I didn't look at him.
"Like what?" I asked.
"Like you've already decided something," he replied.
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I didn't answer.
Because he wasn't wrong.
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"She's not staying forever," Matteo added.
That made me look at him.
Slowly.
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"Who said that?" I asked.
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He smirked slightly.
"You're thinking it, aren't you?" he said. "Keeping her close, watching her, acting like—"
"Careful," I cut in.
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The room shifted instantly.
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Matteo leaned back slightly, but the look in his eyes didn't change.
"She's young," he said.
"I can see that."
"Too young for this," he continued. My jaw tightened.
"She walked into it," I replied.
"That doesn't mean she understands it," Luca said quietly from across the room.
I looked at him.
Then back at her.
She was standing by the window now, arms wrapped slightly around herself, like she was trying to feel safe in a place that couldn't offer it.
"She doesn't need to understand everything," I said.
"She needs to understand enough," Luca replied.
Matteo laughed under his breath. "Or she runs."
"She won't," I said That came out too quickly. Too certain.
And they noticed.
"See?" Matteo said, looking at Luca. "That's what I mean."
I ignored him. Because my attention was back on her.
She turned slightly. And for a second… Our eyes met.She froze.
And so did I. There it was again. That reaction.
That mix of fear and something else.Something softer.
Something she didn't even understand yet.
Good.
Because she shouldn't. Not yet.
I pushed myself off the wall and walked toward her slowly.
Every step measured.
Controlled.
She didn't move.
But I could see it.
The way her breathing changed.
The way her shoulders stiffened.
"Why are you standing here?" I asked.
Her voice came out quiet.
"I needed air."I glanced at the closed window.
"You won't find it here," I said.
"I figured," she replied.There was a pause.
Then she looked up at me again.
"You're watching me," she said.
Not a question. A statement.
"Yes."
Her brows pulled together slightly.
"Why?"
I stepped closer.
Close enough to see the details I hadn't noticed before.
The softness of her skin.
The way her lips parted slightly when she was nervous.
The way her eyes searched mine like she was trying to understand something she wasn't ready for.
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"Because I need to," I said
"That's not an answer," she replied.
"It's the only one you're getting."She exhaled slowly, frustrated.
"I don't belong here," she said again. I already knew that.
But hearing her say it…
It did something I didn't like.
"You're here," I replied.
"That doesn't mean I should be," she said.
"No," I agreed. That caught her off guard.
Her eyes flickered slightly.
"Then why am I?" she asked.I didn't answer immediately.Because the truth wasn't simple.
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And it wasn't something she was ready to hear.
Instead, I reached for her wrist again.
This time, she didn't pull away. Interesting.
My grip wasn't tight.
Just enough to keep her there. Just enough to remind her.
"You stay close to me," I said quietly.
Her heart was racing. I could feel it
"Why?" she whispered.
Before I could answer— A phone rang.
All three of us went still. Matteo picked it up first.
His expression changed instantly.
Not playful anymore. Not amused, Serious.
"What?" he said into the phone Silence.
Then—
"Who told you that?" he asked. My grip on her wrist tightened slightly.
"What is it?" Luca asked.
Matteo didn't answer immediately.
He just listened.
Then—
"They saw her," he said. Everything in the room stopped My chest went cold.
"Where?" I asked.
"Outside," Matteo replied. "Near the building." I looked down at her instantly.
She had no idea. Of course she didn't.
"They don't know who she is yet," Matteo added.
Not yet. That was the problem.I pulled her closer without. thinking ,She stumbled slightly into me.
"What's happening?" she asked, panic rising in her voice.
I didn't answer her.
My focus was already somewhere else.
"They're watching," I said. Luca cursed under his breath.
Matteo ran a hand through his hair. "We need to move her."
"No." Both of them looked at me.
"She stays here," I said.
"That's not safe anymore," Luca replied.
"It's safer than outside."
I looked down at her again. Confused.Scared.
Unaware of how serious this had just become.
And for the first time…
I realized something clearly.
This wasn't just about control anymore.
This was protection. Real protection.
I tightened my grip slightly.
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"She doesn't leave my sight," I said. Silence. Then Matteo sighed.
"You're serious," he muttered.
I didn't respond.
Because I was. And when I looked back at her…
There was only one thought left in my mind.
She really shouldn't be here.
But now that she was…
I wasn't letting anything touch her.
Who do you think is watching Elena… and what do they want? 👀