Scarlett Mila Marino

Back at the house, the silence between us feels heavier than usual. I can feel his presence behind me as I slip off my shoes. I walk to the sitting room, every step slow, my mind replaying the scene over and over.

I should've handled it. I could've handled it. But now we've made a scene. And scenes have consequences.

Rowan follows me. He doesn't say anything, but I can feel the weight of his thoughts, his anger kept tightly in check.
I sit down on the arm of the couch. Staring at the floor, while he stands across from me, arms crossed.

"You know this complicates things." I finally say, breaking the silence.
"Everyone saw you defend me like that, it's going to make me a target." I say looking up. My voice softer now.

Rowan's jaw tightens, but his face remains stoic, unreadable. "Good. Now they'll know how far I'll go." He says.

"That's the problem." I snap, standing up to face him. "Now they know. They'll come after me. And use it against you." I say.

He doesn't respond immediately, his eyes narrowing as he processes my words. I don't know if he's annoyed that I'm right, or frustrated because he knows I'm scared.

"I can protect you, Mila." He says, so sure of himself.

I pace the room, my hands moving restlessly.
"But what if you can't? What if this..." I gesture between us, my heart racing.
"What if this is exactly what your enemies needed. Now they know how much you care about keeping me alive. You've made it obvious." I say.

This was a deal to keep us both alive. Yes we were going to get married, and pretend to have it good. But now it's more. Now everyone knows Rowan wants me alive. Which means I'm their target to get what they want.
Shit.
He should've never stepped in.

His gaze sharpens, but he doesn't flinch. "I don't care what they notice."

"You should!" I practically yell. "You should care. This isn't about just you anymore. You threw a punch tonight, and everyone saw it. You made it personal. Your father..." I pause, unsure of how to say what I'm thinking. "Your father isn't going to let this slide, is he?"

At the mention of Alessandro, Rowan's face hardens. For a moment, something flickers in his eyes...anger, fear, something buried deep, but it vanishes as quickly as it appears. He presses his lips together, his jaw twitching.

"He's not in charge anymore." Rowan says coldly, but there's something in his tone that betrays him. It's as if he's trying to convince himself more than me.

I cross my arms, narrowing my eyes at him. "But that doesn't mean he's powerless, does it? What will he do to you if your reputation suffers? What if tonight makes you look weak?"

Rowan looks away, his hands flexing into fists at his sides. "It won't."

I scoff. "You really believe that?"

His silence is answer enough.

I don't know much about his father, not really. But I've seen enough to know Alessandro isn't the type to just...forgive. And Rowan, for all his power now, still seems haunted by the man who raised him.

"Rowan, what will your father do to you?" I ask softly, stepping closer, my voice dropping.

He tenses. "That's none of your business." He says.

"But it is." I press. "Because if he's willing to hurt you to protect his empire, then what will he do to me?"

Rowan's eyes snap to mine. "I won't let anything happen to you."

I want to believe him. I want to believe that he cares.
But he can't promise that.

"I can't do this today." I say as I head to my room for a moment of peace.

***

I can't stay cooped up here any longer. So I slip out, texting Anthony and Asuka to meet me at a cafe tucked away in the city.

I take two guards with me and leave.

When I walk in, the first thing I hear is Anthony's voice. He's lounging in a corner booth, cracking jokes with Asuka. "There she is, Mrs. Mafia." Anthony calls out, waving dramatically as if I haven't seen them already.

"We were starting to think you'd forgotten us for your shiny, new husband." Asuka says joking. I slide into the booth beside Anthony. "Trust me, you're the only ones keeping me sane right now." I say.

Anthony leans closer, resting his chin o his hand with a teasing smile. "Sane? In that mansion? With him? Please. The fact that you haven't gone mad yet is a miracle." He says making me laugh.

They both go quiet for a moment, sensing the weight in my voice. Anthonys jokes always help, but I need more than humor right now. I need advice. I need to understand what I've gotten myself into.

"So... what's going on? You didn't call us here just to complain about Rowan." Asuka says, leaning forward, narrowing her eyes.

"i think I've made things worse." I admit, fiddling with the edge of the napkin in front of me. "Rowan... he's made it obvious that he'll protect me. And now, everyone knows." I say.

Anthony raises an eyebrow, his tone still light but laced with concern. "Isn't that a good thing? Big, bad Rowan swoops in to save the day. No one is going to mess with you."

I shake my head. "It's not that. By protecting me, risking himself, he's made me a target. They'll come after me to get to him." I say.

Asuka's eyes darken with understanding. "So you're caught in the middle of their power games." She says.

"Exactly." I sigh, feeling the weight of it crush down on me. "I don't know what to do. And if one day something happens to me, I don't think Rowan will actually risk his reputation any more than he has, to save me." I admit.

"But he wouldn't do that, right? He wouldn't just leave you if you got in more trouble?" Anthony asks, looking unusually serious now.

"I don't know, Anthony. I don't know if I'm safe, if this marriage is a shield or just another dangerous game." I say scared for my own life.

"If something, anything, gets bad, or goes wrong, we'll figure it out. You're not alone, Scar." Asuka says. Her words settle something in me. Asuka has always been like that, a steady, no-nonsense force. She grew up though, taking care of herself in ways most people wouldn't understand. I've always admired her calm, her ability to face everything head o without blinking.

Anthony, on the other hand, has always been the opposite. Loud, brash, constantly making jokes. But behind all that there's a big heart that never stops caring. He's the one who'll show up at your door the second you say that you need him, no questions asked.

"I don't want to drag you guys into this mess." I murmur.

Anthony snorts, leaning back with a grin. "Please, Scar. We're already in it. Might as well enjoy the drama while we can." He says making us all laugh.

"We're here for you. Whatever happens." Asuka says.

"I love you guys." I say so genuine.
Without them I don't think I would even survive this.

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