Chapter 6
The tension in the room began to ebb, leaving only a fragile quiet between them. Luca’s presence filled the space. Not threatening now. Solid. Grounding. Protective.
Mila’s heart was still racing, but she could feel the shift. Danger had passed, leaving only him.
Without a word, he reached for her. His hands were strong but gentle. He pulled her into his chest. Not rough. Not possessive. Protective.
Her head rested perfectly against the hollow of his shoulder, the warmth of him radiating through her. She could hear the slow, steady beat of his heart. She could feel the quiet power that always surrounded him, now focused entirely on her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“For what?” His voice was low, calm, carrying that same certainty she had come to rely on.
“For choosing you.”
She admitted it. The truth she had been running from all night. Choosing him had been reckless, dangerous, and entirely unlike her. But it had been instinctive. Inevitable.
Luca held her closer, as if the act of doing so was the most natural thing in the world.
“Don’t be sorry,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for you to choose me.”
She pulled back slightly, looking up at him. “What?”
His eyes met hers. “I’ve been watching you for months, Mila. The way you move through the office. The way you never ask for more than you’re given. The way you make yourself small so no one notices you.” He paused. “I noticed.”
Her breath caught. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because you weren’t ready.” His thumb traced her cheek. “And because I knew that when you finally reached out, it would mean something.”
The clock on her wall ticked loudly. Too loudly. She glanced at it. 11:57.
Three minutes until midnight.
Fireworks exploded outside. Sharp cracks of light and sound tearing across the sky. Color flooded through the windows in brief flashes — red, gold, white — then vanished just as quickly. The city was counting down without them. Celebrating a future that hadn’t reached this small apartment yet.
“Midnight is coming,” she said softly.
“I know.”
“A new year.”
“I know.”
“What happens after?”
Luca looked at her. His eyes were dark and steady, holding hers with an intensity that made the world outside disappear.
“That depends on you.”
She swallowed. “I don’t know what I want.”
“Yes, you do.”
He was right. Of course he was right. She had known since the moment she sent that text.
“I want to stop being invisible,” she said. “I want to stop being afraid. I want — ”
She stopped. The words caught in her throat.
“What do you want, Mila?”
She met his eyes. “I want you.”
The confession hung in the air between them, fragile and electric. She had said it. She couldn’t take it back.
Luca’s jaw tightened. His hand was still on her face, his thumb tracing slow circles on her cheek.
“If you step into my world,” he said, “there’s no going back.”
“I know.”
“I’m not a good man.”
“I know.”
“I will do things that would make you run, if you knew.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
She reached up and covered his hand with hers. “Because you’re the first person who ever made me feel like I wasn’t alone.”
The clock ticked. 11:58.
Outside, a countdown began somewhere in the distance. Voices shouting. Numbers growing louder with each second.
Eleven. Mila wondered how many New Year’s Eve moments she had let pass without choosing anything at all.
Ten. Luca reached out slowly, deliberately, and rested his hand against the back of the couch beside her. Not touching her. Just there.
Nine. An unspoken promise.
Eight. That he would stay if she asked.
Seven. That he would leave if she didn’t.
Six. Her breath came shallow.
Five. She met his eyes, searching for doubt.
Four. There was none.
Three. The world seemed to hold its breath.
Two. One.
The city erupted in celebration. Fireworks roared. Cheers echoed. A new year arrived in a rush of sound and light.
And Mila realized with absolute clarity that she wasn’t afraid of the year changing. She was afraid of staying the same.
Luca leaned in just enough to speak softly, only for her.
“I don’t walk away from things that matter,” he said.
The words wrapped around her, warm and terrifying all at once.
May you like
“You don’t have to be alone anymore.”
And for the first time that night, she believed the future might actually begin.
