Saint Valentine

18

So sorry for the late upload!!! My partner went away for a trip and its thrown off my whole schedule 💀 but here you go!!! Let me know your thoughts ❤️ Love you all!

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I'm not looking forward to today. Not in the slightest. I don't want it to happen. I don't even want to think about it. Valentino is dreading it, too. I can tell. He didn't bother going to the gym this morning, and he snoozed his alarm more times than usual. He's been right by my side since we got up. We've barely spoken a word to each other, but we don't have to. We're on the same page. Neither of us wants to do this, but we know we have to.

"How are you feeling?" Valentino breaks the silence in the room. He stands behind me as I eye my reflection in the mirror. He lifts my hair up over my shoulders, letting it drape over my back. "You're not too concerned, are you?"

"A little," I admit. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Hurt? No, I won't," he shakes his head. "You don't need to worry about that, darling."

"I just don't know what to expect. I don't know what she's capable of."

"Nothing will happen," he runs his hand through my hair. "We've planned for every possible scenario."

"What's the plan?"

"I will go down to confinement with three men. Isabella will be waiting for me in an interview room, where she will be handcuffed to the table. The whole building is surrounded by security. There's no way she can escape. And on the off chance that she does, I'm taking you down to a panic room. You will have five guards with you there. They have strict instructions on how to respond if something goes wrong."

"What do you mean?" I turn to face him. That is not what I expected.

"I promise, she can't get to you. You will be fully protected at all times."

"I know, I'm not worried about that," I tell him. "I thought I was going with you."

"To the interview?"

"Yeah."

"No," he scowls.

"No?"

"No way. You're not going anywhere near that room. Not now, not ever."

"Why not?"

"It's far too dangerous. I'd be putting you directly at risk and I refuse to do that."

"She's in confinement. What could she possibly do?" She'll already have had her weapons taken off her. We don't use handcuffs, but what is she going to do with just her hands?

"You never know. We have to prepare for the worst. She could be playing us. Her capture could be part of her plan."

"I'm sure it's not."

"I won't risk it."

"But then I'll just be sitting here waiting. I want to help. I want to do something."

"It's not going to happen."

"Valentino..." I sigh. I place my hands on his chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath his skin. He rests his hands over mine. Despite our heated conversation, he's still so gentle with me.

"You could be carrying our child right now," he whispers. I can't help but smile. I like the sound of that.

"I hope so."

"Hey, look at me," he puts his hand at the base of my chin, lifting my head up towards him. His eyes bore into mine. "I love you, so, so much, my darling. I've already made you go through too much. I don't want to put you at risk again now."