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"Come, join me," Dario insists, gesturing towards the table laden with plates of scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit. "You need to eat."
"Thank you, but I really should be going…" I say hesitantly. The last thing I want is to give him any more reason to worry about me.
"Going?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. "Where?"
I need time to think. I say nothing, just shake my head.
"Sit," Dario commands gently, pulling out a chair for me. I comply, watching as he fills my plate with eggs and bacon, along with a slice of toast.
The food smells heavenly, but I can't help the nagging feeling that I'm fucking up, over and over again.
"Buon appetito," he murmurs, offering me a small smile before taking a bite of his own breakfast.
"Thank you," I finally say, picking up my fork and taking a tentative bite. It's delicious, of course, and I can't help but let out a soft moan of appreciation. Dario's eyes flicker at the sound, and I feel a flush of heat rise to my cheeks.
"See? You need this," he says softly.
I laugh, a low rumble rising from my chest. Dario breaks into a smile, and I know I've delighted him. "You're right," I say. "I did need this," I exaggerate the need.
He pretends to throw a piece of fruit at me and I duck. When I realize he didn't actually throw anything, I protest.
He laughs.
This is sweet. This domestic little thing we have going on. But, I can't keep this up forever. Today, I have a vital meeting. One Dario can never find out about.
"Actually, Dario..." I start hesitantly, desperately trying to come up with a plausible excuse to leave his apartment. I need to meet with my handler Elena and explain what happened at the masquerade. "There's an emergency at my workshop. One of my employees just called; he said there's some sort of issue with one of the cars we're working on."
Dario frowns, concern etched into his handsome features. "Are you sure it can't wait? It could be dangerous, Jasmine."
"I wish it could, but it really can't," I lie smoothly, hoping that he buys my story. "It's a customer's car, and they're supposed to pick it up today. If we don't fix the problem, it could cause a lot of trouble for my business. Plus, my workshop is full of dozens of people and I'll take public transport. It's broad daylight. Nothing can happen, right?"
"Alright," he concedes, though his eyes still hold a hint of worry. "Just promise me you'll be careful, okay? And please, stay in touch. Keep your location tracking on, just in case anything happens. Your safety is my top priority, Jasmine."
I nod, touched by his genuine concern for me. "I promise, Dario. Thank you for everything." I glance around the room, feeling a pang of sadness as I realize that this might be the last time I see his apartment – or him – looking so peaceful.
I go get dressed and take my clothes from the previous night, choosing to wear some from Dario's closet.
When I walk out, he frowns and takes the bag. "I'll have this dry-cleaned. Leave it here."
"Oh," I say. "I'm coming back?"
"Of course you are. You're not staying alone at yours," he says, with a finality that tells me there's not enough time to argue. I can't have Elena wait. I'll just have to come back and have this conversation.
"Alright," I concede.
"See you later," he says, giving me a small, reassuring smile.
"See you," I manage to say, my throat tight with unspoken words and emotions.
With a deep breath, I step out of his apartment and close the door behind me. The moment it clicks shut, I feel the weight of my double life pressing down on me.
But I remind myself that this is what I signed up for – to bring down the Mafia from the inside, even if it means losing my own heart in the process.
As I walk away from Dario's apartment, I try to push aside my growing feelings for him. I need to meet Elena and update her on everything that's happened.
But more importantly, I need to figure out how to reconcile my loyalty to my badge with the undeniable connection I share with Dario Marchetti.
I fumble for my phone in my purse. I shoot Elena a quick text: "Meet me at the coffee shop near the workshop."
