Rosa folded her arms.

“What the hell was that?”

Dante stood beneath the awning.

“I was stopping him.”

“You could've said, ‘Don't hit her.’”

“I did something more effective.”

“You announced that I'm your love.”

“You are.”

Rosa stared at him.

“You haven't spoken to me in five years.”

“That doesn't make it untrue.”

“It makes it ridiculous.”

Dante looked toward the street.

“Rosa—”

“No.”

She stepped closer.

“You disappeared three days before we were supposed to leave Chicago together.”

His expression tightened.

“I remember.”

“I waited at Union Station for four hours.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“I was watching from across the street.”

Rosa went still.

Dante immediately knew he had chosen the worst possible way to explain it.

“You were there?”

“Yes.”

“And you let me wait?”

“I couldn't go with you.”

“You could've walked across the street.”

“No.”

“Why?”

Dante looked at her.

“Because my father had been shot that morning.”

Her anger faltered.

“He survived for six hours.”

Rosa said nothing.

“By noon, I inherited everything he controlled. By two, three different people were looking for weaknesses they could use against me.”

His eyes stayed on hers.

“You were the biggest one.”

Rosa's voice softened despite herself.

“So you abandoned me.”

“I protected you badly.”

“That isn't the same thing.”

“I know.”

She studied him.

“Why didn't you explain later?”

“Because every month that passed made approaching you harder.”

“That might be the stupidest thing you've ever said.”

“Probably.”

Despite herself, Rosa almost laughed.

Then the restaurant door opened.

Victor emerged.

His composure had returned.

“Rosa.”

Dante shifted slightly between them.

Victor noticed.

“I came to apologize privately.”

“You already apologized,” Rosa said.

“Not sincerely.”

He approached.

“My behavior was unacceptable.”

Rosa nodded.

“It was.”

“I hope we can forget tonight.”

“No.”

Victor blinked.

“No?”

“I'll accept your apology. I won't pretend it didn't happen.”

His eyes sharpened.

“My company hosts events here. I know the owners.”

“Then complain.”

Victor smiled without warmth.

“You really don't know when to stop.”

Dante moved forward.

Rosa caught his wrist.

His tattooed hand stopped inches from his coat.

“No.”

Dante looked at her.

“I can handle him.”

Victor smiled.

“Listen to your girlfriend, Moretti.”

Rosa released Dante.

“I am not his girlfriend.”

Dante glanced at her.

“That's the part you correct?”

“Don't start.”

Victor walked toward his waiting car.

Before entering, he looked back.

“Some people should remember their place.”

Dante watched the sedan disappear.

“That wasn't an apology.”

“No.”

“That was a warning.”

Rosa sighed.

“Not everything is one of your wars.”

Dante's phone vibrated.

He checked the message.

His expression changed.

“What?”

He handed her the phone.

A photograph filled the screen.

Rosa leaving her apartment that morning.

Another showed her entering the Grand Aurelia three days earlier.

A third showed her buying groceries.

Her stomach dropped.

“Who sent these?”

“Unknown number.”

Another message appeared.

YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT HER INVISIBLE.

Rosa looked at Dante.

His voice became very quiet.

“Now it's my war.”