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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm sprinting down Lexington Avenue in yesterday's jeans and a coffee-stained t-shirt when I realize
00:05I've lost him. Again. Mateo! My voice cracks over the midday traffic. Tourists with their phones
00:13out. Businessmen power-walking like they're competing in the Olympics. Nobody stops.
00:18Nobody ever stops in New York. Mateo, I swear to God, there. A flash of his Spider-Man backpack
00:26weaving between a hot dog cart and a woman in Louboutin's who definitely just called him
00:30something in French that wasn't a compliment. My nephew is six years old and apparently has a
00:34death wish. I dodge a bike messenger who flips me off, nearly faceplant into a stack of knock-off
00:40Gucci bags, and finally catch sight of him at the intersection of 63rd. He's standing at the curb,
00:46head tilted back, watching a pigeon like it's the most fascinating thing he's ever seen.
00:50Mateo, don't you dare! He steps into the street. Everything goes slow-motion horror movie.
00:58A black SUV, the kind that costs more than my entire life. Barrels around the corner. I'm screaming,
01:05my legs are moving, but I'm too far. I'm always too far. I'm the worst guardian in the history of…
01:12Someone moves faster than physics should allow. A man in a charcoal suit materializes out of nowhere,
01:17scoops Mateo up by the back of his shirt like he's a kitten, and yanks him onto the sidewalk.
01:23The SUV whooshes past, horn blaring, close enough that I feel the wind displacement.
01:28I reach them two seconds later, gasping, probably about to have a heart attack at 27.
01:34Oh my God! Oh my God, Mateo! I grab my nephew, checking him for damage,
01:41my hands shaking so badly I can barely function. Are you hurt? Did you?
01:46I'm fine, Tia Liv. He's squirming, completely unbothered, because of course he is.
01:53Did you see that car? It was so cool. Cool? Cool? My voice goes up about three octaves.
02:02You almost became a pancake. Actually, a voice says above us, smooth and dark like expensive whiskey,
02:08he would have been more of a smear. I look up. And up. The man who saved Mateo is tall,
02:16over six feet of broad shoulders and controlled power wrapped in what I'm pretty sure is a Tom
02:20Ford suit. His hair is dark, perfectly styled in that effortless way that definitely isn't
02:25effortless, and his eyes are the color of honey in sunlight. Sharp cheekbones, strong jaw,
02:31the kind of face that makes you forget how to form sentences. He's looking at me like he's trying
02:36to solve an equation. Sorry. I straighten, still clutching Mateo. I mean, thank you. Jesus,
02:44thank you so much. You're welcome. He crouches down to Mateo's level, and something about the movement
02:52is predatory, graceful, controlled. What's your name? Mateo Garcia. My nephew grins, gap-toothed and
03:01fearless. I'm six and three quarters. The three quarters are important, the man says seriously.
03:10Then his gaze flicks to me. And you? Olivia? Liv? I realize I'm still breathing hard,
03:18probably look like I ran a marathon. I'm his aunt. His aunt. He stands back up, and I have to crane
03:25my neck. Those honey eyes sweep over me. My messy ponytail, my ratty converse, the hole in the knee
03:31of my jeans. I feel x-rayed. Where are his parents? The question lands like a punch. Not available,
03:39I say tightly. Not available. He repeats it slowly like he's tasting the words. So you're taking care of
03:47him. It's not really a question, but I nod anyway. Yeah, I'm taking care of him. Are you?
03:56The way he says it, calm, almost gentle, but with an edge underneath, makes my spine straighten
04:01defensively. Excuse me? He ran into traffic. He tilts his head slightly. You were too far behind to
04:11stop him, so I'll ask again. His voice drops lower. Who's taking care of you? I blink. Of all the
04:20things I expected him to say, that wasn't it. I... what? You look exhausted. He says it matter-of-factly,
04:28no judgment, just observation. When's the last time you ate something that wasn't coffee?
04:32I had toast this morning. Burnt or intentional? Does it matter? It does to me. We stare at each
04:41other. Around us, the city keeps moving. Taxis honking, someone shouting about Broadway tickets,
04:47the smell of pretzels and exhaust. But in this little bubble of sidewalk, everything feels weirdly
04:53suspended. He's still watching me with that unreadable expression.
04:56Look, I say finally, I appreciate you saving Mateo, really. But we're fine. You're not fine.
05:06Wow, okay, we just met and you're already an expert on my life. Something flickers in his eyes.
05:13Amusement, maybe. I'm an expert on a lot of things. Humble, too. Honesty isn't arrogance. He pauses.
05:21You're holding your left side like your ribs hurt. You keep glancing at your phone. And your shoes are
05:27held together with duct tape. I look down. He's right about the shoes. Damn it. I'm having a great
05:35month, actually. I lie. He doesn't believe me. Where are you headed? Home. Where's home? Why do you care?
05:47Because, he says slowly, I almost watched a six-year-old die, and the person responsible
05:53for keeping him alive looks like she's about to collapse. I'm not going to collapse. Prove it.
05:59Have lunch with me. I actually laugh. What? Lunch? You? Me? Him? He nods at Mateo, who's now trying
06:08to balance on the curb like it's a tightrope. There's a place two blocks from here, best carbonara
06:13in the city. I don't even know your name. Dante. He extends his hand. Dante Moretti. I shake it
06:21automatically. His grip is warm, firm, slightly calloused in a way that surprises me. Thanks, but
06:28no thanks, Dante. We've got places to be. Such as? None of your business. Fair enough? He releases my
06:37hand but doesn't step back. Then answer this. What happens the next time he runs into traffic and
06:43I'm not there? The question hits exactly where he meant it to. My jaw tightens. That won't
06:50happen. It already happened once. Okay. You know what? I grab Mateo's hand, ready to storm
06:58off with whatever dignity I have left. Wait. Dante's voice stops me. Not commanding. Just waited.
07:08When I turn back, he's pulling something from his jacket. A business card. Heavy stock. Embossed
07:14lettering. If you need anything, call. I don't need anything. Everyone needs something, Olivia.
07:23The way he says my name, slow, deliberate, does something dangerous to my pulse. Even stubborn
07:30women who lie about burnt toast. I take the card because it feels rude not to. It's warm from being
07:37against his chest. Moretti Capital Holdings. Dante Moretti. CEO. A phone number. Nothing else.
07:45What kind of CEO hangs around on street corners? I ask. His smile is subtle, barely there.
07:53The kind who's exactly where he needs to be. Before I can decode that, his phone buzzes. He glances at
08:00it, and something shifts in his expression. Becomes colder. More distant. Business. I have to go.
08:09He looks at Mateo. Stay out of traffic, Mateo Garcia, who's six and three quarters. Okay. Mateo waves
08:16enthusiastically. Then Dante's eyes find mine again, and there's something in them I can't name.
08:22Think about lunch. Think about lunch. I won't. Yes, you will. He turns, heading toward a sleek black car
08:31that's idling at the curb. Probably the same one that almost hit Mateo. A man in a dark suit opens the
08:38back door. Hey! I call out before I can stop myself. Why do you care? Dante pauses, one hand on the car
08:47door. When he looks back over his shoulder, the sunlight catches his face, making those honey
08:52eyes almost glow. Because someone should, he says simply. Then he's gone, sliding into the car,
09:00and I'm standing on a New York sidewalk holding my nephew's hand and a business card that feels like
09:05a lit match. Mateo tugs my arm. Tia leave. I'm hungry. I look down at him, at his bright eyes and
09:15messy hair and the scraped knee he got yesterday that I haven't had time to properly bandage.
09:20Who's taking care of you? I shove the card into my back pocket. Come on, buddy, I say. Let's go home.
09:29But as we walk toward the subway, twelve blocks because I can't afford a cab, I can feel the
09:34weight of that card burning against my hip. And I know, somehow, that this isn't over. Not even close.
09:41I don't call him. For three days, I don't call him, and I feel weirdly proud of myself for it.
09:48The card stays in my jeans pocket through two laundry cycles. I fish it out both times,
09:53telling myself it's just because littering is bad. On day four, my landlord corners me in the hallway.
09:59Rent's late, Liv. Mr. Kowalski crosses his arms, blocking my apartment door like a balding,
10:05flannel-wearing bouncer. Two weeks late. I know, I'm working on it. You said that last month.
10:12And I paid you last month, didn't I? After, I threatened eviction. He sighs. And for a second,
10:19he looks almost sympathetic. Almost. Look, I like you and the kid, but I got bills too.
10:26You got until Friday, or I'm starting the paperwork. Friday is three days away. I have $217 in my account
10:33and a nephew who needs new shoes because he's growing like a weed on fertilizer.
10:37Friday, I repeat. Got it. I manage to smile until he leaves. Then I lean against my apartment door
10:46and seriously consider screaming into a pillow. Mateo's inside, watching cartoons, blissfully
10:52unaware that we might be homeless by the weekend. My phone, cracked screen, held together with hope
10:58and a pop socket. Sits on the kitchen counter next to a stack of overdue bills. I pull out the card.
11:04Moretti Capital Holdings. This is stupid, I tell my empty kitchen. He's probably some finance bro who
11:11gets off on playing hero. He's forgotten about you. He saves random kids every Tuesday. My phone rings.
11:20Unknown number. I answer it because at this point, what do I have to lose?
11:24You... Olivia. That voice. Smooth, dark, unforgettable. You haven't called. I nearly dropped the phone.
11:34How did you... Did you just... Were you listening to me? No. A pause. Should I have been? Then how did
11:42you know to call right now? I've been calling every day. He sounds amused. You haven't answered.
11:48I check my call log. He's right. Four missed calls from the same unknown number over the past three
11:55days. How did I not notice? Oh, right. Because I've been working double shifts at the diner and
12:02picking up freelance copywriting gigs that pay an exposure and broken dreams. I've been busy, I say.
12:08Clearly. Have you eaten today? Why is that always your first question? Because you never have the right
12:13answer. I hear something in the background. Voices, maybe. I'm sending a car. What? No. 20 minutes.
12:24Where's something comfortable? Dante, I'm not... Do you need money? The question slices through
12:30everything. Direct, blunt, humiliating. I don't need your money. That wasn't what I asked. His voice
12:38softens slightly. Olivia, do you need help? My throat tightens. I'm staring at bills I can't pay,
12:46wearing jeans with duct-taped shoes, responsible for a six-year-old who deserves so much better than
12:51this. Why do you care? I whisper. I told you. Someone should. A beat. 20 minutes. The car will wait if
13:02you need more time. He hangs up. I stand there for a full minute, phone pressed to my ear wondering
13:08what the hell I'm doing. Then I go change into my one decent dress. The car is a Mercedes,
13:14matte black, the kind that makes people stop and stare. The driver, a mountain of a man in a suit
13:20that probably costs more than my rent, opens the door without a word. I slide in, feeling completely
13:25out of my depth, and we glide into traffic like we're floating. My neighbor Mrs. Chen watches from
13:31her window. I'm definitely going to get questions later. We don't go to a restaurant. We go to a
13:37penthouse in Tribeca that probably has a better view than God. Dante's waiting when the private elevator
13:42opens directly into his living room. He's in dark jeans and a white button-down with the sleeves
13:47rolled up, and somehow he looks even more dangerous than he did in the suit.
13:51You came, he says. Your driver was very insistent. Marcus is good at his job. He gestures toward the
14:00floor-to-ceiling windows. How's Mateo? At school, learning about fractions and how to give his aunt
14:07gray hair. His mouth curves. Not quite a smile, but close. You didn't bring him. I don't bring my nephew
14:15to strange men's apartments. Smart. He moves toward the kitchen, which is all marble and stainless
14:20steel, and probably featured in Architectural Digest. But I'm not strange. We've met twice.
14:27That's literally the definition of strange. Fair point. He starts pulling things from the fridge.
14:33Actual food, not just condiments and sad leftovers like mine. Do you cook? When I have time. And
14:40ingredients. And a stove that works. He glances at me. Yours doesn't work? The left burner's
14:47questionable. The right one's aspirational. Jesus, Olivia. Hey, it builds character. It builds fire
14:54hazards. He's chopping vegetables now, quick and efficient. Sit. Tell me why you really answered.
15:01I perch on one of the bar stools. Maybe I wanted free food. Try again. Maybe I was curious. Closer.
15:09Never. He looks up, those honey eyes pinning me. But still not the truth. I fidget with the hem of my
15:16dress. My landlord's threatening eviction. I have three days to come up with $1,500. My sister,
15:24Mateo's mom, she's in rehab again and I'm trying to keep everything together. But I'm drowning and I
15:30don't know how to swim and... I cut myself off. Why am I telling you this? Because you're tired of
15:36lying. He slides a glass of water across the counter. And because I asked. Most people don't
15:43actually want the real answer. I'm not most people. Yeah, I'm getting that. I take a sip.
15:49The water tastes better than it should. Probably imported from some Italian spring.
15:55So, what's your deal, Dante Moretti, CEO of Mysterious Capital Holdings? You rescue random
16:00kids and then stalk their ants? I don't stalk. He's sautéing something that smells incredible.
16:07I follow up. That's literally stalking. It's thoroughness. He plates the food, pasta with
16:15vegetables and grilled chicken that looks restaurant quality. Sets it in front of me.
16:19Eat. I do. It's the best thing I've tasted in months. Oh my god. I mumble around a bite.
16:27Did you drug this? Because I'll eat drugged food if it tastes like this.
16:30No drugs, just garlic and competence. He leans against the counter, watching me eat with an
16:36expression I can't read. I'll pay your rent. I nearly choke. What?
16:42Fifteen hundred. I'll handle it. No. Olivia, I don't take charity. It's not charity. It's an
16:51investment. In what? You. He says it simply, like it's obvious. I invest in things I believe in.
16:59You don't even know me. I know you're raising your nephew alone. Working yourself to death.
17:05Too proud to ask for help even when you're drowning. He tilts his head. I know you made a joke when you
17:11were terrified. That's brave. Brave is rare. My chest feels tight. Why are you really doing this?
17:20He's quiet for a long moment. Then, my mother raised me alone. Worked three jobs. Never asked
17:27for help because she thought it made her weak. His voice goes distant. She died when I was fifteen.
17:35Exhaustion, the doctor said. But it was pride. Pride and a system that punishes people for needing help.
17:41Dante. So when I see a woman trying to do it all alone, looking like she hasn't slept in a year,
17:48he meets my eyes. Yeah, I care. The vulnerability in his voice undoes something in me.
17:56I can't just take your money, I say quietly. Then work for me. Doing what? I need someone I can trust.
18:04Someone smart? Resourceful? A pause. Someone who calls me out on my bullshit.
18:12That's a job requirement? For this position? Absolutely. I set down my fork.
18:19What kind of work are we talking about? The kind that pays well. Keeps you and Mateo safe.
18:25His expression shifts. Becomes harder. The kind that might get complicated.
18:31Complicated how? Before he can answer, his phone buzzes. He glances at it, and his whole demeanor
18:38changes. Colder. Sharper. I have to take this. He steps away. Speaks in rapid Italian that sounds
18:46both beautiful and terrifying. I catch words. Tratamento. Betrayal. Sangy. Blood. When he
18:55turns back, he's someone different. The man who cooked me lunch is gone. In his place is someone
19:01dangerous. Who are you really? I ask. Dante looks at me for a long moment. Then, someone who can protect
19:09you, if you let me. That's not an answer. It's the only one I can give right now. He moves closer.
19:19But I need you to trust me. Trust is earned, not demanded. Then let me earn it. He's right in front
19:27of me now, close enough that I can smell his cologne, cedar and something darker. Stay. Work for me.
19:34Let me keep you safe. Safe from what? His jaw tightens. From drowning. Outside, the afternoon sun
19:44blazes over Manhattan. Bright. Beautiful. Deceptive. And I realize I'm standing at a crossroads with a
19:51man who's either my salvation or my destruction. Maybe both. Okay, I hear myself say. Okay.
19:59The next morning, I wake up to three things. A text from Dante with an address, a notification
20:06that my rent has been paid in full, and the creeping suspicion that I've made a deal with
20:11the devil. Except the devil probably doesn't send good morning texts with coffee cup emojis.
20:17The address leads me to a building in the financial district, all glass and steel and the kind of
20:22security that requires three different clearances. The woman at reception hands me a badge like she's
20:27been expecting me. Mr. Moretti is on the 42nd floor, she says, with a smile that doesn't reach
20:33her eyes. Marcus will escort you. Marcus the mountain man appears from nowhere. Still doesn't
20:40talk. Just gestures toward the elevator. When the doors open on 42, I step into chaos. People
20:47are shouting in at least three languages. Phones ringing. Computer screens showing numbers that
20:52flash red. A woman in Prada sprints past holding a tablet and what looks like an ulcer. Dante's in
20:58the center of it all, standing at a glass conference table, perfectly calm while everyone around him
21:03loses their minds. Telling you the Hong Kong deal is dead, someone's saying. Castellanos pulled
21:08out, just like that. Then we go to Singapore. Dante's voice cuts through the noise. Contact Wei. Tell
21:17him we're moving the shipment through his ports instead. Castellanos won't like that.
21:22Castellanos can go to hell. Dante looks up, sees me, and something shifts in his expression.
21:28Softens. Everyone out. Now. The room clears in 30 seconds flat. Shipment? I ask when we're alone.
21:37What kind of business are you really running here? The complicated kind. He moves around the table
21:43toward me. You came. You paid my rent. Seemed rude not to show up. I cross my arms. Are you going to
21:51tell me what's actually going on or do I have to guess? What have you guessed so far? That you're
21:57either mafia or really into expensive hobbies? He doesn't laugh. Doesn't deny it. Just watches me with
22:04those honey eyes. Oh my God. I breathe. You're actually... Careful what you say next. His voice is
22:13gentle but edged. Some truths, once spoken, can't be taken back. My heart's hammering. I should run.
22:21Should grab Mateo and disappear and never look back. But I think about my paid rent. The food in his
22:27kitchen. The way he asked who's taking care of you like my answer actually mattered. What do you need
22:33me to do? I ask instead. Surprise flickers across his face. You're not running. Should I be? Most people
22:42would. Yeah, well... I shrug. Most people haven't spent the last two years fighting social services
22:49and loan sharks and a sister's addiction. You're gonna have to try harder to scare me, Moretti.
22:54This time he does smile. Real and warm and devastating. There she is. Who? The woman who
23:03called me out in my own kitchen. He hands me a folder. I need you to review these contracts.
23:08Look for anything that seems off. Discrepancies. Hidden clauses. You said you do copywriting.
23:14That means you read carefully. I flip through. It's all legal jargon and numbers that make my head
23:20spin. What am I looking for exactly? Betrayal. His voice hardens. Someone in my organization is
23:28selling information. Sabotaging deals. I need to know who. And you trust me with this because...
23:35Because you have no reason to betray me. You don't know anyone here. You're not connected to any of the
23:42families. He moves closer. And because when I look at you, I see someone who understands loyalty.
23:50That's a lot of faith in a woman you met four days ago. I've built an empire on reading people,
23:55Olivia. His hand comes up, almost touches my face, then drops. I know what I see.
24:03Before I can respond, Marcus bursts in, and Marcus never bursts anywhere.
24:09We have a problem, he says. Castellanos is here, in the building. Dante's expression goes glacial.
24:16How many men? Four. Lobby. Security's stalling, but...
24:22Get Olivia out. Back exit. Now. Wait, what? I grab his arm. Who's Castellanos?
24:28Someone who wants what I have. Dante looks at Marcus. Take her to the car. Don't stop for anything.
24:35I'm not leaving you. Yes, you are. He cups my face, and the tenderness in the gesture contradicts
24:41everything happening around us. This is my world, Olivia. Let me handle it.
24:48By yourself? I'm never by myself. He nods at Marcus. Go. Marcus practically drags me to a service
24:57elevator. We're descending when I hear it, shouting. Then something that might be gunfire,
25:02muffled by 42 floors and glass. We have to go back, I say. No, ma'am.
25:08He could be. Mr. Moretti can handle himself. Marcus's voice is steady. My job is keeping you
25:15safe. The elevator opens to a parking garage. A different Mercedes, engine running. Marcus
25:23opens the door, and I'm about to get in when I see them. Two men in suits, moving fast toward us.
25:29Marcus! He sees them. Positions himself between me and them. Get in the car! Not without...
25:36One of the men pulls a gun. Everything happens fast. Marcus shoves me behind a concrete pillar.
25:43There's shouting, the screech of tires. Then Dante's voice commanding and cold,
25:48Touch her and you're dead. I peer around the pillar. Dante's there, standing in the middle of
25:54the garage in broad daylight like some kind of avenging angel, flanked by six men who look like
25:59they eat bullets for breakfast. The two guys with guns immediately lower them. Moretti? One says
26:05nervously. We're just... Castellanos wanted to talk? Tell Castellanos the next time he sends men to my
26:12building. I'll send them back in pieces. Dante's voice is ice. Now get out. They run. Literally run to a
26:21black SUV and peel out. Dante turns to me. The coldness evaporates. Are you hurt? No, I'm... Jesus,
26:30Dante, what the hell? He crosses the distance, pulls me against him. His heart's pounding as hard as mine.
26:38I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here. You're damn right you shouldn't have.
26:44I'm shaking. Adrenaline crashing through me. What if they'd... What if Mateo was with me? They wouldn't
26:50have gotten within ten feet of you. His arms tighten. I would burn this entire city down first.
26:57I pull back to look at him. His hair's messed up. There's something dark on his collar that might be
27:03blood. And his eyes. God, his eyes are fierce and terrified and full of something that makes my breath
27:09catch. You can't protect everyone, I whisper. Watch me. He cups my face again, thumbs brushing my cheekbones.
27:17I know what I'm asking. I know my world is dangerous. But I meant what I said. I can keep
27:24you safe. You and Mateo. I have resources. Power. I can give you a life where you never have to worry
27:31about rent or food or... Control. I finish. You can give me control. He flinches. That's not...
27:40Isn't it? I step back, needing space to think. You paid my rent without asking. Hired me without an
27:48interview. Decided what I need without checking if that's what I actually want. I'm trying to help.
27:54I know. And I do. I can see it in every line of his face. But help and ownership aren't the same
28:02thing, Dante. We stare at each other in a parking garage flooded with afternoon sunlight. Around us,
28:08the city hums. Cars honking. Sirens wailing. Life continuing, completely unaware that my entire world
28:15just shifted. So what do you want? He asks quietly. I want a choice. My voice is steady. I want to know
28:24that if I stay, it's because I chose it. Not because I needed rescue. Not because I was trapped.
28:32And if I can't promise you won't be in danger, then I want the truth. All of it. No more mysterious
28:38phone calls or men with guns showing up randomly. I move closer. If I'm going to be in your world,
28:45I need to actually be in it. Not protected from it. Something shifts in his expression. Respect,
28:52maybe. You're asking me to trust you. I'm asking for equal footing. He's quiet for a long moment.
29:00Then, the contracts you were looking at? They're not just business deals. They're territory agreements.
29:08Import channels. I run. He takes a breath. My family has controlled shipping in this city for
29:15three generations. Legal and otherwise. Otherwise meaning illegal. Gray area. He corrects. But yes.
29:25And Castellanos? Wants to take over my roots. He's been targeting my people, sabotaging shipments.
29:32His jaw tightens. He threatened to go after anyone I care about. So by caring about me, I made you a
29:38target. Yes. He looks wrecked. Which is why if you want to walk away right now, I'll set you up
29:44somewhere safe. Money. New identity. Whatever you need. I should take it. Should grab Mateo and run as
29:51far as we can. But I'm thinking about his mother. About pride and exhaustion and dying alone because
29:57asking for help felt like weakness. I'm thinking about how he looked at me when he asked who's
30:03taking care of you. Like my answer mattered. Like I mattered. I'm not running, I hear myself say.
30:10But I have conditions. Name them. 1. Mateo's safety is non-negotiable. School, home, everything.
30:19He stays protected and out of this. Done. I'll have security on him 24-7. Invisible but there.
30:262. I want real work. Not busy work. If I'm helping you find your traitor, I want access to everything.
30:32Dangerous but agreed. 3. I step close enough to feel his warmth. You teach me to survive in your
30:40world. Not as your charity case. As your equal. His eyes search mine. You realize what you're asking
30:48for? Partnership. I don't blink. Think you can handle that? For the first time since I met him,
30:56Dante Moretti looks uncertain. Vulnerable. Then he smiles. Slow and real and full of something that
31:03feels like hope. Yeah, he says softly. I think I can handle that. He kisses me there in the parking
31:12garage with sunlight streaming through the concrete levels and the city echoing around us. It tastes
31:18like coffee and danger and new beginnings. When we break apart, I'm breathless. So, I manage.
31:26About that traitor. He laughs. Actual laughter. Warm and surprised. You're really not going to let
31:33that go? Not a chance. I grab the folder of contracts from where Marcus is still standing guard,
31:39pretending not to watch us. Come on, boss. We've got work to do. As we head toward the elevator,
31:45his hand in mine, Marcus trailing behind, the afternoon sun bright and unforgiving and perfect,
31:51I realize something. I'm not drowning anymore. I'm learning to swim. And Dante Moretti? He's not my
31:58rescue. He's my partner. There's a difference. Six months later. Tia leave. Dante says I can name
32:05his new boat. I look up from my laptop, the new one Dante got me after I found the traitor,
32:11his CFO, selling port schedules to Castellanos, to see Mateo bouncing on the deck of said new boat.
32:16He did, did he? Dante appears, dripping wet from a swim, grinning like a kid. I said he could suggest
32:23names. I want to call it Spider-Man. Absolutely not, we say in unison. Mateo giggles and runs off
32:31to bother Marcus, who's manning the grill and pretending to hate every second of it. Dante drops
32:35into the chair beside me, saltwater soaked and gorgeous in the Miami sunshine. Working? Reviewing the
32:42Singapore contracts. Ways offering better terms if we expand into tech shipping. Smart. He steals my
32:49iced coffee. You're good at this. I know. I steal it back. You're good at admitting it. I've learned
32:57from the best. He leans in, kisses my temple. How's your sister? 30 days sober, asking about Mateo.
33:05I lace my fingers through his. I think, I think she might make it this time. She will. She's got the
33:14best support system. Yeah, I say softly, looking at this man who taught me that strength isn't refusing
33:21help. It's knowing when to accept it. We do. The sun blazes overhead. My nephew's laughing. The man I love
33:30smells like ocean and possibility. And for the first time in years, I'm not just surviving. I'm
33:35living. Did you fall for Dante and Liv's story? If you loved this cinematic mafia romance, don't let
33:42it end here. Subscribe for more intense, swoon-worthy stories delivered straight to you. Comment below.
33:50Would you have taken Dante's deal? What would you name his boat? Like if that parking garage kiss gave
33:55you butterflies. Share this story with your romance-loving friends who need a new obsession.
34:01Want more stories like this? Drop A in the comments if you want to see. More mafia romance with different
34:07tropes. Billionaire romances with real chemistry. Enemies to lovers that'll make you scream.
34:13Protective heroes who respect strong heroines. Your engagement helps me create more stories.
34:18Every like, comment, and share tells me what you want to read next.
34:21What did you think of Liv and Dante? Tell me your favorite moment in the comments.
34:26I read every single one. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss a story.
34:32Next story drops soon. And trust me, you won't want to miss it.
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