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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm cursing at my fence again, which feels about right considering my whole life's a splintered
00:05plank barely holding together. The sun is glaring, my bank account is trembling, and this stupid
00:11board refuses to stay upright. I slam my palm against the wood so hard it stings. Stay, put,
00:18you stubborn idiot. The board does not care about my motivational speech. I try again,
00:24wrestling the thing like it personally wronged me when a shadow slides across the grass.
00:30Not a normal shadow. A large, steady, quietly expensive one. I don't look up because I know
00:37exactly who lives next door on that ridiculous wraparound porch overlooking half the neighborhood
00:41like some king surveying his kingdom. Raphael Vascari. The man with a jawline made out of federal
00:47warnings and a bank account with commas I can't fathom. The man every neighbor pretends not to
00:52stare at. The mafia don who somehow decided a sunny, upper-middle-class American suburb was the perfect
00:59place to park his empire between his private islands and jet collection, and of course he's
01:03watching me fail at basic carpentry. A deep voice floats over the fence, warm and amused.
01:09You planning to fight that board to the death? I freeze. My stomach tightens, my mouth dries,
01:16and something electric runs through me like I licked a battery. I straighten slowly, trying to look like a
01:22functional adult, and not a woman currently losing a fistfight to lumber. I turn toward him. He's
01:28leaning against his porch column, arms crossed, sunglasses perched low on his nose. The sunlight
01:34hits him like it likes him more than everyone else. His white t-shirt fits too well. His smirk fits
01:39even better. I'm fixing my fence, I say, trying to sound competent. You're assaulting your fence,
01:47he replies. Different skill set. I arch a brow. Pretty sure you're not an expert. He tilts his
01:55head. I own construction companies, sweetheart. Damn it. My cheeks heat, not because of the
02:02sweetheart, though that sends a tiny jolt through me. But because he's right. Rafael Vascari doesn't
02:08just own companies. He owns entire slices of the American economy. Rumor says he can buy cities the
02:15way I buy coffee on discount day. Okay, fine, I mutter. I'm having a minor respectful disagreement
02:21with my fence. His mouth curves. Slow. Dangerous. Respectful? Calder, you just smacked it like it owed
02:31you rent. I blink. Wait, you know my name? He shifts just enough that the sunlight catches his eyes.
02:38A warm, smoky brown that should not belong to someone whose business history includes the words
02:43hostile takeover in both legal and illegal columns. I know all my neighbors' names. He pauses.
02:50But yours I learned on purpose. My heart stutters. Nope. Not letting this man scramble my brain today.
02:58I'm very memorable, I say. Mostly for things like violent fence maintenance. A soft laugh escapes him.
03:05Devilish. Smooth. Too intimate for someone I've only spoken to twice. Once when he moved in,
03:12and once when his mail got delivered to me by mistake, and I handed it back like it might explode.
03:18You need help, he says, not as a question. Nope. I'm good. I jab the board with stubborn optimism.
03:27The nail falls out and hits my shoe. He pushes off the column, strolling over like daylight exists
03:33purely for the privilege of lighting him. His presence pulls the air tight. Even the birds go quieter.
03:38Lane, he says when he reaches the fence line. Let me help.
03:44No, I say quickly. Because letting a mafia don fix my fence feels like step one in a lifetime contract
03:50I don't remember signing. No, he repeats, voice edged with disbelief wrapped in amusement.
03:56You're refusing me? Yep. I'm a rebel.
04:01He studies me for a long moment, and something shifts behind his eyes. Curiosity mixed with something
04:07I can't name. Something that feels like trouble wearing a suit. Then he leans an arm on the fence,
04:14his sleeve pushing up just enough to reveal a forearm that deserves its own national holiday.
04:18You look like you're one minute away from throwing this whole yard into traffic, he says. That's
04:25dramatic. That's accurate. I wipe sweat from my forehead with the back of my wrist. I've got it
04:32under control. Another nail falls out. He reaches into his pocket and holds up a small tool kit,
04:38like he just walks around with one, which, knowing him, might be true.
04:41Let me fix it. I narrow my eyes. Why do you care so much about my fence?
04:48He shrugs, and the motion is unfairly attractive. I like seeing things that don't work get put back
04:54together. I pause. That feels like a line that means more than it sounds like. And the way he says it,
05:02soft and quiet, like it wasn't meant to slip out, makes something warm coil low in my stomach.
05:07I take a slow breath. Fine. You can help. But no mafia techniques. His grin spreads,
05:15slow like honey melting under the sun. Define mafia techniques. You know, intimidation,
05:22bribery, making the fence disappear. Noted. He steps to my side, his proximity so close my pulse skips.
05:30Show me where you murdered the last nail. I glare at him. If you're going to be like this,
05:36go home. If I go home, he murmurs, voice dropping just a fraction, you'll miss me.
05:43I accidentally inhale my own existence. Confidence looks weird on you, I manage.
05:50Confidence looks good on everyone. He glances at me. But you wear it best.
05:56My brain turns into melted crayons. He crouches beside me, and I can't ignore the scent of him.
06:01Clean. Expensive. Sun-warmed. I try to focus, but his presence fills every inch of space like gravity
06:08adjusting around him. So what's the crisis today? He asks, examining the loose planks.
06:14What makes you think I'm in crisis? Because you're out here hammering rage into plywood before noon.
06:20Fair point. I swallow. My landlord's raising rent again. And my car battery died. And my boss thinks
06:28urgent means Lane can fix it even if she's drowning. And I'm tired. And broke. And this fence is the only
06:35thing I thought I could fix. He stops. Looks at me. Really looks. It's unsettling how gentle his gaze
06:43becomes, like he's peeling back the noise and seeing the part of me I don't show anyone.
06:47You deserve better than this, he says quietly. My throat tightens. I look away fast.
06:56Well, until Better shows up, the fence needs to stand. He stands too, stepping closer. Too close.
07:03His shadow drapes over me like warm armor. I can give you better. My heartbeat bumps against my ribs.
07:09That sounds like a threat. It's a promise. His tone is soft but solid. And I don't make promises lightly.
07:19Rafael. Relax, he says lightly, though his eyes don't match his tone. I'm not asking for anything.
07:27Good, I say quickly. Yet.
07:30My breath catches. He smirks, then bends to set the plank, his hand brushing mine. The contact feels
07:38like a live wire, sharp and warm and too intimate for daylight. I yank my hand back. Watch it.
07:46I am, he murmurs. That's the problem. I swallow again, and it feels like swallowing sunlight too fast.
07:53He finishes the repair efficiently, but he stays close even after. Too close. Like he's deciding
08:00something. Then he says,
08:02Your landlord. What's his name? I pull back instantly. Don't you dare.
08:09I wasn't going to kill him. That was incredibly specific.
08:14He smiles in a way that suggests he absolutely considered homicide.
08:18Lane, he says. You're not going to deal with this alone.
08:24I always deal with everything alone. Not anymore. That's not your decision.
08:30It is if someone's trying to take advantage of you. His jaw tightens. And he is.
08:36You don't know that. I know a leech when I see one. I cross my arms.
08:41You're being intense. I am intense. Point made. He leans in again, eyes on mine. Warm, but unyielding.
08:52You're not leaving my sight until this is handled. My pulse spikes. Excuse me? You heard me.
08:59That's not how normal neighbors work. I'm not a normal neighbor. Oh, I know. Before I can respond,
09:06he steps around the fence, opening my gate, like he owns the concept of gates, doors, and personal
09:11boundaries. Come inside, he says. What? Why? Because you look like you're about to fall apart.
09:19His voice softens. And I'm not letting you fall. I stand frozen, the sun bright, the yard quiet,
09:27my entire life pivoting on an afternoon I thought would be about wood and nails.
09:31This is the moment. The no return point. He looks back at me from the gate,
09:38the sunlight haloing him like trouble dressed in gold. Lane, my name in his mouth feels like a vow.
09:45Come with me. And I do.
09:48Raphael's house is the kind of place that belongs on magazine covers and billionaire daydream boards.
09:53Sunlight pours through everything, catching on polished floors and minimalist furniture that
09:58probably cost more than my entire student loan debt. The space is cool, calm, perfect.
10:05Meanwhile, I'm standing in the middle of it, sweating through my t-shirt like a stressed raccoon
10:09who wandered into a luxury hotel. Relax, Raphael says, noticing my stiff posture.
10:16He gestures toward the massive kitchen island. Sit.
10:19Sit. I'm not a dog. You're much prettier, he says, casual like he's commenting on the weather.
10:26Sit anyway. I hate that my knees consider obeying before my brain does, but I plant myself on the
10:32stool, chin up, pretending I'm not absolutely out of place. He opens the fridge. You eat?
10:40Raphael, you don't have to feed me. I'm not—he grabs a bottle of cold water and sets it in front of me.
10:44Drink. Still not a dog. Dogs don't argue this much. I take the water because my throat is dessert dry.
10:54Bossy. Accurate. He moves around his kitchen with effortless confidence, every motion smooth,
11:01controlled. I try not to stare. Fail. When he turns, he catches me, and that half-smile spreads again,
11:10the one that feels like a hand brushing the back of my neck.
11:15What? I ask. You look like you're waiting for permission to breathe. I'm waiting for you to
11:20stop looming. Not my fault I was built with range. I snort, nearly choking on the water.
11:27You're impossible. I'm patient, he says, leaning against the counter, which is why I haven't
11:34interrogated you yet. Oh, great. I love when interrogation is step two. His gaze sharpens.
11:42What's your landlord's deal? He's been pushing you for months? I hesitate. He steps closer,
11:49reading the hesitation like it's printed in neon. Lane. I exhale slowly. He knows I can't afford to
11:58move. He keeps raising rent because he thinks I won't fight it. Raphael's jaw flexes. He's extorting
12:05you. It's legal extortion. The worst kind. I can make it stop. No. I sit up straighter. We're not
12:15doing that. His expression stills, calculating and quiet. You think I'd hurt him? I think you could.
12:23Different question. He steps even closer, bracing a hand on the counter beside me.
12:29His presence is a low hum under my skin, alive and warm and entirely too much.
12:35If someone hurts you, he says softly, I don't sit still. I'm not hurt. You're stressed. You're tired.
12:44You're being cornered. His voice lowers. I protect what I care about. My pulse goes haywire. We barely
12:54know each other. I know enough. His eyes lock onto mine. You don't break easily, but you're bending,
13:02and I'm not losing sleep over some two-bit landlord making your life hell. I swallow around the knot in
13:07my chest. This man is dangerous in ways no gun could match. He brushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
13:13A gentle touch. Unexpected. Warm. Let me help.
13:19Rafael. He pulls back a breath. Fine. We'll do this your way. For now. I blink. Did... did you just
13:28compromise? Don't make a big deal out of it, he mutters. Noted. Don Vascari, champion of reasonable
13:35boundaries. He gives me a dry look. You're enjoying this? A little. His phone buzzes. He glances at it.
13:43Then at me. The shift in his expression, subtle but real, tells me it's important. What is it? I ask.
13:52A problem. He pockets the phone. It can wait. It doesn't sound like it. Don't worry about it.
14:00Rafael. He sighs. Begins pacing. Sunlight catching in the dark sweep of his hair.
14:06A rival family's been poking around my businesses. Daytime meetings. Broad daylight posturing.
14:11They're trying to test me without getting shot. Sounds stressful. It's annoying. He waves a hand.
14:19They want something to brag about. They won't get it. He says it so casually while wearing a t-shirt
14:25that costs more than my monthly rent, and somehow the daylight makes him even more intense,
14:30like danger dressed in sunshine.
14:32So you're in a turf war? I ask. We don't call it that anymore. His tone lightens.
14:41Now it's corporate tension with optional firearms. I raise a brow. You're joking?
14:46Yes. He pauses. Mostly. I pinch the bridge of my nose. I shouldn't be in your house, should I?
14:56Shouldn't the FBI, like, jump out from a potted plant or something? His mouth twitches.
15:01I don't keep FBI agents in planters. They're terrible with sunlight. I stare at him. Are you...
15:08laughing right now? You're dramatic. You're dangerous. And you're thirsty. Keep drinking.
15:14He slides the water bottle closer like we're negotiating a peace treaty.
15:19The banter eases something inside me, loosening the tight coil I didn't realize sat between my ribs.
15:25But then a knock echoes through the house. Loud. Assertive. The kind that screams business.
15:31Raphael stiffens instantly. He doesn't look scared. He looks annoyed. His annoyance could flatten cities.
15:37He glances at me. Stay here. Why? I need to handle something. I'm not... Lane.
15:44His voice drops firm. Stay. Something in the tone roots me to the stool. He walks toward the front door
15:51with lethal calm. Sunlight follows him like an obedient pet. I can't see who's there, but I hear
15:57the low rumble of male voices. Serious. Clipped. Raphael's tone is steady but sharp, like he's slicing
16:04through each sentence. Nothing escalates. No shouting. But the tension is thick enough that my shoulders
16:11tighten in sympathy. After a few minutes, the door shuts. Footsteps return. Raphael's expression is
16:18carved from stone. Everything okay? I ask quietly. Fine. Liar. He gives me an unimpressed look. They're pushing.
16:27They want me to react. To do what? Take a deal I'm not taking. His jaw tightens. And they're getting
16:35bold. I cross my arms. So danger is literally knocking on your front door? Language, he says.
16:44It's business. That's not business. That's intimidation wearing sunglasses. He huffs a quiet laugh.
16:52I forgot how dramatic you are. I'm dramatic because you dragged me into a mob negotiation by
16:58proximity. He steps closer. Close enough that I feel the warmth radiating off him. I didn't drag you
17:05into anything. You told me to follow you inside. You looked like you were about to collapse. I open my
17:12mouth. Close it. Damn him. He softens. Only a fraction. I'm not letting anything happen to you. Why?
17:22I whisper. His breath steadies. Shallow but warm. Brushing my cheek. Because I don't let go once I
17:29decide someone matters. My pulse skids. And you decided that about me? I don't decide these things.
17:38His eyes trace my face slowly, as if memorizing it. I realize them. A quiet, shaky breath escapes me.
17:47Raphael. He steps back abruptly, running a hand through his hair.
17:52That soft crack in his armor vanishes under a layer of control.
17:56We need air, he announces. We're indoors. Air exists here. Come on.
18:03He opens the back door, leading into a sprawling yard with a manicured garden that looks professionally
18:08pampered. Sunlight pours over everything, bright and clean. The moment I step outside, the weight in my
18:15chest eases. Raphael stands beside me, hands in his pockets, eyes scanning the horizon like it's part of
18:22his domain. You okay? I ask. I should be asking you that. You already have. He studies me for a long
18:31moment. Do you trust me? Define trust. That's a no. I didn't say that. You didn't need to. He moves
18:42closer, his arm brushing mine. The contact is brief, but enough to short-circuit my thoughts.
18:47I'm not used to people in my space, he says quietly. But you... don't feel like an intrusion.
18:56Warmth crawls up my spine. That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me. And the most honest.
19:04We stand in silence for a moment, the sun blazing above us, the world startlingly normal for two
19:11people who definitely shouldn't be standing this close. Then he turns toward me fully.
19:15I need you to stay here today. My eyebrows shoot up. Here? In your house? It's safer.
19:23For me or for your peace of mind? He doesn't answer. Which is an answer?
19:28Raphael, I can't just... You can, he says softly. And you will.
19:35Bossy again. Worried, he corrects. I look at him, really look at him, and the truth hits me like a warm
19:43wave. He's scared of losing control, not of the business situation. Of me. Of whatever is happening
19:49between us. I should leave, I say, but the words come out weak.
19:55No, he says, voice steady. Final.
19:59Stay. I don't belong in your world.
20:02You belong exactly where you are. His eyes hold mine. Right next to me. My heart stutters.
20:11You're trouble, I whisper. So are you, he murmurs, soft and warm and wrecking me.
20:18I've been fighting that since you moved in.
20:20I inhale shakily, the air hot and bright around us. Then he steps closer. Closer until the sun is the
20:28only witness to the moment he lets his guard slip just enough for me to see the man beneath the
20:32legend. This is the point where you should run, he says. Maybe I'm tired of running.
20:40His breath catches. And that's when his phone buzzes again, sharp and loud. He looks at the
20:46caller ID and his expression darkens. They escalated, he says. Escalated how? In daylight.
20:54He turns to me. Inside. Now. Rafael. It's not optional, Lane. Something in his voice sends a
21:03shiver through me. Protective, fierce, unmovable. I follow him inside, adrenaline spiking as sunlight
21:10streams across the polished floors. The world is shifting. Danger is approaching.
21:16Rafael is gearing up for something. And I'm already in deeper than I planned. But when he locks the door
21:22and turns back to me, eyes softening just for a breath, I know one thing with terrifying certainty.
21:29I'm not leaving him. Not now. Not ever. Rafael locks the back door. Then the side door. Then the front.
21:35Moving through the sunlit house with a quiet intensity that makes every hair on my arms rise.
21:40He isn't panicked. He's controlled. Focused. But that focus feels sharper now. Stretched thin over
21:48something dangerous. I hover by the kitchen island, gripping the edge so hard my knuckles ache.
21:55Rafael. What does escalated mean? He doesn't answer right away. He checks the window blinds.
22:02Adjusts the angle. Then steps back toward me with his jaw set.
22:05It means they're making moves they shouldn't. On my people. On my property. Property-like.
22:14He lifts his gaze to mine. Everything with my name on it. The way he says it, quiet and unyielding,
22:22makes a cold rush slide down my spine. And because I'm technically your neighbor?
22:26You're not involved, he cuts in. Not in their eyes. In yours? His throat works. In mine,
22:35you're the only thing I won't let them touch. My breath catches. Sharp. And too warm.
22:42Rafael. A distant engine rumbles in the street outside. Normal, probably. But it shakes something
22:49in him. He steps close enough that the sunlight behind him turns the edges of his hair gold.
22:53Lane, listen to me carefully. I'm going to ask you to trust me.
22:59You tell me scary things before you say that. Not ideal timing. I wouldn't ask if I had another
23:05choice. He reaches out slowly, giving me every chance to pull away. When I don't, his hand closes
23:12gently around my wrist. Warm and strong and grounding. I need you to stay close, he says.
23:18How close? He tugs just slightly, pulling me into his chest. Here works. My heart stumbles.
23:28This is... close. Exactly. I'm about to say something sarcastic to break the tension.
23:35Something about personal space or mafia clinginess. When a knock hits the front door. Three short taps.
23:42Calm. Too calm. Rafael's fingers tighten around mine. That's not my people.
23:48He murmurs. My stomach knots. Then who is it? Someone who wants to be seen. Is this another
23:56intimidation thing? His eyes stay locked on the door. Not for long. He turns to me. Stay behind me.
24:05Don't talk. Don't move unless I tell you. Normally, I'd argue. Loudly. But something in his voice,
24:13an iron edge under silk, silences me. He steps toward the door. Sunlight cuts across his shoulders,
24:21illuminating the tension in every line of his body. He opens it just enough to block the doorway
24:26with his frame. I inch closer. Still hidden behind the wall. Three men stand in the driveway. Bright
24:33daylight. No subtlety. They wear crisp shirts and smug expressions like they're posing for a stock photo
24:39titled, Corporate Crime, Day Edition. One of them, blonde, cocky smug, lifts his chin.
24:48Viscari. We came to talk. Rafael's voice slides into something colder. You already talked when you
24:55visited my house uninvited an hour ago. The blonde one shrugs. You didn't seem receptive. I'm not
25:02receptive now. The man leans on his car like he's at a neighborhood barbecue. We found something
25:09interesting. Someone interesting. Rafael goes still. Your neighbor, Blondie continues. Cute girl.
25:18Works a lot. Lives alone. Fixes her fence like it insulted her. I swallow hard. Rafael's tone drops
25:26lethal. Choose your next sentence very carefully. Oh, relax. Blondie waves a hand. We're only
25:33pointing out that if you don't want your territory touched, maybe you should keep track of what's
25:37sitting right at the edge of it. Rafael steps fully outside. Stay away from her. You're making
25:44this personal, the man taunts. It's just business. Rafael's voice cuts like sunlight through glass.
25:51You don't get to say her name. Ever. The man smirks. I didn't. But you just did. Rafael moves so fast I
26:01barely catch it. A step forward. A shift in weight. A threat in the air thick enough to taste.
26:08Blondie holds up his hands. Calm down. We're not here for violence. You're here to provoke it.
26:14We're here, Blondie says. Because you rejected our deal. Again. And daytime is the safest time to
26:21remind you we're serious. Rafael's jaw flexes once. A silent countdown. You get one warning. Leave.
26:30And if we don't? You'll leave less intact than you arrived. Blondie laughs once. Loud. Fake. Grating.
26:38You can't do daylight theatrics forever, Vascari. Rafael leans in. Not touching. Just close enough
26:46that the man steps back without meaning to. Daylight is my preferred arena, Rafael says softly.
26:52I want everyone to see who's still standing. The man's smirk cracks. A hairline fracture,
26:59but it's real. Then he nods to his guys. Let's go. For now. Rafael doesn't move until they're back in
27:06their car. Doesn't speak until the engine fades. Only then does he close the door and turn to me.
27:12I expect anger. Or fear. Or frustration. What I get is worse. Tenderness. You okay? He asks.
27:21My voice wobbles. I'm fine. You're shaking. I'm allowed. He steps forward, lifting my chin with a
27:30gentle fingertip. You're safe. You say that, I whisper. But I was just threatened over my
27:36fence. A ghost of a smile touches his lips. Your fence is terrifying. I'm not surprised it became
27:44a bargaining chip. A joke? Seriously? You respond better to humor than panic. He's right. I hate it.
27:54I take a breath, steadying myself. They were watching me, Rafael. I know. And they threatened me
28:02to get to you. I know. And you didn't warn me. His eyes soften, guilt threading through the edges.
28:10I didn't want to scare you unless I had to. Newsflash, I say, voice trembling. You had to.
28:18He runs a hand through his hair, pacing two short steps, sunlight carving an outline of tension around
28:23him. Lane, he says quietly. If anything happened to you because of me. It would ruin your business?
28:32I snap. It would ruin me. The words slam into my chest hard enough to steal breath.
28:39Rafael. He steps closer. Too close. His hand finds my waist. Warm, grounding. I don't care about the
28:49business. I care about you. I stare up at him, the world narrowing to the heat between us and the
28:56dangerous tenderness in his eyes. You're choosing me over your empire, I whisper. Empire's replaceable.
29:04His thumb brushes my hip. You're not. My heart flips, twists, catches fire. That's insane.
29:13Probably. He leans his forehead against mine. Tell me to stop and I will.
29:19I don't tell him to stop. Instead, I slide my hand up his chest, feeling the steady,
29:24controlled heartbeat beneath my palm. Rafael. What happens now? He exhales slowly.
29:32Now I put an end to this. No guns. No guns. He nods. Just words. Power. Public pressure.
29:42Public? I ask. Yes. His mouth curves faintly. They want daylight? Let's give them witnesses.
29:51Within minutes, he's dragging me outside, not violently, just with purpose, toward the bright
29:56front lawn. I blink. What are we doing? Resetting boundaries, he says. His men arrive. Black SUVs in
30:04perfect formation. But this time they stay at the curb, visible, casual, sunshine sparkling off
30:11polished paint. The rival men see it all. They watch Rafael step onto the driveway. They watch him pull
30:17me beside him. They watch him lace his fingers through mine. His voice is loud enough for the
30:23street. Anyone touches her, looks at her, mentions her. They deal with me directly. No exceptions.
30:29The neighborhood pauses. Lawn mowers hum. Dogs bark. The world tilts. Blondie swears under his
30:37breath. You're making a spectacle. I'm making a point, Rafael replies. This is reckless,
30:44Blondie hisses. This is permanent. Rafael squeezes my hand. Walk away. Blondie looks between us,
30:53calculates, backs down. We're done here, he mutters. Their car pulls away.
30:58I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Rafael turns to me, sunlight glinting off
31:04the quiet victory in his eyes. It's over. Is it? Yes. He steps closer. They won't touch you. Ever.
31:14My throat tightens. You really chose me. His hand cups my cheek, warm and sure. That wasn't a choice.
31:22That was inevitability. Something inside me melts at the edges. You ruin my life a little.
31:29You improve mine a lot. You're dramatic. You love it. I laugh. An actual laugh. And he smiles like
31:38he's waited months to hear it. Then, in full bright daylight, on a perfectly normal suburban driveway,
31:45with neighbors pretending not to spy from behind blinds, Rafael leans in. He kisses me. Slow.
31:52Intentional. Sun-warmed. Certain. The kind of kiss that rearranges your future without asking
32:00permission. When he finally pulls back, he murmurs against my lips. You staying? I press my forehead to
32:08his. Yeah, I'm staying. Good. He exhales. I'm done watching you from the porch. I smile. And I'm done
32:18fixing fences alone. His laugh rumbles low and warm. I'll fix every fence you ever break.
32:25I kiss him again, sunlight wrapping around us like a promise. Bright. Bold. Unavoidable. Our kind of
32:32dangerous beginning. If you loved this story, drop a comment below and tell me your favorite moment.
32:38Hit that like button if Rafael and Lane made your heart sprint. And make sure you subscribe so you never
32:43miss the next sunlit, slow-burn mafia romance. Your support keeps these stories coming.
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