I frown, hearing Pedro telling me about the call and my jaws clench tight as I know a call from Italy is not a piece of good news.

I've left Mario in charge and specifically instructed him not to call unless it was an emergency.

This call means an emergency. This call means things are going bad back home. I know Mario and I trust him with my life.

I throw a cover over Eve's naked goddess body while she's already piercing me with her green eyes, gauging in surprise and alarmed by my rough tone.

God, she's sweet!

I hardly rip my eyes from her and wrap a towel around my waist, my brain already knitting plans. Plans to put Eve in a safe place. Plans to get back to Napoli as soon as possible. Shit is hitting the fan over there.

Cracking the door, I take the phone from Pedro and give him instructions to turn the yacht back into the port.

"Siamo tornando, Pedro. Presto!" I tell the old man who nods and rushes back to complete my orders. (We're going back, Pedro. Fast!)

"Parlarmi!" I bark in the phone, walking out on the small patio of the cabin while I catch Eve from the corner of my eyes pulling the covers tighter around herself and her stare darkens in worry. (Talk to me).

I know she understands more than one would believe, and I really don't want her to witness me lashing at my men.

Well, at least not yet. She's her father's daughter, she knows who we are, and she can read on our faces better than a fucking fortune-teller.

My mind starts building plans of keeping her away from the mess of Italy, and having this call right now almost makes me happy that Lucas hasn't agreed with her traveling.

Most probably I'm going to have to let some of my guys behind to keep her safe, whether she likes it or not. Lucas will understand for sure, especially that now he's not on very good terms with his daughter.

He used to insanely increase the security of their house when the situation requested it, and both she and her mother could not go out unless they were having Mike and Lucas' hitmen around.

Sometimes there were months they would stay put and on high alert. The good part was that back then Eve was just a child and easily kept under control.

But now, Eve that I'm discovering is ready to grab a gun and shoot, shoulder to shoulder with her father, which is not exactly a bad thing but at the same time, it means that she can't be controlled, and if I'm not sure I have her safe... well... hell will reign the earth and I'll be the ruler.

I glare at her through the glass walls and she looks scared, staring at me in expectation and I hate that look in her eyes. She should fear nothing. She should never have to fear.

I hate it but I have to leave her behind this time.

"Chi cazzo era responsabile della sicurezza?" I'm asking Mario on the phone, pacing around the deck and running a hand through my hair. (Who the fuck handled security?)

"Eravamo tutti pronti ma loro erano tre volte più di noi. Sono sicuro che abbiamo una talpa," he says. "Torneranno, Enzo." (We were all ready, but they were three times more than us. I'm sure we have a mole). (They'll come back, Enzo).

"Cazzo!" I hiss before I take another look at my Eve. (Fuck).

She keeps staring at me and the only thing I feel to do now is to grab her and run away, like a beast with its prey, leaving all behind.

"Domani arriverò a Napoli," I reply shortly and hang up. (Tomorrow I'm arriving in Napoli).

I get back in and don't stop till I swallow Eve into a strong hug, hiding her tiny frame between my arms.

She jumps out of her skin when her phone rings and she grabs it, her face turning white seeing the caller. I can read in her eyes she knows things have gone downhill and danger is coming.

"Enzo, it's dad," she mumbles.

"Don't answer that," I tell her and dial Lucas' number from my phone while hers stops.

"Lucas," I say when he picks up. "I know. I have someone taking her back to NY right now. She's on the way. I'll bring her home," I assure him while dressing up my pants under her frozen stare.

I hang up with Lucas and shove the phone into the pocket of my pants, sitting on the bed and pulling Eve on my lap, grabbing her head with both hands and holding her still, with her face inches away from mine.

My eyes wander all over her face as if I want to engrave in my brain every curve, every line of her beautiful face, every imperfection that's so perfect to me.

"Baby, I have to go back to Napoli. I'll take you home and you'll stay with your parents till I'm back," I tell her, praying to all gods that she'll not get stubborn on me now.

I pull her to my chest, squeezing her tight, sniffing her scent deep into my lungs.

"Enzo... what's going on?" she whispers. "You're scaring me."

"I'm sorry, love. There is nothing to fear. You'll stay with Lucas. Nothing can happen to you as long as you listen to your father. Do you understand? Now, I know you are angry with your dad, but..."

"I'm not scared for me, Enzo. I'm scared for you," she replies and pins her hands in my chest, pushing herself away to have a good look into my eyes.

"Don't. I'll be fine. I promise. I'll come back to you," I try to convince her in a deep and determined tone, but the truth is told, I have no fucking idea when or how this will end.

"Enzo... " she whimpers and lifts her hand to my face.

"I'll come back to you, Eve. Don't you ever doubt that! I just need you to stay put, no matter what. Do you understand?" I speak again with a heavy tone.

I can tell she's trying to fight back the tears forming in her eyes, but they stubbornly roll down her cheeks and she delays her answer.

Oh, I know what that means. It means my little vixen is trying to play smart on me.

"Do you fucking understand me, Eveline?!" I bark at her, squeezing the grip on her head even harder, and she nods a few times in agreement.

I wipe her tears with my thumbs and press my lips on hers, kissing her deeply and hardly as if it's the last time. And that thought sends cold shivers down my spine.

"Come on, baby. Get dressed," I tell her, forcefully pulling myself from our kiss and she stands up, putting on her clothes and stuffing the rest in the bag.

When we are ready, I grab her hand and we both get out on the deck, waiting to reach the port.

I wrap my arms around her, pressing my chest on her back and my right palm on her navel till I feel her butt crushing my bulge and her head leaning back on my shoulder.

The soft skin of her neck just below her earlobe lures me and I land my lips there, inhaling the smell of her skin all the way down to the pit of my lungs.

"Is it war?" she asks while I peck kisses on her temple.

"I hope not," I reply.

"Is dad involved?"

"Eve... stay out of it," I warn her in a deep tone.

Her questions are already worrying me.

"I can't, Enzo. I have my two most important men in my life involved in it," she replies, and I turn her around to face me.

Her glazing eyes are flickering with sadness and piercing deeply into mine. She places me next to Lucas, I'm equally important to her as her father is and that can be read all over her face.

"Am I that important?" I ask her trying a smile, hoping it isn't just my imagination.

"I need you to come back to me in one piece, Enzo," she orders, and I see her eyes pooling in tears again and lips trembling, unable to hold back her cries anymore.

"Eve, I'm falling for you, and I'm not done yet. Don't you ever think for a minute that I'll give up just when I know there is a woman like you waiting for me!" I bluntly say and I don't care how truly open I am or if she even shares that feeling or not.

I pull her head towards me, losing myself in a painful kiss that I'm sure brought blood on her lips because I've tasted iron.

The yacht stops in the port, and I pick up the bags with one hand and Eve's hand with the other, getting off the deck and rushing our steps towards the car.

I open the passenger door for her, and once she gets in I bend and fasten her seatbelt.

She grabs my head and kisses me again while I inhale loudly the air around us through my arched nostrils and sniff her scent, pressing that kiss wildly on her mouth and making her moan.

She needs to stop this! With each of her kisses, my heart feels heavier, and I'm more tempted to leave that fucking shit of Italy behind.

"I won't be able to do that once we are home," she explains herself with a naughty smile once our kiss is done.

I choose not to reply but kiss her forehead and close the door, running around the car and burning the engine once I get in, taking off with a wheels' screech.

My phone rings and I rush to pick it up through the car's Bluetooth when I see papa's name on the screen.

"Ciao, Papa," I tell him, gripping the wheel as I speed on the streets of NY. (Hi, Dad).

"Enzo, where are you?" his voice bellows.

"On the way to Lucas. I'm taking Eve to their place," I reply, and there are a few moments of silence from his side, probably wondering why Eve is with me.

"Ciao, grandpa Marce," Eve says and I squeeze her hand tighter. (Hi).

"Eve, pumpkin, everything alright with you?" he asks with tension in his voice.

"Si, grandpa Marce," she replies, and my eyes shift to her in question. (Yes).

Shit, she speaks Italian?! She winks back at me with a smile.

"He loves that," she mouths to me, and I smile, shaking my head and shifting my eyes to the road again. My girl is full of surprises.

"Enzo, I'll meet you at the airport. I have the jet ready. I'm coming with you, figlio," he continues. (Son).

"Certo, Papa. I'll drop Eve and be on my way." (Sure, Dad).

"Lucas wants to come," he says.

"Il cazzo che vuole! He'll stay here with the girls! I'll talk to him, don't worry. See you at the airport, Papa," I cut the conversation short and hang up. (The fuck he wants!).

"He won't stay here," I hear Eve mumble, staring out the window.

"What?"

"My father," she speaks up, turning her eyes to me. "He won't stay here. I know him."

"Well, we'll see about that, amore," I reply. (Love).

I'm going to shove my gun into his mouth this time and make him stay. I'm leaving Eve behind, and I don't trust anyone else to take care of her but him.

We soon reach their mansion and I park my car in front. As soon as the engine is off I get down, fetch her bag from the trunk and pull Eve out of the car, walking together towards the front door and hugging her sideways, planting a kiss on the temple.

"Stop tempting me," she whispers, and I squeeze a good chunk of her butt as a reply.

She enters first, and I follow her, dropping her bag at the door.

"Mamma!" she calls, and I see Becks showing up from the living room, face washed in tears as she runs and pulls Eve into a hug, freely releasing her sobs.

I walk towards them and wrap my arms around both, planting a kiss on Becks' temple, giving them time to hug before I find out why is she crying.

"What's going on, Becks?" I ask her calmly.

"Lucas. He's packing," she sobs.

"Fucking shit, he does!" I say, still casual on the outside but burning like flames of hell on the inside, making my way to Lucas' office with Eve and Becks on my heels.

"Lucas, you're staying here," I order him in the same deadly calm voice once I'm in the office, and I can see him preparing his gun.

"Enzo, good you're here," he ignores me. "Pumpkin," he says and walks towards his daughter, pulling her in a warm hug.

"Dad," she whispers a greeting.

"Lucas, we need you here. Papa is coming with me, and we have enough men over there. You'll have to stay here with the girls. Genny is coming, too. They all need you here," I try to explain to him the fucking reality that he knows very well. (Dad).

"I'm not a pussy, Benito," he replies, still inspecting his gun.

I want to tell him I would never give my girl, the most precious thing in my life, to anyone else but him.

I refrain, though. It's not the time.

I grab his shoulders, forcing him to look at me and stop whatever the fuck he is doing.

"Lucas, listen to me! THIS is my fight!" I hiss, staring deeply into his blue eyes that change colors in all the known and unknown stormy shades.

"You're family, Benito!" he shouts back at me. "They'll come for all of us soon. You know that. They have been boiling this for years and they won't stop now," he keeps shouting back at me.

"I know. That's why I'm going to stop them there. The girls need you here, Lucas. I need you here."

He frowns back at me and stares for a few moments. I can almost see the wheels in his head working and at this moment I'm willing to tell him about me and Eve right here and now if that's what it takes.

He would hate me strong enough to let me go alone, hoping I won't come back.

We keep staring at each other and I can clearly see he has questions rolling in his head and I have a hunch what he's thinking about but no, it's not about Becks and he should fucking know it after so many years.

"Girls, pack your things. We're going to the island," he finally says, still staring into my eyes.

"Thanks, brother," I tell him, and he pulls me in a strong hug.

"Watch yourself out over there," he tells me.

"I will," I reply and twist on my heels towards the exit while a sobbing Becks runs to her husband ignoring everyone and everything around her.

I wrap an arm around Eve's waist and press a lingering kiss on her forehead while my eyes and Becks' eyes lock in a stare that speaks volumes while she's glaring at me over Lucas' shoulder.

She looks worried and intentionally I don't break that eye contact even if the world burns down.

She knows, she has read it Eve's eyes and in my kiss. I can tell she knows. And I have no problem with it.

I feel Eve curling her arms around me the moment my lips touch her skin.

"Ti amo, Eve," I whisper into her ear and pull myself away when I feel her body tense at my words, and I run. (I love you).

I run out of the office and out of the house before I change my mind and fetch her with me.

*****
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