~ Chapter 12 ~

The next morning, the aftermath of the masquerade still lingered like the faint smell of smoke after a fire. The safe house was quiet, save for the distant hum of the city waking up. Leo sat at the kitchen table, a fresh bandage wrapped around his shoulder where a bullet had grazed him the night before.

Seraphina stood by the counter, her hands wrapped around a mug of tea. She had barely slept, her thoughts replaying the chaos and danger of the previous night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Leo's blood-streaked shirt, his fierce determination as he fought to protect her.

"You're staring," Leo said without looking up from the map spread out before him.

She blinked, startled. "I wasn't."

He glanced at her, a smirk playing at his lips. "You were."

She sighed, setting her mug down and crossing the room to stand beside him. "You shouldn't joke about what happened. You could have been killed."

"I wasn't," he said simply, his tone calm but firm.

"That's not the point!" she snapped, surprising herself with the intensity of her voice. "You can't just throw yourself into danger like that and expect me to be okay with it."

Leo leaned back in his chair, his eyes locking onto hers. "This is who I am, Seraphina. Danger is my shadow—it's always there, whether you see it or not."

Her heart clenched at his words, but she refused to back down. "Then teach me how to live in your world. If I'm going to stay, I need to know how to survive."

He studied her for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. "You're serious about this."

"I am," she said firmly. "I can't keep pretending that I'm just a bystander in all of this."

Leo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But it won't be easy. And you might hate me for it."

"I'll take my chances," she replied, her voice steady.

True to his word, Leo didn't go easy on her. The courtyard of the safe house became their training ground, and Seraphina quickly learned that Leo was a relentless teacher.

He pushed her to her limits, forcing her to confront her fears and weaknesses. She learned how to disarm an attacker, how to fight back with whatever she had at her disposal, and how to stay calm under pressure.

"You're improving," Leo said one afternoon as she managed to land a solid punch against the training dummy.

"Thanks," she panted, wiping sweat from her brow.

"But you're still too predictable," he added, his tone blunt.

She shot him a glare. "You could just say 'good job,' you know."

He smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"

One evening, after a particularly grueling session, Seraphina found herself sitting on the edge of the courtyard fountain. The cool water soothed her aching hands, and she closed her eyes, letting the night air wash over her.

"You're tougher than I thought," Leo said, his voice breaking the silence.

She opened her eyes to find him standing a few feet away, his hands in his pockets.

"Thanks, I guess," she said, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

He sat down beside her, his expression unusually soft. "I mean it. You've surprised me."

"Is that a compliment?" she teased.

"Don't let it go to your head," he replied, though his smirk didn't quite reach his eyes.

They sat in silence for a moment, the tension between them replaced by a quiet understanding.

"Do you ever wish things were different?" she asked suddenly.

He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "All the time."

She looked down at the water, her reflection rippling in the moonlight. "Me too."

Their brief moment of peace was shattered the next morning when Matteo burst into the room, his face pale.

"We have a problem," he said, his voice tight.

"What now?" Leo asked, his tone sharp.

"The Valentis aren't waiting for us to make the next move," Matteo said. "They've taken over one of our warehouses. And they've sent a message."

He handed Leo a tablet, and Seraphina's stomach churned as she saw the image on the screen—a charred building with the Valentis' insignia painted across the rubble.

"They're escalating," Matteo continued. "This isn't just about territory anymore. They're coming for blood."

Leo's jaw tightened, his eyes dark with fury. "Then we give them what they want."

Matteo hesitated. "Leo—"

"No," Leo interrupted, his voice cold and commanding. "This ends now."

Seraphina watched him, her heart pounding. She had seen this side of him before—the ruthless, unyielding leader who would do whatever it took to protect what was his.

"Leo," she said quietly, stepping closer. "Be careful."

He turned to her, his expression softening just enough to show the man beneath the armor. "I always am."

But as he strode out of the room, she couldn't shake the feeling that this time, the stakes were higher than ever. And as the shadows of war loomed over them, she realized that the line between love and destruction was thinner than she had ever imagined.

To Be Continued..