Chapter 18: The Fortress of Glass and Shadow
The city of Milan began to fade behind them, its neon lights bleeding into a blur of frantic energy as the SUV surged onto the highway heading north toward the lake district. Inside the cabin, the atmosphere was stifling. The scent of the white lily from the apartment seemed to have clung to Élise's clothes, a floral ghost that taunted Adriano with every breath he took.
He sat rigidly, his gaze fixed on the rain-slicked road ahead, though it was clear his mind was miles away, or perhaps years in the past. His hand remained wrapped firmly around Élise's not a romantic gesture, but a tether. It was as if he feared that if he let go for even a second, the shadows of the city would reach into the car and snatch her away.
"Adriano," Élise whispered, her voice trembling as she finally found the courage to break the heavy silence. "You're hurting my hand."
He blinked, as if waking from a trance, and immediately loosened his grip. He didn't pull away, however. Instead, his fingers softened, tracing the delicate bones of her wrist. "Scusa," he muttered, his voice a low, jagged rasp. "I am... not myself."
"I saw the way you looked at him," she said, turning her head to study his sharp profile. The passing streetlights cast rhythmic shadows across his face, making him look like a man carved from obsidian. "And the way he looked at you. That wasn't just office rivalry. And it certainly wasn't about me. You two... you hate each other with a soul-deep conviction. Why did he say I was just another thing you have that he wants?"
Adriano's jaw tightened so hard a small muscle pulsed in his cheek. "Pedro is a man who defines his worth by what he can take from others. He doesn't create. He doesn't build. He simply waits for the moment of greatest vulnerability and strikes. He thinks that because we share a name, he is entitled to my life."
"He said you share blood," Élise pressed, her heart thumping. "Is he... is he really just a neighbor, Adriano? Or is he something more?"
Adriano turned his head then, his dark eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her feel exposed. For a moment, she thought he would tell her. She thought he would reveal the truth about the Moretti brothers. But then, the mask of the Ice CEO slid back into place colder and more impenetrable than before.
"He is a ghost of a life I no longer live," Adriano said flatly. "That is all you need to know."
"But Lucia..."
"Do not speak of her," he commanded, his voice rising in volume. "Lucia is part of the noise. She is part of the world that wants to dictate my choices. You asked me on the terrace why I brought you to Florence. I told you I wanted to see if you would say no. But the truth is, I brought you because you are the only person in my orbit who doesn't look at me and see a balance sheet or a legacy. You look at me and you see a man. Even if that man terrifies you."
Élise swallowed hard. "You do terrify me. Not because of your power, but because I don't know who I am to you. Am I an intern? A shield? Or just a way for you to win a war against your brother?"
The car slowed as they turned off the main road, winding through a dense forest of pines and chestnuts. The gates of the Moretti estate in Varese appeared like a dark iron silhouette against the moonlight. As they hissed open, the sheer scale of the property became clear. It wasn't just a house; it was a fortress of modern glass and ancient stone, perched on a cliff overlooking the dark, expansive waters of Lake Varese.
The driver stopped at the main entrance, a towering glass atrium. Adriano stepped out and walked around to her side, opening the door himself. He didn't wait for her to move; he reached in and lifted her out, his arms locking around her waist.
"Welcome to the cage, Élise," he whispered against her ear, his breath warm against her chilled skin.
He led her inside, the interior of the house a stark contrast to the historical palazzo in Florence. It was minimalist, cold, and masculine filled with sharp edges and vast windows that looked out into the black abyss of the lake.
"My staff has been dismissed for the evening," Adriano said, tossing his jacket onto a leather sofa. "We are alone. There are no cameras here that I do not control. No neighbors. No logistics managers."
Élise stood in the center of the massive living area, feeling small and utterly out of her element. "And Lucia? Does she have a key to this place too?"
Adriano walked over to a bar and poured two fingers of amber liquid into a crystal glass. He downed it in one go before turning to her. He walked toward her slowly, his footsteps silent on the polished concrete floor.
"Lucia has never been here," he said, stopping just inches from her. "No one comes here. This is where I go when I cannot stand the sound of my own name. And right now, it is the only place on earth where I can guarantee Pedro cannot reach you."
He reached out, his hand sliding into the hair at the nape of her neck, pulling her head back slightly so she had to look at him. The air between them was thick, charged with the kind of electricity that precedes a lightning strike.
"I know what you're thinking," he whispered, his gaze dropping to her lips. "You're thinking I'm no better than him. That I've kidnapped you. That I'm using my power to force you into a corner."
"Aren't you?" she breathed, her hands coming up to rest on his chest, feeling the frantic, heavy thud of his heart through his silk shirt.
"Maybe," he admitted, his voice dropping to a growl. "But I have spent ten years being the 'perfect' son. The perfect CEO. The perfect brother. I have followed every rule, signed every contract, and let everyone else decide who I am supposed to be. But when it comes to you... I find I have no interest in being perfect."
He leaned in, his lips hovering just a fraction of an inch from hers. "I am a selfish man, Élise. And I have decided that you are mine to protect. If that makes me a monster, then I will be the monster you need."
The tension snapped. He didn't wait for her permission; he claimed her mouth with a hunger that was raw and desperate. It wasn't the kiss of a boss or a gentleman; it was a declaration of war. Élise felt herself melting into him, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. For the first time, the "Silent Intern" didn't want to be quiet. She wanted to scream, to fight, to surrender.
But as the kiss deepened, a familiar ping sounded from the coffee table where she had set her phone.
Adriano pulled back, his eyes dark with a mixture of desire and fury. He reached for the phone before she could.
Pedro: Is the view of the lake as good as they say? Tell my brother that the roses in your apartment are starting to wilt. Just like his resolve. Don't fall asleep too deeply, Élise. The walls in that house have ears.
Adriano stared at the screen, his face contorting into a mask of pure, unadulterated rage. He didn't throw the phone. He didn't shout. He simply looked at Élise, and for a second, she saw the "Ice King" shatter.
"He is in your head," Adriano whispered, his voice trembling. "Even here. He is in your head."
"He's just a text, Adriano," she cried, reaching for the phone.
"No," Adriano said, pulling her back against him, his grip almost painful. "He is a ghost. And until I kill that ghost, you will never be safe."
He picked up his glass and shattered it against the stone fireplace, the sound echoing through the empty, glass-walled house like a gunshot.
"Go upstairs," he commanded, his back turned to her. "The third door on the right. Sleep. If you can."
As Élise fled up the stairs, she looked back one last time. Adriano was standing by the window, looking out at the dark lake, his reflection ghost-like against the glass. He looked like the most powerful man in the world, and the most alone.