Then he gently pried her hand free and pressed her knuckles to his mouth. Not a kiss. Not exactly. Just a touch. A claim.
"Stay." He repeated, voice low. He turned and walked down the hall with slow, measured steps that told her he was already calculating a dozen outcomes. Lisa stood there, pulse racing, every nerve awake. She heard the front door open.
Muffled voices. Luca's voice first, low. ""Boss, we've got a problem."" ""Marco."" ""Tell me."" "Luca." ""Bennett went public."" "He's putting out a statement at noon." "He's telling press his daughter was assaulted." ""He named Lisa."" Her blood ran cold. "Named?" "Full name."
"Out loud." Lisa pressed a hand to her chest and felt her own heartbeat under her palm. Luca kept talking, voice tighter now. "He's calling her unstable." "He's saying she's been harassing his family for weeks."
"He's painting you like you're using her to go after a minor." Marco didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice was calm, controlled, lethal. ""Okay."" He said softly. "Then we're done playing nice." Lisa swallowed hard.
Luca lowered his voice. ""You want me to leak it?"" "Leak what? Leak what?" ""Marco."" ""Not yet."" "But get everything ready. Every clip, every screenshot, every timestamp." "If Bennett wants a war in public, I'll give him a war in public." Lisa's breath hitched.
A long silence followed. She didn't hear all of what Luca said next, just words like press, social, and governor's office. Then she heard Luca ask something that made her heart slam against her ribs. ""What about the girl?"" Luca said. "You want her moved or you keeping her here?" ""Keeping her here."" Her stomach flipped. Marco didn't hesitate. ""She stays with me."" Lisa felt heat rush to her face.
Luca let out a low sound that might have been a laugh. "Boss." ""What?"" "You know what." A pause, then Luca, in a lower tone, "Just saying I've known you a long time. I've never heard you sound like this over anybody." Silence.
Lisa held her breath. When Marco finally answered, his voice had that calm steel again. "Luca." "Yeah?" "From now on," Marco said, "everyone in this building understands something very clearly.
Which is if anyone so much as looks at Lisa Smith like she's a problem instead of a priority, they don't work for me anymore." Lisa's lungs forgot how to work for a full second. Priority. He called me a priority. Her heart thudded so hard she had to brace herself on the counter.
The conversation at the door quieted. Boots moved. The lock clicked again. The silence in the penthouse dropped back down around her, heavy and private. A moment later, Marco returned to the kitchen.
He looked different now. Not physically, same rolled sleeves, same loosened tie. But there was something in his eyes that hadn't been there 20 minutes ago. It wasn't softness or warmth. It was decision.
He walked straight up to her. Close. Closer than before. Close enough that she had to tilt her chin up to meet his eyes. "Pack a small bag," he said.
Her brows pulled. "For what?" "We're going out," he said. Her stomach tightened. "Out where?"