A single droplet of rain rolling off his dark coat. Behind him stood two of his men. Luca Romano and Enzo Ricci. Both silent. Both watching.
No one spoke. Marco's eyes moved from Lisa's wrist to the man holding it. His expression didn't change, but something invisible in the room shifted. Like the air itself had learned fear. "Take your hand off her," Marco said quietly.
The man released her instantly, stumbling back. "Mr. Conti, this is... this is just a misunderstanding." Marco walked forward, calm, precise. "I'm sure it is." He glanced at the paper on the counter.
"You came here to get her to lie." "N-No, sir." We were just trying to "You were told to." Marco interrupted. "By Bennett."
The taller man's throat bobbed. "We're only following orders." Marco smiled slightly. The kind of smile that chilled blood. "So am I."
He nodded once. Marco moved before anyone could blink, stepping forward, his presence alone enough to make both men back toward the door. No one raised a hand. There was no shouting, no threats, just the heavy silence of power. "Out."
Marco said. They left, quickly. One tripped over the doorframe in his haste. When the door clicked shut again, the diner felt even smaller. Lisa stood frozen behind the counter.
Her pulse was wild. "You shouldn't have let them in." Marco said softly. Her eyes snapped up. ""I didn't know who they were."" He studied her, eyes dark under the diner's flickering light. ""Now you do."" She wanted to ask how he knew they were here, why he had keys, why he kept showing up right when things went wrong. But all that came out was, ""You had a key."" Marco's tone was calm. ""The owner owes me a favor.
This place stays safe because of that."" Her heartbeat quickened. ""So you... you control this place?"" "I protect it." he corrected. ""And the people who work in it."" Lisa crossed her arms, fighting the trembling in her hands. ""I don't need your protection."" He tilted his head slightly. ""You sure about that?"" She opened her mouth, but the words faltered. He wasn't wrong. Marco took a slow step closer, closing the distance between them until she could smell rain and clean cologne. ""You think I stepped in last night because I needed to prove something?" he asked quietly. "You were standing there shaking and nobody moved. Not one person.
That's why I got up." Her voice barely rose above a whisper. "You don't even know me." His eyes softened for the first time. "You'd be surprised."
She frowned. "What does that mean?" He didn't answer. Instead, he reached for her hand. The one still red from the man's grip and looked at the faint bruise forming there.
His thumb brushed over it gently. Lisa flinched at the contact, not because it hurt, but because it didn't. Marco's jaw tightened. "You live alone?" "Yes."
"Not anymore." Her brows drew together. "Excuse me?" He looked directly into her eyes. "You're staying somewhere else tonight."
She laughed nervously. "No, I'm not." "Yes," he said simply. "You are." Lisa stepped back.