Chapter 5 The Den

Chapter Five

When Nico told me we were leaving Baltimore, I thought he was joking.

"You want me to pack up and go with you?" I asked, staring at him like he'd lost his mind.

"Yes," he said simply, not even looking up from his phone as he tapped out a text.

"And what if I say no?"

He set his phone down and fixed me with a look that was somehow both patient and terrifying. "Ava, if you stay here, you're a sitting duck. The Russos already know who you are. The Moretti estate is the safest place for you right now."

"The Moretti estate?" I echoed. "What even is that? Some kind of mafia fortress?"

His lips twitched, almost forming a smirk. "Something like that."

I crossed my arms, unwilling to back down. "I don't belong in your world, Nico. I'm not... equipped for whatever this is."

"Maybe not," he admitted, leaning back in his chair. "But you're in it now, whether you like it or not. The only question is how long you'll survive if you keep fighting me on this."

The weight of his words hung between us, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something I couldn't quite name in his eyes, fear, maybe even guilt.

I sighed, defeated. "Fine. But I'm not staying long."

By the time we pulled up to the Moretti estate, I felt like I'd entered another world.

The huge mansion loomed at the top of a hill, its stone façade glinting in the afternoon sun. Impeccably manicured gardens stretched out on either side of the long driveway, and a wrought iron gate stood open as if daring anyone foolish enough to approach uninvited.

"This is where you live?" I asked, my voice tinged with disbelief.

Nico glanced at me from the driver's seat, his lips curving into a faint smile. "It's home."

"More like a castle," I muttered, pressing my forehead against the window as I took it all in.

The car came to a stop in front of the grand entrance, and before I could unbuckle my seatbelt, a man in a sharp black suit opened my door.

"Ma'am," he said, his tone formal but not unfriendly.

"Uh, thanks," I mumbled, stepping out and glancing at Nico, who was already rounding the car to join me.

"Don't let them intimidate you," he said quietly, his hand brushing the small of my back as he guided me toward the massive double doors.

The moment we stepped inside, I felt the weight of a dozen eyes on me.

The interior of the estate was even more extravagant than the exterior, marble floors, glittering chandeliers, and walls adorned with expensive-looking artwork. But it wasn't the décor that caught my attention. It was the people.

A group of men stood near the staircase, their sharp suits and stern expressions making it clear they were more than just household staff. Their gazes lingered on me, assessing, judging, but none of them spoke.

"Who's this?" a sharp voice cut through the silence.

I turned to see a tall woman descending the staircase, her dark hair pulled back into a sleek bun and her eyes narrowing as they landed on me. She was beautiful in a cold, intimidating way, her presence commanding the room with effortless authority.

"Maria," Nico said, his tone carefully neutral.

"Don't 'Maria' me," she snapped, her heels clicking against the marble as she approached. "What is this?"

"She's my wife," Nico said calmly, slipping an arm around my waist.

The air in the room seemed to grow colder.

"Your wife?" Maria repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. Her gaze shifted to me, and I felt like I was being scrutinized under a microscope. "You've got to be kidding me."

"It's true," Nico said, his tone firm.

Maria folded her arms, her eyes narrowing further. "You expect me to believe you went to Vegas and just happened to come back married?"

"That's exactly what happened," Nico said smoothly, his grip on my waist tightening slightly.

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Maria let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."

"Maria, I didn't bring Ava here to explain myself to you," Nico said, his voice hardening. "She's part of this family now, and you'll treat her as such."

Maria's eyes flashed with anger, but she didn't argue. Instead, she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, muttering something under her breath in Italian.

I let out a shaky breath, my heart pounding in my chest. "That went well," I said, trying to inject some humor into my voice.

Nico gave me a small, reassuring smile. "Don't let her get to you. Maria's... protective of the family, but she'll come around."

I wasn't convinced.

The rest of the day was filled with introductions and subtle interrogations. Every member of the Moretti family seemed to have an opinion about me, and none of them were shy about voicing it.

"You're Ava?"

"Yes," I replied, shaking hands with a man Nico introduced as his cousin, Antonio.

"You don't look like the Vegas type," Antonio said, his tone more curious than cruel.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He chuckled. "Depends on how you take it."

Nico stayed close the entire time, his presence a steadying force even as I felt the weight of judgment from every corner of the room.

By the time we retreated to Nico's wing of the estate, I was utterly exhausted.

"You survived," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice as he closed the door behind us.

"Barely," I muttered, collapsing onto the plush sofa. "Your family hates me."

"They don't hate you," he said, sitting beside me. "They're just... cautious."

"Cautious?" I repeated, giving him a skeptical look. "That's one way to put it."

Nico sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The Morettis aren't like other families, Ava. Loyalty and trust mean everything here. They'll come around once they see you're not a threat."

"And if they don't?"

"They will," he said firmly. "Because I won't let them treat you any differently."

His words were reassuring, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was an outsider in a world I didn't belong to.

That night, as I lay in the massive guest room Nico had insisted I take, my mind raced with everything that had happened.

Maria's disdain, the quiet whispers, the weight of Nico's world pressing down on me, it was all too much.

I turned onto my side, staring at the unfamiliar shadows on the wall. The Moretti estate might have been a fortress, but it didn't feel like home.

And as much as Nico tried to protect me, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever truly be safe here.