I had been her shadow for months now. Wherever she went, I followed. Whatever she did, I watched. It was my job—keep her safe, keep her close.

When her father, the infamous Don Salvatore, first assigned me to her, I thought it was just another gig. Protect the spoiled mafia princess, keep her out of trouble, and make sure no one got too close. But she wasn’t what I expected. Sure, she had that air of untouchable arrogance, but beneath it, there was something else—someone else.

We had started off barely tolerating each other. She didn’t like having a shadow, and I didn’t like playing babysitter. But over time, the lines blurred. We talked. We laughed. We found something that neither of us had expected—understanding.

This morning was no different. I stood at my usual post by the dining room door while she sat at the long, marble table, picking at her breakfast. The morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting a golden glow on the room. The house was silent except for the occasional clink of her fork against the plate.

"Sit down and eat with me," she said suddenly, her voice cutting through the quiet.

I remained where I was, arms crossed, scanning the room out of habit. "I'm in work mode."

She rolled her eyes, setting down her fork with a soft clatter. "And I’m your boss. I’m ordering you to sit and eat with me. What’s the worst that could happen in a house full of security?"

I sighed, hesitating for a moment before pushing off the doorframe. I pulled out the chair across from her and sat down, my eyes still flickering toward the windows, the doors, always alert.

She smirked, satisfied, and took another bite of her food.

I leaned forward slightly, meeting her gaze. "I love when you're so bossy."