Chapter 49 Reassurance

• Alessia
• Luca carried me to the car without saying a word. His grip was firm yet gentle, a mix of reassurance and urgency that I wasn’t used to. I wanted to protest—I wasn’t some helpless damsel—but the way his arms enveloped me made me feel safe. For now, I let myself lean into his strength. The cool night air brushed against my skin, and I shivered, not from the chill, but from the lingering tension of the dinner at Madam Claudia’s mansion.
• The car ride home was quiet. Luca’s jaw was set, his eyes fixed on the road, and the air between us was thick with unspoken words. I glanced at him a few times, wondering if he’d say something about what had transpired, but he remained silent. It was only when we pulled up to the house that he finally spoke.