Chapter 106: I’ll Take You Anywhere… As Long as You Never Leave

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"I’ve got a pretty serious issue to report here."

His mouth twitched then he chuckled. I went on, speaking to the grave as if Frederick could somehow hear me.

"He’s always following me around, insists on bringing a whole army whenever I leave the estate, and seems to think my personal space doesn’t exist."

Lorenzo crossed his arms. "I’m right here."

"Yes, and you’re part of the problem." He chuckled softly. I glanced back at the headstone. "Honestly, Frederick, you should’ve raised him better."

Lorenzo shook his head, looking amused. "My father had bigger issues to deal with."

"Like raising a son who believes he owns the entire world?"

"Something like that."

I crouched a bit closer to the grave, lowering my voice like it was a secret. "Could you please get him to apologize to me? I’m starting to think the guy has never even heard the word ’sorry’ sometimes."

Lorenzo placed a hand on my shoulder. "I’m sorry for hovering."

I looked up, and he had a smile on his face. "Did you just apologize only because I was talking to a dead man?"

"Seems your father-in-law has more sway over me than you do."

I shot him a look. "That’s really insulting."

"Would you like another apology?"

"Yes."

He leaned down a bit. "I’m sorry, my love."

I stared at him then shifted my gaze back to the grave. "Thanks, Frederick. Your help here means a lot."

Lorenzo chuckled softly, and I couldn’t help but smile, even with the heaviness in my heart. The humor faded as I settled back on my heels, looking at the headstone again.

"I really did like him," I admitted quietly.

Lorenzo’s expression softened. "I know."

"He was kind to me."

"He really liked you."

I swallowed hard. "I wish he could’ve seen things turn out differently...You know, to see his son kidnap me and all."

Lorenzo was silent for a moment before lowering himself next to me. "He would’ve been happy to see you still here."

I met his gaze. "You really think so?"

"Definitely." His eyes returned to the grave. "My father cared about family more than he let on. He could be tough, stubborn, and sometimes impossible, but he wanted us to have something worth protecting."

I looked down at the flowers. "He’d probably be really disappointed in the way you keep saying you’ll lock me up."

Lorenzo glanced at me. "I bet he would’ve had a few things to say."

"He’d probably tell you to stop being an idiot."

A quiet smile spread across his face. "He might...it would change a thing though."

I rested my hands on my knees, watching the leaves sway gently above us.

We sat in silence for a while. I thought back to Frederick’s last days, remembering how he often asked me to sit with him and how he sometimes looked at Lorenzo when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.

I remembered how he encouraged me to be patient, without ever demanding I forgive his son for his wrongs.

He knew Lorenzo better than I did. Maybe he understood that his son could love deeply yet struggle to let that person choose for themselves.

I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse.

Finally, Lorenzo stood and offered his hand. I took it, letting him pull me to my feet.

He brushed some dust off my sleeve, then looked toward the path back to the cars.

"Want to come to Paris with me?"

Eh? Come to...where now?

I blinked. "What?"

"Paris."

I stared at him. "I heard you. Just double-checking you haven’t suddenly started making random statements."

His face remained calm. "I have a business meeting there next week, and I’ll be there for a few days. Thought you might want to come as well."

I glanced at him, then back at the grave, then at him again. "P...Paris?"

"Yep."

"As in France?!"

His mouth curved into a smile. "Yes, love. France."

I continued to stare for another moment. "Are you fucking serious?!"

"Very."

My lips parted slightly.

Paris.

The city I’d dreamed about visiting for years, back when travel felt like something I’d do after graduation when I had a stable job and enough money to buy a ticket without stressing over rent. I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, stroll along the Seine, check out the museums, and enjoy pastries from little cafés while pretending I knew about fine art. I’d mentioned it once, months ago, during one of the rare times Lorenzo and I were just sitting together without arguing. I didn’t think he would remember.

"You’re really asking me to go with you?"

Lorenzo nodded, then tilted his head. As if trying to guage if my reaction was a positive one due to how baffled I was.

"Isn’t that one of the places you always wanted to go to? Or do you hate it now?"

I looked at him incredulously. "Why would I hate Paris?"

"Just wanted to check."

I laughed, excitement bubbling up inside me. "Dracula, I definitely want to go!"

His smile widened. "I thought you might."

I took a step closer. "Wait. You’re really taking me?"

"Yes, you’ve been in a surprisingly good behavior these past few weeks, so I suppose I should reward you." I said, "You can do whatever while I’m working. I’ll set up someone to show you around."

I gasped. "You’re going to let me explore Paris?!"

"With security, of course."

I groaned immediately. "Of course there’s security."

"Would you rather travel without it?"

I thought for a moment and then sighed. "No."

"Then we’ll make arrangements."

I stared at him, feeling a warm sensation spread through my chest.

Before I could even think about whether it was appropriate, I wrapped my arms around him, throwing my whole weight on him.

Lorenzo caught me easily, his hands on my back as I held him tightly. "Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!"

He laughed in surprise. "Alex—"

"Thank you so much!"

His arms tightened around me. "You’re welcome, tesoro."

"I’ve always wanted to go to Paris! I can’t even–!"

"I remember."

Something about that made my chest ache in a way I couldn’t quite put into words.

I hugged him again, even tighter this time, burying my face in his shoulder. "Thank you, Lorenzo."

He lowered his head and kissed my hair. "You don’t need to thank me."

"I really do. I’ll probably thank you about five hundred more times before we leave."

"I look forward to it."

I laughed against him. He held me quietly for a moment, one hand moving slowly on my back, while the other rested on my waist.

Then his voice turned softer. "I’ll take you anywhere you want to go, beautiful, as long as you stay with me."

I froze...those words were gentle, almost tender, but there was an unmistakable possessiveness beneath them.

Lorenzo had never been very good at separating love from the desire to keep me close.

Even when he offered me something I wanted, there was always that quiet reminder that he expected me to stay beside him.

But standing there under the trees with Frederick’s grave behind us, I couldn’t dismiss the warmth in his voice or the sincerity in how he held me.

I didn’t know if I could promise to stay with him forever. I wasn’t even sure what forever looked like for us. But for the first time in a long time, the idea of a future didn’t feel like a locked door.

I rested my cheek against his shoulder and enjoyed the moment.

"Paris first," I murmured.

Lorenzo chuckled. "Paris first."

"And I want to see everything."

"We’ll see as much as you want."

"And I want pastries, lots of them! Fucking barrels full of French pastries!"

"Of course."

He laughed and kissed my forehead. We stayed there for a while, holding each other in the cemetery’s quiet, while the guards kept their distance and the breeze stirred the leaves overhead.

I could still feel the fading mark on my neck, and I knew that when we returned to the estate, there’d still be security measures I didn’t understand, servants whose expressions made me uneasy, and questions about the people who’d tried to kill me.

The house was still filled with uncertainties.

There were still moments when Lorenzo’s affection scared me as much as it comforted me, and I hadn’t forgotten my own promises about freedom.

Yet, standing in his arms, thinking about the city I’d dreamed of visiting for years,

I felt something new settle in my chest.