The rain began to pour the exact moment the car doors clicked shut.

It wasn’t a gentle shower; it was a sudden, violent deluge that completely blanketed the Rome night, turning the windshield into an absolute sheet of water. The downpour was so blindingly heavy that Giovanni had to kill the engine before they even cleared the estate's main driveway. Driving in this visibility was impossible. They were trapped together in the tight, leather-scented sanctuary of the sports car.

Rosa sat pressed entirely against the passenger door, her breath fogging the window.

Giovanni sighed, the harsh tension in his shoulders dropping just a fraction. He reached across the console, his...