Chapter 36: Gone mad in love!

Santino entered the dining room to eat something before going to his bedroom, pulling off his suit blazer when he saw Soraya.

She was still sitting at the dining table. The dinner the maid had brought hours ago remained untouched under silver covers. She had leaned back in her chair, her dark eyes following him as he entered the room.

"Why haven’t you eaten?" Santino asked. He placed his blazer over a chair. "I told the staff not to make you wait for me."

Soraya didn’t look away. Her eyes moved over his face, taking in his tired expression and the way he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt.

"Where were you?" she asked softly. "I waited because... I didn’t want to eat alone."

Santino paused, surprised by her answer. He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down, leaving no space between them.

"I was handling a business," he said, leaning closer. His cologne filled her senses as he gently moved a strand of hair away from her face. His thumb brushed her cheek before he pulled his hand back.

Soraya’s breath caught at his sudden touch. She looked into his dark eyes, trying to ignore how close he was.

"I... I waited for you because I wanted something to say," Soraya stammered as she could barely talk. "But you have been gone for too long."

His expression changed. He took her hand in his, holding it gently before bringing her knuckles to his lips.

"If my absence worries you that much, Sora, just tell me to stay." His eyes held hers. "I’ll never leave that door if you want me to."

Her heart beat faster. She wanted to believe him, but she also knew what kind of world he lived in. She gathered the least bit of courage and said.

"From tomorrow onward, don’t follow me," she whispered, tightening her fingers around his hand. "I want to work at the bakery and learn to stand on my own feet. I need to know I can do things without having you watch over me all the time."

Santino leaned closer until his forehead rested against hers. His thumb moved gently over the back of her hand.

"Okay," he whispered. "I won’t follow you."

Soraya closed her eyes, her cheeks growing warm. She had expected him to argue, but instead, he held her hand as if he didn’t want to let go.

She knew she shouldn’t trust his easy agreement so quickly, yet she couldn’t bring herself to move away from him.

While Santino had already made up his mind. He would never leave her unprotected, especially with the Spanish Syndicate still a threat. If she didn’t want his car outside the bakery, he would find another way to keep her safe.

He would make sure she never saw him watching, but he would always know she was safe.

"Let’s have dinner first," he said as he pulled away.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next morning, Soraya had gone to the bakery without anyone following her, but she didn’t know that someone was always keeping an eye on her.

Across the street from La Dolce, Santino stood behind a large one-way glass window on the second floor of a brick building with binoculars in his hands.

From outside, the window looked dark, but from inside, he had a clear view of the bakery’s entrance and front windows.

He had rented the entire floor that morning in just three hours.

The bakery had just opened, and a line of men was already waiting outside. Soraya stood behind the counter in a white apron over her dark sweater, her hair tied in a loose bun. She smiled as she handed customers their coffee and paper bags. Even from across the street, Santino could see her laughing with them.

His grip tightened around the window frame.

Every time a male customer stayed at the counter a little too long or smiled at Soraya while taking his change, Santino felt jealous. His jaw tightened as he watched her give those men the warm smiles she rarely gave him.

Annoyed by the noise from the street he lowered the binoculars, and took two wireless earbuds from his pocket and put them in his ears.

Leo, who was setting up a laptop on the table, looked up at him in confusion. "Are you listening to music now?" Leo asked, raising his voice so Santino could hear him.

Santino didn’t turn around. "Mind your own business," he replied coldly. "Now shut up and check the port feeds."

Before Leo could answer, the office door swung open. Marco walked in and looked around at the empty walls and bare concrete floor. Then he spotted Santino standing by the window, watching the bakery below.

Marco stared at him in disbelief.

"What are you even doing?" he asked, pointing his index finger at him. "Have you lost your mind? You rented an entire floor just to watch a bakery? We have a syndicate war coming at Coast Ridge, Boss!"

Santino slowly turned his head and pulled one earbud out. His dark eyes narrowed at him. "Watch your tongue, Marco," he warned. "I’m handling the port situation. Franco’s men are watching Enzo as we speak. Me being here changes nothing."

"It changes everything!" Marco shot back. "You’re acting like a teenager following his crush. She’s working at a bakery, and you’re spending millions just to watch her sell croissants!"

"Get out," Santino growled, pointing toward the door. "Get out before I throw you through that window."

Marco let out a disbelieving laugh and shook his head as he turned to leave.

"This man has gone mad in love!" he shouted as he walked into the hallway. "Completely out of his damn mind!"

Santino ignored him and put the earbud back in. He turned toward the window again with binoculars, his eyes quickly finding Soraya behind the counter.

She was smiling at another customer, completely unaware that the most dangerous man in Italy was watching her from across the street.