Chapter 8 - The Ride to the Creek|
By the following weekend, the atmosphere around the Moretti estate had changed dramatically.
Heavy iron gates were fortified, security patrols were doubled, and Vanessa’s name was never spoken aloud again.
Despite the looming tension, Luca made sure that his promises to his daughter were not forgotten.
On Saturday morning, the autumn sun broke through the clouds, painting the surrounding oak trees in vibrant shades of gold and amber.
Ava came running down the stone stairs dressed in her riding boots, wearing a bright smile I had never seen before.
"Miss Rachel, Daddy said you have to come with us to the creek!" she yelled excitedly, bouncing on her toes.
I paused while arranging fresh flowers on the foyer table, looking surprised.
"Sweetheart, I don't even know how to ride a horse," I said with a laugh.
"You don't have to ride," Luca’s deep voice echoed from the hallway as he stepped into the foyer.
He wore casual denim jeans, riding boots, and a rugged brown leather jacket over an open-collared shirt.
He looked less like a feared mafia boss and more like a devoted father ready for a family outing.
"Graham has prepped the off-road utility vehicle," Luca explained, tossing me a pair of keys.
"You can drive the trail behind us and bring the picnic basket Ava spent two hours packing."
Within half an hour, we were moving down the winding forest trails behind the sprawling estate.
Luca rode a majestic black Friesian stallion, while Ava proudly rode alongside him on Copper.
The old gelding moved with steady, deliberate steps, his crooked ear swiveling back and forth to catch every word Ava whispered to him.
Watching them from the utility vehicle, I felt an unfamiliar warmth spreading through my chest.
For months, I had seen this estate as a gilded cage filled with cold, calculating shadows.
Now, watching the little girl laugh as Copper stopped to grab a mouthful of yellow leaves, the house finally felt like a home.
We arrived at a peaceful clearing where a crystal-clear creek bubbled over smooth river stones.
Luca dismounted effortlessly, then walked over to Copper to help Ava down from her saddle.
Ava immediately ran toward the water, skipping flat stones across the rippling surface.
"She hasn't smiled like this since before Caroline died," Luca said, walking over to where I was setting out the picnic blanket.
He bent down to help me spread the heavy wool blanket across the dry grass.
"She loves you, Mr. Moretti," I said, looking up into his warm brown eyes.
"All she ever needed was to know that you still remembered."
Luca sat down on the edge of the blanket, watching his daughter with profound tenderness.
"I was so consumed with protecting her from my enemies that I forgot to protect her heart," he admitted quietly.
"If you hadn't carried that halter into the dining room, I would have married the woman who murdered her mother."
He turned to look at me, his gaze so intense and intimate that my breath caught in my throat.
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"You saved both of our lives that night, Rachel."
Before I could answer, a sudden rustle in the dense brush across the creek shattered the peaceful afternoon.
