Lahat ng Kabanata ng Under his protection : Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 6

AriaToday is officially one of the worst days I’ve had in a long time.My alarm didn’t go off, which means I woke up late, which means I started the day already drowning in panic. Yes, it’s my library and technically I can stroll in at whatever hour I feel like… but I like opening early. It just feels right. And with Lola on maternity leave, mornings are on me.To make matters worse, the coffee shop where I usually get my fix went out of business last week. Without warning or notice.Now almost running, as I make my way to the library and find Carlos already by the steps waiting for me. Which is terrifying, because Carlos is never early.“Hello ma’am,” Carlos chimes with a knowing grin.“Oh please,” I groan. “You’re early one time.”He lifts his hands in mock innocence. “I didn’t say anything.”I roll my eyes and unlock the door.The library is like a second home. When I was a kid I lived for the quiet, the smell of old paper and afternoons lost in fiction. This is probably why I had

DanteI stepped out of the room and decided to leave it unlocked. It is not like she could go anywhere. She wouldn’t make it past the hallway let alone the property. I gave a slight nod toward Carlos who stood right outside her door before heading to my office.The pickup was supposed to be a simple grab and ditch operation, but those two idiots somehow messed it up. Victor ended up with a broken nose and she came in with scraped knees and tears in her sweater. They are lucky I have other things to worry about or I would have blown their kneecaps off for putting a mark on her.This entire Aria situation felt like nothing but a distraction and a complete waste of my time. I did not know who she was or why she mattered but the Don’s last order… His dying wish was to find her and protect her.Protect her from what? None of it made sense. I have no idea. From her file she did not seem to be in any danger. She was a quiet librarian with a dead-end routine and no ties to any crime family

AriaThe longer I stayed trapped in that room, the more restless I became. The walls felt like they were inching closer every second. I needed air. I needed space. I needed a plan.I paced until my legs ached, replaying every word the Don had said, every rule Adriano had mentioned. Nothing added up. Protect me from what? Why me? The questions clawed at my mind until I could barely sit still.By the time dinner rolled around, I was exhausted from doing nothing. When the clock finally struck seven, I slipped out of my room and headed toward the dining area, following the path I remembered from the tour.He was already there.The Don sat at the head of the table, posture rigid, sleeves rolled just enough to reveal strong forearms. The food was laid out, untouched, and the table was set for two.I hesitated at the entrance.“Are you planning on standing there all night, Miss Russo,” he said without looking up, “or are you going to sit.”His voice startled me despite myself. I walked close