Matteo

Adriana and I made our way down the coast toward Gabriel’s Beach House. Unlike the other Miami beaches that were packed with tourists and noise, this place was different. It was tucked away from the main strips, hidden behind tall palms and natural dunes that kept it invisible from the road.

You wouldn't know it existed unless someone told you about it; that was the whole point.

We drove one of our Jeeps, the tyres crunching over the sandy path that led to the entrance. Two guards stood at a gate that looked like it belonged to a military compound, not a beach.

They were armed and watching our approach with cold eyes, but the second they saw my face, their expressions shifted. They bowed their heads slightly, one of them pressing a button that made the gate slide open without a word.

The path opened up, and the beach house came into view. It was fucking magnificent. The structure sat right on the private stretch of beach, all white stone and massive glass windows that reflected the ocean.

It was two stories with wide balconies on both levels, palm trees surrounding it like sentries. This wasn't some rental property; this was Gabriel's sanctuary.

The exclusivity of it hit you immediately. There were no other houses in sight, no boats near the shore, nothing but pristine white sand and turquoise water. It was the kind of privacy that came with owning half the local government and knowing how to keep people out.

I parked the Jeep near the front and cut the engine. The sound of waves filled the silence.

Adriana stepped out, and I had to stop and look at her. She wore a red knitted cover-up dress that showed her red bikini underneath, the fabric clinging to her curves in all the right ways. Her long black hair was styled in a messy bun that framed her face perfectly, a few strands falling loose around her neck. She looked stunning, the kind of beautiful that made it hard to think straight.

"You look incredible, Princess," I said, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.

She smiled and walked over to me, placing a soft kiss on my cheek. "Thank you, Matteo."

I wrapped my arm around her waist as we headed toward the beach. I pulled out my phone to call Gabriel and let him know we'd arrived, but before I could dial, I saw something in the waves.

A little girl, no older than ten, was swimming out there alone. She was far from the shore, her small frame barely visible against the blue water.

"Matteo," Adriana said, and her voice was tight with worry.

She didn't wait for me to respond; she took off running toward the water. I followed, my heart picking up speed because that kid was too far out. But then the girl laughed, a bright sound that carried over the waves. She kicked back and dove under the water like she was playing a game, completely unbothered.

Adriana stopped at the edge of the water, her chest rising and falling fast. The girl surfaced again, and that's when I saw it, the resemblance. She looked exactly like Gabriel, same dark hair and, same sharp features. This was his daughter with Kiara.

"She's fine," I said, putting a hand on Adriana's shoulder. "That's Gabriel's kid."

Adriana let out a breath and nodded.

The girl finally spotted us and stopped playing. The ball she'd been kicking floated next to her, and she grabbed it, her entire demeanour changing in an instant. She stood in the shallow water now, her expression going blank, like she was putting on a mask. At ten years old, she already knew how to hide what she was feeling.

She walked toward us slowly, the ball tucked under one arm. When she got close enough, she dropped it in the sand and kept walking, not even looking back at us. Her wet hair hung down her back, and she moved with a confidence that didn't match her age.

"My mom and dad are inside," she said, her voice flat and adult. "I'll take you to them."

Adriana and I looked at each other, both of us caught off guard by how she was acting. The girl didn't wait for a response; she just started walking toward the house. We followed, our feet sinking slightly in the warm sand.

She introduced herself without turning around, like she was reciting lines she'd memorised. "I'm Sofia. Sofia Reyes."

"I'm Matteo," I said. "This is Adriana, my wife."

"Nice to meet you," Adriana added softly.

Sofia didn't acknowledge it; she just kept walking. Her small feet left prints in the sand, and she moved like she'd done this a hundred times before, leading strangers to her parents without question.

"What are you here for?" Sofia asked, still not looking back.

"Business," Adriana and I said at the same time.

Sofia nodded like she expected that answer. "You're probably here to convince my dad to join the war."

Adriana gasped, but I kept my face neutral. I just nodded even though she couldn't see me.

Sofia stopped walking for a second and turned her head slightly, not enough to look at us but enough that I could see her profile. "My dad's a pussy. He probably won't agree."

I blinked. This kid was ten, and she was already talking like she understood the game. Adriana looked shocked, but I had to respect it. Gabriel's daughter had guts.

"You shouldn't be swimming out there alone," Adriana said gently. "It's dangerous."

"I can handle myself," Sofia said and started walking again.

When we reached the steps to the beach house, Sofia stopped and finally turned to face us. Her expression was serious, too serious for a kid. "Don't tell my parents I was in the ocean."

"We won't," I said.

"Promise," Adriana added.

Before we could respond, the door opened and a woman stepped out. She was half dressed, wearing only a silk robe that barely covered her, and her hair was messy like she'd just rolled out of bed. She walked past us lazily, not even acknowledging our presence.

Adriana's face went white. That wasn't Kiara.

Sofia waved at the woman with a bright smile. "Bye, Vanessa."

"Bye, sweetheart," the woman said warmly, smiling at Sofia before disappearing down the path.