Alessio closed the register drawer with a firm clack that echoed through the empty shop like the final note of a funeral march. Enzo was already perched on the counter again like it was his personal catwalk throne, legs crossed at the ankle, one designer sneaker dangling lazily. He swirled his espresso in its tiny cup as though it were…
The espresso cup clicked softly on the counter as Enzo set it down, his back still to Alessio, shoulders squared like he was bracing for impact. “She’ll shake things up,” he said quietly. “God knows this place needs it.” Alessio was quiet. His gaze was fixed on the screen, but he wasn’t reading anymore. Just staring—at her name glowing in…
The late afternoon light slanted through the large windows of the gelato shop, casting quiet golden shadows across the freshly painted pastel tiles. The hum of the fridge vibrated in the stillness, and the scent of caramel and citrus floated in the air sweet, warm, like the memory of something long gone but not quite faded. Alessio stood behind the…
The late afternoon sun hung low over the rooftop pool, casting a molten gold sheen across the water that did little to warm the chill seeping into Luna's bones. She perched on the edge, legs submerged to the calves, the chlorine stinging her skin like a faint echo of old wounds sharp, persistent, impossible to ignore. Her phone balanced precariously…