"That girl is a liability," he said, more firmly this time. "Unpredictable. Disrespectful. Reckless." A heartbeat passed. "She just stabbed me."
Daniella scoffed from behind Mateo, her breathing still uneven. "You grabbed my neck first."
"Enough," Mateo cut in sharply, not turning back. His tone allowed no interruption.
Silence snapped back into place, heavy.
Nicolas's gaze hardened.
"This is exactly what I mean," he continued, ignoring Daniella now. "She doesn't understand boundaries. She doesn't understand consequences."
Mateo took another step closer, slow and deliberate.
"And you do?" he asked quietly.
That shifted something.
Nicolas narrowed his eyes.
"I understand risk," he replied. "And right now, she is one."
Mateo's expression did not change, but his voice dropped further.
"And the child?"
A pause, barely there but it existed.
Nicolas did not answer immediately, which was answer enough.
Mateo's eyes sharpened.
"That's not your decision to make," he said.
