Romano's POV
I stood by the window, my eyes glued to my extended hand, turning it over and over. I was lost in the memory, wondering how any of it was possible. The events of last night played like a continuous film in my head: the time before the blast, and the crucial moments after.
I was supposed to have left the hall before the bombing, but when I spotted Luciana still inside, something strange and sudden shifted in me, a raw instinct of protection surging forward. Then, after the explosion, when I held her hand, an electricity sparked through every inch of my body. A warmth spread through me, a longing awoke, and in that instant, I felt a familiar, crushing weight lift from my chest. For a moment, I felt peace.
The warmth lingered through the night, chasing away the nightmares th
