Chapter Text
The penthouse was quiet, suspiciously quiet. Adeline stood in the kitchen wearing one of Rhea’s oversized black shirts and a pair of fluffy socks, hair still messy from sleep. She was leaning against the counter eating cereal straight. Rhea was across the open living area, seated on the couch with her laptop open, going through company reports while sipping black coffee. Her expression was the same one she wore in board meetings. Cold. Focused. Untouchable.
Adeline looked over. “You know you could eat something that isn’t caffeine.”
Rhea didn’t look up. “I ate.”
“When.”
“Yesterday.”
She squinted. “That doesn’t count.”
Rhea’s mouth twitched slightly and Adeline pointed her spoon at her. “You’re literally the richest woman I know and you survive like a raccoon.”
“I’m a very successful raccoon.”
Adeline snorted. And that was the exact moment the penthouse door exploded open. Five men flooded into the room, guns raised, heavy boots hitting marble. Adeline froze mid-bite. Rhea didn’t even flinch.
One of the men stepped forward. “Well well. The great Rhea Ripley.”
Rhea slowly closed her laptop. “…You broke my door.”
The man laughed. “You’re surrounded.”
Rhea leaned back slightly on the couch. Completely relaxed. “You’ve been in my home for ten seconds and you’re already lying.”
The man’s smile thinned. Another stepped behind Rhea, grabbing her arms and yanking them back. They forced her down to her knees. Adeline made a small sound from the kitchen. Every head turned. She was still standing there. Bare legs. Oversized shirt. Cereal bowl in hand. Looking like someone had just dropped her into the wrong movie. The room went very quiet. Rhea’s eyes snapped to her. Not panic. Not fear. Pure irritation.
“Why,” Rhea said slowly, “are you not in the bedroom.”
Adeline blinked. “…I was eating cereal?”
The man holding the gun barked out a laugh. “Well this is cute.”
Another grabbed rope from his jacket and began tying Rhea’s wrists. She didn’t resist. Didn’t even move. Her gaze never left Adeline. Sharp. Assessing. She slowly set the bowl down. “…Rhea?”
Rhea ignored the men. “Baby.”
She swallowed. “…Yeah?”
Rhea tilted her head slightly toward the hallway. “Bedroom. Now.”
One of the rivals scoffed. “Oh no, sweetheart stays.” He gestured with his gun. “Come here.”
Adeline looked at Rhea. Rhea looked back. Her expression hadn’t changed. Still calm. Still cold. But there was something else there now. Possessive. Sharp. Dangerous. Adeline slowly walked closer. One of the men grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. Rhea’s jaw flexed. Not when they tightened the rope around her wrists. Not when someone shoved her harder onto her knees. But that? That did it.
Her voice dropped into something terrifyingly quiet. “…Take your hand off her.”
The man laughed. “Or what?”
Adeline nervously tried to pull her arm back. “I’m actually good over here-”
The man yanked her closer. Rhea’s entire posture changed. Still tied. Still on her knees. But the room suddenly felt like a predator had just woken up. Her eyes flicked over Adeline. Bare legs. Oversized shirt barely covering her thighs. No shoes. No protection. Her girl. In a room full of armed men. Rhea exhaled slowly through her nose.
“You can tie me up.” She nodded slightly at the rope. “Congratulations.” Her gaze snapped back to the man holding Adeline. “But if you so much as bruise her-”
The man smirked. “What happens?”
Rhea’s smile appeared. It was not a nice smile. “I kill every single one of you.”
Adeline whispered weakly, “Rhea…”
Another man stepped forward, grabbing her other wrist. “Relax boss lady, we’re just here to talk-”
Rhea moved. Fast. No one expected it. Even tied, she surged upward and headbutted the man holding her. The crack echoed through the penthouse. He dropped instantly. The rope was still tight around her wrists but she twisted, slamming her shoulder into another man and sending him crashing into the glass table. Chaos erupted. Someone shouted. A gun clattered across the floor. Adeline yelped and ducked behind the kitchen island. Rhea didn’t look at the men.
She looked at Adeline. “Stay down.”
One of the rivals lunged toward the kitchen. Rhea intercepted him like a freight train. Even tied, she slammed him into the wall so hard a painting fell. The room filled with shouting, crashing furniture, scrambling boots.
One of the men grabbed Adeline's ankle, she shrieked and Rhea’s head snapped around. And that, that was the moment she actually lost her composure.
Her voice tore through the room like thunder. “DON’T.”
The man froze. Not because of the word. Because of the look on her face. Rhea’s eyes were dark. Lethal. Not angry. Not even furious. Something worse. The calm of someone who had already decided how this ended. She stepped forward slowly despite the rope binding her wrists.
“Let. Her. Go.”
The man released Adeline immediately. She scrambled backwards across the kitchen floor. Breathing hard. Hair wild. Still in fluffy socks. Rhea looked at her. Checked her quickly. Unhurt. Then her attention returned to the men. Her smile came back. Cold. “Well.” She tilted her head. “Now you’ve ruined my morning.” And for the first time since they entered, the rivals looked nervous. Very nervous.
The penthouse was finally quiet again. The men were gone. Some dragged out by Rhea’s security when they finally arrived, some carried. The glass table was shattered, a lamp was broken. There was a dent in the wall where someone had been thrown into it. Rhea stood near the centre of the living room, wrists finally free of the rope, rolling her shoulders to loosen the stiffness. Her knuckles were bruised, there was a small cut on her eyebrow. Her breathing had returned to steady. But she hadn’t looked at Adeline yet. Not properly, because this… this was the part she hated. The aftermath. The moment when someone saw the real her.
Not the CEO.
Not the charming girlfriend who took you to expensive restaurants.
The mafia boss.
The woman who broke bones without blinking.
Across the room, Adeline slowly stood up from behind the kitchen island. Still barefoot, still in Rhea’s shirt, hair a mess. Rhea finally looked at her. Adeline looked back. Silence stretched between them. Rhea rubbed the back of her neck.
“…You should probably pack a bag.”
Adeline blinked, “What?”
“I’ll have someone drive you somewhere safe for a few days.” Rhea gestured vaguely at the apartment. “Until this mess settles.”
Adeline stared at her.
Rhea exhaled slowly, “This is what I was trying to keep you out of.” Her voice was quieter now, not the intimidating one, just tired, “You saw it now. And if you want out, I’ll understand.”
Rhea continued before she could respond.
“I’ll make sure you’re taken care of. New apartment, security, whatever you need-”
“Rhea.”
Rhea stopped.
Adeline tilted her head slightly, “…Are you breaking up with me?”
Rhea frowned, “No.”
“Then why are you talking like you’re sending me into witness protection.”
Rhea sighed, “Because you just watched me nearly kill three people in our living room.”
Rhea waited for the fear, the anger, the what the hell is wrong with you reaction. Instead Adeline slowly walked across the room, stopping right in front of her and looked up. Rhea stiffened slightly.
“…You’re not scared.”
Adeline blinked, “Of what?”
Rhea gestured at the destroyed living room, “…All of that.”
She looked around at the broken furniture, bullet holes in the wall and then back at Rhea.
“…Well. I mean it was stressful.”
Rhea stared at her.
Adeline shifted awkwardly, “But also-” She stopped herself.
Rhea narrowed her eyes, “…But also what.”
“…It was kind of hot.”
Rhea blinked and stared at her for several long seconds. Then rubbed her face. “…You just watched me fight armed men.” Adeline nodded. “And your conclusion is…?”
She smiled slightly. “That you’re very capable.”
Rhea let out a slow breath. “…You’re insane.”
Adeline brightened. “But you’re not sending me away anymore, right?”
Rhea looked at her. Really looked. Still barefoot. Still in her shirt. Standing in the middle of a wrecked penthouse like none of it mattered. Like she didn’t scare her. Rhea reached out and pulled her gently closer by the waist.
Her voice dropped lower. “…You’re not scared of me at all, are you.”
Adeline tilted her head. “Should I be?”
Rhea studied her face and then sighed softly, “I was preparing for heartbreak.”
Rhea looked around the destroyed apartment again. “…You’re still cleaning this mess up with me.”
Adeline groaned immediately. “That wasn’t part of the hot mafia fantasy.”
Rhea smirked slightly. “Welcome to the real one.”