CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX – A DANGEROUS GAMBLE

Finally, Luca spoke. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" His voice was low, controlled, but Rebecca could hear the underlying tension. She straightened her shoulders, meeting his gaze. "I do. But I also knew that the situation was spiraling out of control. I couldn't stand by and watch everything fall apart when I knew I could help." Luca ran a hand through his hair, a gesture Rebecca had come to recognize as a sign of stress. "You could have been hurt, Rebecca. These are not men to be trifled with." "I know," Rebecca said softly. "But neither are you, Luca. And I couldn't bear to see you in danger." Something flickered in Luca's eyes at her words, but it was gone before Rebecca could decipher it. He sighed heavily, then pushed off from the desk, closing the distance between them. "What you did today was incredibly brave," he said, his voice softening. "And I can't deny that your intervention likely saved the deal. Your language skills and cultural knowledge were... imp