Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“Because they wanted to send you a message.”
“As if goddamn cell phones don’t exist,” I seethe. “This went too far. Where is he now?”
“He’s at a safehouse in Long Island City. Our doctor is with him.”
“Can he talk?”
“I don’t know what else there is to say.” He shrugs. “He already passed along the message. They want you to stop interfering with their debt collectors.”
It goes so quiet you could hear a pin drop. There’s only one debt collector I interfered with, and only one debt I paid. Marco Bellini.
“We need to double Sofia’s security,” I tell him urgently.
“Dom,” he starts to protest.
“Double it,” I repeat. “I want 24/7 surveillance on her building, and two men to trail her at all times.”
“This is a bad idea, Dom,” he says automatically. “It’s one thing to have one guy on her building, but this is probably overkill. Nobody even named her father.”
“They shouldn’t have known about the interference in the first place!” I shout at him. “We went through back channels. You handled the drop. There’s no way it had our fingerprint on it.”
“Then we need to consider the possibility that someone in our organization is leaking information,” he says seriously. “But I don’t think putting Sofia in a cage she doesn’t even know about is the right move.”
“Are you really questioning me about this?”
“Dominic,” he says. “I know you like her. This isn’t just about sex for you, you have actual goddamn feelings for her. Which means that you’re not thinking rationally. You’re not even capable of it.”
“Excuse me?” I roar.
“Dominic,” he says patiently. “If this was any other employee you’d helped, would you be reacting the same way?”
I take a deep breath. We both know he’s right, but I’m not giving him the benefit of admitting it.
“If you’re going to insist on this, you should tell her the truth,” he says into the silence. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“So now you’re a moral expert?” I answer tensely.
“I’m a Dominic expert,” he answers smoothly. “I’ve known you damn near my entire life, and I know how you can be. I also know that you act impulsively, and this whole thing could blow up in your face if you don’t tread lightly.”
“Then it blows up in my face,” I say. “Because I’m not telling her anything. Telling her would be more dangerous. Right now, she’s in the dark.”
“Do you really think that would help her if Calderone got to her?” he asks seriously. “He won’t give a fuck whether she knows about you or not. She’s leverage now, whether you want to admit it or not.”
“Which is exactly why she needs the protection.”
“Then she needs to know why she’s being protected.”
We stare at each other, both breathing hard, and I realize we’ve hit a stalemate. There’s no way in hell I’m telling Sofia the truth about who I am. Not about the extra security, not about Enzo Calderone. She doesn’t need to be afraid of any of it. That’s the only thing telling her would accomplish.
“Double her security,” I tell him again. “And the next time you think about questioning my authority, don’t.”
His jaw tightens and he stares at me, full of a thousand words that are better left unsaid in this moment.
“Fine,” he says. “But for the record, I think you’re making a mistake.”
“Your opinion has been noted,” I tell him. “You can go.”
He storms out and I go back to my desk and look at my monitor. Sofia is long gone, so there’s nothing to see. At least I know she’s safe for now. Still, for good measure, I take out my phone and text her.
I just want to know that you made it home safely.
There, easy enough. Innocuous enough to not raise her suspicions, but should give me the peace of mind that she’s okay.
I live in Queens, Dominic. It takes longer than 15 minutes.
I can’t help but chuckle, and some of the tension drains out of me. I’ve never texted her about anything that wasn’t work. Even though we just had sex, something about this feels more intimate.
Then text me when you are home.
I’m fine, Dominic. You don’t have to babysit me.
She’s wrong, though. I won’t get any rest until I know that no threat can reach her.
15
SOFIA
When I step out of my building the next morning, there’s a town car waiting. I don’t think much of it until the driver gets out and says, “Ms. Bellini?”
I turn to him, suspicious.
“Can I help you?” I ask warily.
“Mr. Vieri sent me to pick you up for work,” the driver tells me.
He smiles politely and moves to the back door. Mrs. Alvarez from the first floor is dragging her grocery cart toward the corner bodega, and she slows down long enough to look from the car to me. Great. I’ll be the gossip of my entire building by nine a.m.