Sofia
At some ungodly hour, Dominic pops his head into my room to tell me he has work to do, so he’s going. I groan in response and go back to sleep. When I wake up again, it’s already afternoon, and I feel a little less like a truck hit me.
I don’t feel like making breakfast, though I’m sure a grilled cheese will make me feel a ton better. I go to the living room instead and turn the television on, lowering the volume.
I scroll through the channels until I get to the news channel, which is covering a large explosion in a warehouse. I quickly turn the volume up and listen to what the reporter is saying.
“This warehouse is rumored to belong to the infamous Catalan cartel. Some are whispering that this is a hit from another mobster family in retaliation to gang wars held here in New York. Several people associated with mafia families have turned up dead this week, and police are trying to find the perpetrators as fast as possible. Several immigrants died in the bomb explosion. It seems a small explosion went off but triggered off a bigger explosion with chemicals that were illegally stored in the warehouse.”
I stare at the screen and wonder instantly, or rather I know, Dominic had something to do with this. He left early today and had more than enough time to do this. I need to know if he killed those people.
I eventually make myself something to eat, and while I’m eating, he comes in.
“Dominic,” I say.
“You need to get dressed. We’re going to my family for lunch,” he says, glancing at me. “My brother Alessandro’s orders.”
I frown and stand in front of him. “What did you do this morning?”
Dominic looks down at me, expressionless. “That’s none of your concern.”
“Did you set that bomb off? At the Catalan warehouse?” I ask.
“There were innocent people killed there.”
“There are no innocent people in the underworld; everyone is fair game.” He runs a hand over his hair and shakes his head. “I don’t expect you to understand, Princess, but for now, I need you to get dressed for family lunch. Okay?”
I shake my head as well before I go upstairs and change into a cute summer dress that Arianna bought for me. I put on some of my new jewelry and brush out my hair.
I slip into a pair of sandals and come back downstairs, where Dominic is waiting for me. He’s in those damn jeans again, well, different ones, but him in jeans elicits feelings from me. He has a golf shirt on and is wearing an expensive watch I haven’t seen before.
I don’t speak to him as we leave the estate, and I don’t say anything to him in the car. I understand what he means by some things have to happen in this underground world of ours, but I still carry a heavy sense of guilt. Maybe if he showed he felt it too, perhaps I wouldn’t feel so bad. But I don’t know how to say that to him without him becoming upset or offended.
He leads me into Alessandro’s gorgeous home, and a beautiful woman in a white pants suit happens to be crossing the entrance hall when we walk in.
“Katya,” Dominic greets her. The woman looks somewhat intimidating but gives me a curt smile. “You must be Sofia, right?”
“Yes,” I say quietly, and she holds her hand out. I shake it as she says, “Katya, I’m Alessandro’s wife. Welcome to our home.”
I give her a hesitant smile back. “Thank you for having me and for protecting me.”
“It’s our pleasure. It’s in the best interest of the family. Everyone is already outside in the garden. Follow me.”
I follow her, glancing at Dominic, who doesn’t seem surprised by her dominant nature. We are led to the garden, where large benches are interconnected to make a ‘U’ shape on the lawn. At the head of the tables is the older-looking version of Dominic, who I now know to be Alessandro.
I look to Dominic for where I should sit when Alessandro stands.
“Ah, Sofia and Dominic, please join me here.”
I awkwardly walk to the head table where two chairs are free next to Alessandro, “Sofia, sit next to me. I want to get to know you.”
I nod. “Thank you, Don. It would be my honor.”
Alessandro laughs. “Ah, but that’s not the feisty woman my brother has moaned about.”
I look at Dominic, but he just smirks as he sits down.
I sit, and everyone talks to each other while the women bring out the food. Once everyone is settled and has food, Alessandro turns slightly to me. “Tell me, Sofia. Your father says you want to study digital art in New
York. Have you applied to university?”
“I applied to two but only got into my second choice. I actually registered yesterday and updated my address details so that I am ready to start,” I say casually.
Dominic quickly says, “You did what?”
Alessandro waves him off. “Why didn’t you get into your first choice?”
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “Maybe because I am a foreigner.”
Alessandro shakes his head. “They discriminate badly against people not from this country, even Italians. But I wish you the best of luck with your studies.” He turns back to his food, and I’m unsure what to say, so I quietly say, “Thank you.”
He asked me a few more questions about Argentina and my experiences there during the meal. What I love about New York and my family, but not my family’s business. I don’t think he has any bad intentions towards me, or so it seems.
On the other hand, Dominic keeps glaring at me as though he could kill me on the spot with a look.
I try and ignore him and answer Alessandro’s questions politely.
Once lunch is over, Dominic stands. “We should get going,” he says tersely.
“Alessandro, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Alessandro raises an eyebrow but doesn’t comment on Dominic’s mood. “Bright and early. I have things for you to do. Sofia, lovely to meet you again.” He looks at Dominic as he says, “You are safe in my brother’s hands.”
I nod. “Thank you for having me.”
I get up and follow Dominic to the car. He doesn’t say anything the whole way home, but I can tell he’s fuming. Once we’re inside the house, he turns around. “Are you really that stupid?”
I frown. “Excuse me?”
“You used your actual name and address to register for your classes?”
“What’s wrong with that?” I say incredulously.
“Would you like to phone the Catalans and let them know you’re here to pick up?” he roars. “You’re supposed to be hidden from them, and you’re advertising where you are.”
I am taken aback, but before I can apologize, he continues to rant, “You never think before you act Princess, and that’s your biggest problem.
You’re supposed to run things past me….”
“Just because I had drunken sex with you once doesn’t mean you own me,” I snap at him angrily.
“You must run it past me because I’m your security detail. God, you don’t think at all.”
“And you don’t give a damn about anyone except your family,” I say, storming upstairs.
Dominic
She’s infuriating. Everything about her just pisses me off, and I am so turned on by it, which is frustrating the fuck out of me. I feel like I can’t decide what I want, especially not after having her at the club. This was the first time she mentioned it, and not in a good way, and I’m not going to bring it up with her.
We spend the next three days ignoring each other, and although I find it peaceful, I miss hearing her annoying princess voice.
While I’m sitting in the kitchen having coffee, she comes in and puts her hands on the countertop, standing in front of me. “We need to talk.”
Oh, God, the conversation I’ve been dreading.
“What about?” I ask, not looking at her.
She crosses her arms. “I hate that I’m dependent on you for everything. If I want to do something or if I want something, I have to run it past you. This has to come to an end. Also, I want a cellphone. I don’t care how you block the signal, but I want to be able to contact my family and friends in Argentina.”
I sigh and set my coffee down, finally looking up at her. “I can maybe swing the cell phone. That won’t be too hard since you’ve already given out your exact location.”
She doesn’t flinch, and I continue, “But you do have to run things past me because I am your security, not because you’re beholden to me. I need to know what measures to put in place to ensure you’re not taken by the Catalans again.”
She sighs. I can see she’s frustrated already. “I want a job,” she says.
“Can I run that past you?”
I frown. “Why would you want a job? Firstly, your father is a rich man, and secondly, if he really won’t give you money, my family will. We vowed to take care of you.”
“Because the whole point of me coming to New York was so I could be independent, and now I have to ask pretty please anytime I want to do something or buy something.” She shakes her head. “You don’t understand how frustrating it is.”
I stand up and take my mug to the dishwasher, putting it in, “Maybe I don’t, but maybe I do. If you want a job, fine, but it must be at one of our family establishments.”
“I don’t want to run drugs,” she says immediately.
“We have some legit operations to front the illegal ones,” I say. “I’ll speak to Alessandro about making you a waitress at one of our restaurants, will that suit you?” I ask.
She looks at me suspiciously. “No favoritism? I’m treated like a regular worker.”
“If that’s what you want,” I sigh. “Is that all because I really have to get going to work.”
She hugs herself, suddenly seeming insecure. “Thank you. That would be a start.”
She sways slightly, and I groan. “What now?”
“It’s just… I want to try to apply for my first choice university again for next year, and I was wondering what details I should use,” she says quietly.
I take a deep breath. “I’ll have Katya email you your identity, and you can go from there.”
“Do you think I can get in with a new identity?” she asks me quietly.
“Do you want the truth or a guarantee?” I ask her curiously.
She looks at me seriously. She knows exactly what I’m implying. My family has connections everywhere, including schools, and it won’t be hard to influence her application.
She nods. “I want a guarantee.”
I nod. “I’ll arrange it. Send me the details once you apply so I can give them to my brother to deal with. Now, I really have to go.”
I walk out of the kitchen, and she doesn’t say anything further. I grab my car keys, and as soon as I’m in traffic, I dial Alessandro.
“Dominic, I’m glad you called. Are you on your way over? There’s some business I need you to take care of in Brooklyn again.”
“Yes, I am,” I say. “But, Alessandro, I have a favor to ask you from Sofia.”
My brother goes quiet, but I don’t continue because I’m unsure how to phrase this request. I’ve never really asked my brother for favors, so this is a new one.
“Spit it out,” Alessandro says.
“Sofia wants to get into the top school in New York, an art school that is, and she wants a guarantee she will get in,” I explain.
My brother is silent for what feels like the longest moment before he says, “Dominic, I’m going to say this once and once only. Do not go down this road. Don’t become soft. It will make your job that much harder. I won’t stop you, but if you go down this road, we may have to reevaluate what you do with the family.”
Before I can say anything, he continues, “Not saying you’ll be thrown out, just that there’s no room for emotion in your position.”
I try not to let my temper get the better of me. “I understand what you’re saying, but nothing is happening between Sofia and me. She’s just a spoiled princess, and her father wanted us to make her comfortable, and this is what she wants.”
“Okay then, as long as we understand, things will change if you get involved with her,” Alessandro says. “I have to go….”
“Wait,” I remember Sofia’s other request, “There’s something else for her.”
“She’s certainly demanding. What is it?” Alessandro asks. I can hear Katya calling him in the background.
“Well, she wants to work. She wants to earn her own money, so I said only if she works for one of our fronting restaurants. Do you think you can make that happen?”
“You know I can.” I can hear the frown in my brother’s voice. “Is that all?”
“I’ll speak to Katya about getting her application done to the university,” I say. “But I’ll be there in like ten or fifteen minutes.”
“Then I’m hanging up. Bye, Dom.” The line goes dead, and I toss the phone onto the seat beside me.
I think about what my brother said and how my role in the family would change if I got involved with someone. I don’t know why it should. I’m good at compartmentalizing my feelings and can do my job and be with someone. Not with Sofia, of course. She’s just a pain in the ass. But I mean, what if I meet someone I like and want to be with them? It doesn’t automatically make me bad at my job.
The thought irritates me, but I know better than to cross that line with Alessandro. Frankie has always been his favorite. They grew up close, and Arianna and I grew up close. We all love each other deeply, there’s a deep sense of loyalty between us, but it is what it is.
Alessandro is a good Don, but he’s not someone to be fucked with, especially not after what I saw him do to get Katya back when she was taken.
Together they are a dynamic power couple, and I wonder, just for a moment, if I’m missing out on something special. All this time, I never wanted to be with anyone because I was loyal to my family. Is there no room in my life for me to be loyal to one more person?