My job is to protect Sofia for Vito.
It's not my place to interfere with his decisions regardless of whom his decisions impact.
The words don't flow through my mind with the ease they normally do; they feel forced, as if thinking them alone goes against my instinct. After Vito took me in and I began trusting him, he taught me to trust my gut. Follow my instincts.
I don't know what to do when my gut tells me to betray my loyalty to the man who saved my life fifteen years ago.
"Boss," I say carefully, "what's the end game here? The Costellos aren't going to stop escalating. How long before they stop playing games and just take her?"
Vito's jaw tightens. "I'm working on alternatives."
"What alternatives? Because from where I'm standing, we're running out of time and options."
"That's not your concern, Dante. Your concern is keeping Sofia safe while I figure this out."
"And if you can't figure it out?"
The question hangs in the air between us, heavy with implication. Vito stares at me for a long moment, and I can see him trying to read my expression, trying to figure out why I'm pushing this.
"Then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he says finally. "But until then, your orders stand. Protect Sofia, keep her away from the Costellos, and don't let her do anything that gets herself killed."
"Understood."
But as I leave his study to gather the team, I can't shake the feeling that I'm walking toward something that's going to change everything. And for the first time in fifteen years, I'm not sure whose side I'll be on when that moment comes.
All I know is that Sofia's face keeps flashing through my mind—angry, desperate, beautiful—and the thought of handing her over to the Costellos makes my chest tight with something that feels dangerously close to panic.
Loyalty has always been simple for me. Black and white. Clear lines and easy choices.
But nothing about Sofia Gallo is simple, and I'm starting to realize that maybe that's the point.
CHAPTER 17
Sofia
The penthouse is stillin disarray from the attack on my birthday, but Dante insists I wait while he meets with Vito and the inner circle. When Rafa stumbles out of the study bleeding, Rina quickly works at cleaning him up. Marco rushes out and starts making hushed phone calls in the other room only a couple minutes later.
Bored and on my own—minus the guards at all the exits to prevent me from leaving or anyone else from entering—I count bullet holes in the walls. I'm almost to forty by the time Dante and Vito emerge from the study.
"Come on," Dante nods toward the elevator as Vito heads to find my sister.
"Where are we going?" I raise an eyebrow from my spot on the torn-up couch.
"To pack a bag and head upstate."
"What's upstate?"
"A safehouse. We'll be on the move until Vito handles the situation with the Costellos."
"What?" My shout mirrors Rina's from the kitchen.
The next few minutes are filled with arguing—Rina demanding Vito let her stay behind and me protesting the entire idea. All our arguments are to no avail; Vito made a decision, Marco made the call, and Dante's here to enforce it.
Is this Vito's move now? Send me away so he can finalize the deal and hand me over to them at a secondary location where nobody knows where I am? My only solace is knowing Mamma, Rina, Elena, and Gianna are all being sequestered away with me.
Now, Rina and I sit in the back of the Rolls-Royce, arms crossed, glaring at Dante in the driver's seat. Typically, we would be transported separately, but she told Vito she'd go more willingly if she could travel in the same car, presumably to try to smooth things over with me. Even though Vito agreed, she's not happy. She only glares at Dante because Vito isn't here for her to continue their argument.
Dante's eyes find mine in the rearview mirror, but after seeing my glare, he turns them back to the road.
