Chapter 5 - FORTY-EIGHT HOURS
Sophia didn’t tell Dante.
That was her first mistake.
She told herself Vanessa was bluffing.
That was her second.
Thirty-six hours later, Anthony Rossi showed up outside Veluto with a split lip and two broken fingers.
Sophia nearly dropped her bag.
“Dad?”
Anthony tried to smile.
“Hey, kid.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
She grabbed his wrist.
“You look like somebody threw you down a staircase.”
“I owe some people.”
“You owed the Romanos. Dante bought the debt.”
Anthony looked away.
Sophia’s stomach twisted.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“Dad.”
“I borrowed a little more.”
She stared at him.
“A little?”
“Ten.”
“Ten hundred?”
He said nothing.
“Ten thousand dollars?”
“I was going to win it back.”
Sophia laughed.
Then she slapped him.
The sound shocked both of them.
Anthony touched his cheek.
Sophia’s eyes filled instantly.
“I sold Nonna’s bracelet for you.”
“I know.”
“I worked doubles.”
“I know.”
“I stopped buying groceries.”
“Sophie—”
“I have spent three years setting myself on fire because you keep telling me this is the last time.”
Anthony’s face collapsed.
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want sorry anymore.”
A black car turned onto the block.
Anthony saw it.
His expression changed.
“Get inside.”
“What?”
“Now.”
Two men stepped out.
Sophia recognized neither.
One said, “Anthony.”
Her father moved in front of her.
“I said I’d get it.”
“You said a lot.”
The second man looked at Sophia.
“So that’s Moretti’s girl.”
“I’m nobody’s girl.”
He smiled.
“Sure.”
Then tires screamed.
Enzo’s SUV came around the corner so fast it nearly jumped the curb.
Dante stepped out before the vehicle fully stopped.
His face was calm.
That was worse than rage.
“Get away from her.”
The two men hesitated.
One lifted his jacket enough to show a gun.
Dante didn’t blink.
Enzo and three security men spread out.
The street suddenly felt too small.
Dante looked at Anthony.
“You borrowed again.”
Anthony’s shoulders dropped.
“Yes.”
“From who?”
Silence.
Dante stepped closer.
“From who?”
One of the men smiled.
“Vanessa sends her regards.”
Sophia went cold.
Dante’s head turned slowly toward her.
“What?”
The man reached into his coat.
Enzo shouted.
Everything happened at once.
Sophia heard a gunshot.
Dante grabbed her and shoved her behind a parked car.
Glass exploded above them.
Another shot cracked through the street.
Sophia covered her ears.
Dante pulled a gun from beneath his jacket.
“Stay down.”
“What about my dad?”
“I’ve got him.”
“You don’t even like him!”
“That’s not relevant.”
Dante rose, fired once toward the engine of the attackers’ car, then ducked back.
One of the tires blew.
The men ran.
Enzo’s team chased them.
Silence came almost as violently as the noise.
Sophia looked at Dante.
“You knew Vanessa threatened me?”
His face sharpened.
“She what?”
Sophia realized immediately.
He hadn’t known.
Anthony whispered, “Sophie…”
She turned.
Her father was holding something.
A small black device.
“What’s that?”
Anthony looked terrified.
“They made me put it in your bag.”
Sophia stared.
“A tracker?”
He nodded.
Dante took it from him.
His expression went dead.
“When?”
Anthony swallowed.
“Yesterday.”
Dante looked toward the Moretti SUV.
Then at Sophia.
Then at the mansion security pass hanging from her purse.
“We weren’t attacked because of Anthony’s debt.”
Sophia felt the blood leave her face.
May you like
Dante crushed the tracker beneath his shoe.
“They’ve been tracking Sophia to get inside my house.”
