Chapter 6 - THE AMBUSH
Dante wanted Sophia moved into the mansion immediately.
Sophia refused.
“You just got shot at.”
“So did half the block.”
“That is not an argument.”
“It is where I live.”
“Not tonight.”
“You don’t decide where I sleep.”
Dante looked like he was fighting every instinct he had.
Finally, he said, “Then Enzo stays outside your door.”
“No.”
“Sophia.”
“Fine. But he’s not coming inside.”
Enzo sighed.
“I’ve guarded senators who were easier than you.”
“Did they make better coffee?”
“No.”
“Then stop complaining.”
That night, Sophia couldn’t sleep.
Every sound in the hallway became footsteps.
Every car became the Romanos.
At three in the morning, she opened the door.
Enzo sat in a chair across the hall, drinking coffee.
“You really stayed.”
“You seem surprised.”
“I thought scary rich people exaggerated.”
“We do. Just not about bullets.”
Sophia sat on the floor beside the doorway.
“Do you trust Dante?”
Enzo considered the question.
“With my life.”
“That wasn’t what I asked.”
He looked at her.
Sophia continued.
“Do you trust him to do the right thing?”
Enzo rubbed his jaw.
“Dante does what protects his family.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.”
The answer scared her more than she expected.
The next morning, Dante took her to the mansion.
Security discovered a second tracking device attached beneath one of the household cars.
Then a camera was found inside a smoke detector near the library.
Someone wasn’t just tracking Sophia.
Someone had been watching Dante.
By noon, he gathered the senior household staff.
“I want every access code changed.”
Enzo nodded.
“Already done.”
“Eliminate outside vendors.”
“Done.”
“Pull every camera record for thirty days.”
“Working on it.”
Sophia stood near the door.
Dante looked at her.
“You should be upstairs.”
“I’m part of this.”
“You’re a target.”
“Exactly.”
Dante’s jaw tightened.
Elena appeared behind Sophia.
“She stays.”
“Mama.”
“You brought her into this house. Do not suddenly become stupid because you care about her.”
The room went silent.
Sophia felt heat climb her neck.
Dante said, “I don’t—”
Elena lifted a hand.
“I gave birth to you. Lie better.”
Sophia walked out before anyone saw her expression.
Dante caught her in the hallway.
“Sophia.”
“Don’t.”
“My mother enjoys creating chaos.”
“She’s good at it.”
“I didn’t bring you here because—”
“Because you care?”
He stopped.
Sophia turned.
For once, Dante Moretti had no answer ready.
She hated how much that hurt.
Then Enzo shouted from downstairs.
“Dante!”
They ran.
In the kitchen, one of Elena’s pill bottles sat open on the table.
The housekeeper, Rosa, was pale.
“I didn’t touch them.”
Enzo held two tablets in his palm.
“These aren’t her medication.”
Sophia’s chest tightened.
Elena took heart medication twice a day.
“What are they?”
Enzo looked at Dante.
“Sedatives.”
Dante’s face went white.
Sophia grabbed the bottle.
“Who filled this?”
Rosa shook her head.
“It came from the pharmacy yesterday.”
Enzo’s phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then looked at Dante.
“The pharmacy never sent a delivery yesterday.”
Nobody spoke.
Elena sat very still.
Dante turned to security.
“Lock every door.”
Enzo nodded.
“No one leaves.”
Sophia looked around the kitchen.
Staff.
Guards.
Family.
People she had eaten with for two weeks.
One of them was trying to hurt Elena.
May you like
And whoever it was…
was already locked inside with them.
