“My family thinks Isaac is so extraordinary, and he can’t do anything wrong. I guess I felt like I had something to prove, even though I honestly can’t stand those girls or the whole sorority scene. They’re nothing but a bunch of mean, spiteful girls.”
He was silent for another moment. “I was just starting my doctoral work when they were here. There were rumors that they were all connected to organized crime families.”
I cringed shifting uncomfortably on the sofa. I could pussyfoot around the truth trying to glossy it over to just tell it to him straight. Like a band-aid just rip it right off and have it over with. “Those weren’t rumors. They are. My father is Pietro Marinotti, he’s the Godfather of Sicily. But when it comes right down to it, he runs most of the country, it’s just done behind the scenes. Governments and by extension law enforcement are very corrupt. He gives them a little on the side and they turn a blind eye. Asher’s family is in Colombia, his padre is Salvatore Rossi.”
“Cartel,” he said before I could say it myself. “I know the name, Salvatore Rossi. Ironically enough one of the papers I wrote as an undergrad was on the drug trade in South America. Salvatore Rossi was one of the people I highlighted in that paper. I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection back then, but I just didn’t pay much attention back then to the gossip and rumors of other students.”
I nodded. “The four of them are now on Helka Island, it works as kind of a hub for their activities. The island isn’t just a playground for the rich and famous that’s just a cover. I’m not privy to the inner workings of the organization. I’ve only been there a few times, it’s gorgeous by the way. When you hear it being said that Helka is a utopia, it truly is. It’s a see-it-to-believe-it kind of thing. I undersold it when you asked me about it a while ago. It’s like Las Vegas but in the middle of the ocean. But I digress. I’m guessing they found out I was dating someone and they came here to ensure that you weren’t taking advantage of me and that you could be trusted.”
“What am I supposed to do with this information? I can’t even begin to process this. Let’s not get into the fact that you lied to me.”
“Well technically, I didn’t lie, I just didn’t tell you who my family was. But do you blame me? It’s not something I can just tell people when I first meet them.”
“A little bit, Sophia. I walked into this blind. You’ve put me in a very difficult position where I’m not sure what to think or how to react. This isn’t a small secret.”
He needed to understand my point of view on this and why he needed to be protected. I just hoped that I could find the right words to help him understand.
“What was I supposed to do? I can’t just tell you right off the bat that my father is a mob boss. That’s dangerous to you. And I just wanted to be normal. Not Pietro Marinotti’s daughter, but Sophia Marinotti, a woman who can stand on her own two feet. I got into college without my father’s help. I saved money and haven’t asked for a single cent from my father. I’m doing this on my own. I’d get a job, but that’s not possible at the current moment. The point is that I’m trying to leave that all behind and experience a normal life, like people do every day.”
“The problem is this isn’t something you can just walk away from, Sophia and now I’m pulled into something I had no idea about. My head is reeling. I have no idea how to process this.”
Panic shot through me. I couldn’t lose Zack, I just couldn’t. But what could I do? What could I say to make this better? I had no idea and had no clue how I’d react if the roles were reversed.
He continued, “I just don’t know. This is huge. Honestly, I think I’m a bit in shock.”
“They aren’t me. Their life isn’t mine and their views and morals aren’t mine. You can’t blame me for my family’s indiscretions. We have a good thing between us, please don’t give up on us.”
“Jesus!” He raked a hand through his hair and sighed muttering under his breath, “Of all the women to fall in love with it had to be a mob boss’s daughter.”
My world was frozen for a minute as my eyes widened and I stared at him. Had he just said what I thought he’d said? Do I tell him I love him back? Do I continue to stare at him like a fool? I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by. If I didn’t say something now, then there may not be a tomorrow for me to profess how I felt for him.
“I’m in love with you too, Zack.” I waited on bated breath for him to look up at me and acknowledge my confession. But there was one more secret he had to know about. A stupid thing I did that I couldn’t take back even though I wished in my heart of hearts I could.
He looked up at me and in his eyes, I could see an array of emotions; hurt, confusion and yes, even love. I hoped he would tell it back to me. I needed to hear those three sweet little words once more. But he didn’t.
“I need to go for a bit. I’ll be back, I just need to take a walk.”
“Wait, I still…” I reached out to him, but he was already out of arm’s length. I need to tell him about the bet, the stupid sorority nonsense, but he was too quick to move away from me. “I’ll only be a little while. I’m just taking a walk, but I’ll be back, I promise.”
Hanging my head low while feeling an overwhelming sense of defeat, I nodded. “Okay. I’ll be here.”
“Not because I have to be back, because I want to be.” He grasped my chin in his hand and tilted my head up so I was looking him in the eye. “Okay?”
I nodded, fighting to keep the tears at bay.
“Good. I won’t be long.”
He left, leaving me with my thoughts for God only knows how long. I needed to ensure this was right and stayed right. I may not be able to change who my family was, but what I could do was fix the picture situation or at least I knew of someone who could. Even though Candace said she deleted it and I saw with my own eyes that she had, I still didn’t believe it and I was sick of being under her thumb just to keep her quiet.
Getting up from the sofa, I grabbed my card key and exited. Isaac had messaged me the room numbers he and Asher were staying in, so I knew where to find them if I needed them. Well, I needed them, just not for what they assumed I’d need them for.
Reaching the end of the hallway, I hesitated at the two hotel room doors trying to decide which of the Horsemen to approach with my dilemma.