“Thank God,” she says after she swallows her food, not bothering to hide her bitterness.
I know if I can just show her Carmila was involved, she might change her mind, but I’m still a killer. That won’t change. Do I really want to drag her into my life?
Alessandro found a Mafia princess, and so did Frankie, but they’re different. They don’t kill. Instead, they order me to kill. It will never bother me because it’s just what is done, but it would bother her. It would bother Sofia.
I eat in silence, and once we’re done, I say, “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
I lead her out through the back to a Jeep and grab the keys from the locked keypad box outside. We both climb in, and I start the car.
Chapter 16 - Sofia
At least I’ve eaten something, even if it was just cereal. We’ve only been on the run for a handful of days, but it feels like forever, and I don’t want to spend any more time with Carmila’s killer than I have to, so I’m glad to hear that I’m going back to my father soon.
From there, my father’s men can protect me, and I don’t ever have to see Dominic again.
It feels like some errant feeling is tugging inside me when I think of leaving him. He disgusts me. He’s a killer, but at the same time, I’m starting to see a new, caring side to him, and it’s causing a conflict to stir within me.
I stay quiet as we drive out of the safe house and hit the freeway, heading back toward New York Central. I hate the silence, though, and my curiosity is irritating me, so I finally ask, “So, what are your brothers like?”
“Excuse me?” Dominic says, slightly distracted.
“Your brothers, you mentioned you have brothers. What are they like?” I ask again.
“Alessandro leads our family now that our father has stepped down for retirement, and Frankie is very business-minded but on the run because Jose Catalan wants to kill him. That’s why we’re keen on bringing Jose down, aside from other reasons.”
“Do you all look alike?” I ask.
“We do, including my sister. Same dark hair and blue-gray eyes, and none of us take bullshit excuses,” he says.
I glance behind us to make sure no one is following us. I feel slightly paranoid being this out in the open again.
“You have a sister?” I ask. “What’s she like?”
“Arianna is a princess, like you,” he scoffs, but I’m not offended by how he says princess this time. “She’s fiery and hellbent on getting what she wants, and it drives both my parents and my brothers insane.”
“And you?” I ask. “Does she drive you insane?”
“Maybe I have a bit of a soft spot for her because she’s the baby of the family or maybe just because we’re closer in age, but I find her fun to be around.”
“You know how to have fun?” I ask, genuinely surprised. “What do you do for fun?”
He scowls. “Of course, I know how to have fun. I just work a lot.” He pauses, considering my question. “Mostly drink together, go dancing.”
“You don’t dance, though,” I point out.
“Arianna doesn’t believe that, and she’s normally plied me with alcohol, so I’m more….flexible.” He grins and indicates to change lanes.
“What is your family like?” he asks suddenly. “And why do they hate the Catalans so much?”
“Well, I told you a family member married into the Catalan family, and, well, it was forced,” I explain. “Our family really didn’t have a choice, and we’ve been Jose’s slaves ever since.”
“I’m surprised by how much you know,” he says.
“I eavesdrop a lot. My father mistakes me for a pretty face, everyone does, but I know a lot about what goes on. More than my sisters, but probably less than my two brothers.”
He nods. “My sister wanted to be involved with the family business as well. My father put his foot down and refused flat out. The family business is no place for women. It gets really messy.”
“Women can handle messy, I assure you,” I say, raising an eyebrow. His comment irritates me.