I sigh and set my coffee down, finally looking up at her. “I can maybe swing the cell phone. That won’t be too hard since you’ve already given out your exact location.”
She doesn’t flinch, and I continue, “But you do have to run things past me because I am your security, not because you’re beholden to me. I need to know what measures to put in place to ensure you’re not taken by the Catalans again.”
She sighs. I can see she’s frustrated already. “I want a job,” she says. “Can I run that past you?”
I frown. “Why would you want a job? Firstly, your father is a rich man, and secondly, if he really won’t give you money, my family will. We vowed to take care of you.”
“Because the whole point of me coming to New York was so I could be independent, and now I have to ask pretty please anytime I want to do something or buy something.” She shakes her head. “You don’t understand how frustrating it is.”
I stand up and take my mug to the dishwasher, putting it in, “Maybe I don’t, but maybe I do. If you want a job, fine, but it must be at one of our family establishments.”
“I don’t want to run drugs,” she says immediately.
“We have some legit operations to front the illegal ones,” I say. “I’ll speak to Alessandro about making you a waitress at one of our restaurants, will that suit you?” I ask.
She looks at me suspiciously. “No favoritism? I’m treated like a regular worker.”
“If that’s what you want,” I sigh. “Is that all because I really have to get going to work.”
She hugs herself, suddenly seeming insecure. “Thank you. That would be a start.”
She sways slightly, and I groan. “What now?”
“It’s just… I want to try to apply for my first choice university again for next year, and I was wondering what details I should use,” she says quietly.
I take a deep breath. “I’ll have Katya email you your identity, and you can go from there.”
“Do you think I can get in with a new identity?” she asks me quietly.
“Do you want the truth or a guarantee?” I ask her curiously.
She looks at me seriously. She knows exactly what I’m implying. My family has connections everywhere, including schools, and it won’t be hard to influence her application.
She nods. “I want a guarantee.”
I nod. “I’ll arrange it. Send me the details once you apply so I can give them to my brother to deal with. Now, I really have to go.”
I walk out of the kitchen, and she doesn’t say anything further. I grab my car keys, and as soon as I’m in traffic, I dial Alessandro.
“Dominic, I’m glad you called. Are you on your way over? There’s some business I need you to take care of in Brooklyn again.”
“Yes, I am,” I say. “But, Alessandro, I have a favor to ask you from Sofia.”
My brother goes quiet, but I don’t continue because I’m unsure how to phrase this request. I’ve never really asked my brother for favors, so this is a new one.
“Spit it out,” Alessandro says.
“Sofia wants to get into the top school in New York, an art school that is, and she wants a guarantee she will get in,” I explain.
My brother is silent for what feels like the longest moment before he says, “Dominic, I’m going to say this once and once only. Do not go down this road. Don’t become soft. It will make your job that much harder. I won’t stop you, but if you go down this road, we may have to reevaluate what you do with the family.”
Before I can say anything, he continues, “Not saying you’ll be thrown out, just that there’s no room for emotion in your position.”
I try not to let my temper get the better of me. “I understand what you’re saying, but nothing is happening between Sofia and me. She’s just a spoiled princess, and her father wanted us to make her comfortable, and this is what she wants.”
“Okay then, as long as we understand, things will change if you get involved with her,” Alessandro says. “I have to go….”
“Wait,” I remember Sofia’s other request, “There’s something else for her.”