Chapter 4
Sofia
I shut the door of my restaurant and lock it, my heart still racing from the encounter in the alley. Taking a deep breath, I lean against the cool metal, trying to process what just happened. Luca Del Toro. Again. What are the odds?
As I move through the kitchen, starting my pre-service routine on autopilot, my mind whirls with conflicting thoughts. The way Luca appeared out of nowhere, like some dark avenging angel... It was both terrifying and oddly thrilling. I shake my head, trying to dispel the image of his fierce expression as he dealt with those thugs.
“Get it together, Sofia,” I mutter to myself, aggressively chopping onions. “He's bad news, remember?”
But as I work, I can't help replaying our interactions. The menacing Luca from last night seems at odds with the man who just came to my rescue. His eyes, so cold last night, had been filled with genuine concern. And the way he said my name...I groan, setting down my things. This is exactly what I don't need right now. I've worked too hard, sacrificed too much to get this restaurant off the ground. The last thing I can afford is to get tangled up with someone like Luca Del Toro, no matter how drawn to him I might be. I wonder how old he is? Definitely older than me, maybe mid thirties? But the way he handled both of those guys in the alley, to know he can protect me like that, it woke some sort of primal attraction inside of me.
As my staff begins to arrive, I push thoughts of Luca to the back of my mind. I have a restaurant to run, after all. But throughout the evening, as I orchestrate the controlled chaos of the kitchen, I find my thoughts drifting back to him. What was he really doing there? The coincidence seems too great to be believed. If he was there to harm or threaten me, then why did he stop those guys?
It's late when I finally lock up, the last of my staff having left an hour ago. I love these quiet moments in the kitchen, everything cleaned and put away, ready for another day. But tonight, the silence feels oppressive, my mind too loud with unanswered questions.
I make my way home, constantly looking over my shoulder. The encounter earlier has left me spooked more than I'd like to admit. As I round the corner to my apartment building, I nearly jump out of my skin when I see a figure leaning against the wall.
“Relax, it's just me,” a familiar voice calls out. Gia steps into the light, her expression a mix of concern and exasperation.
“Jesus, Gia,” I breathe, my heart rate slowly returning to normal. “What are you doing here?”
She falls into step beside me as we enter the building. “Checking on you, obviously. Word travels fast in this neighborhood, sis. I heard about your little run-in today.”
I sigh as we enter my apartment. Of course she did. Sometimes I think the entire Italian community in this city operates on one giant grapevine. “I'm fine, Gia. Really.”
Gia fixes me with a skeptical look as she settles onto my couch. “Uh-huh. And the fact that Luca Del Toro was your knight in shining armor? That's 'fine' too?”
I busy myself in the kitchen, avoiding her gaze as I put on water for tea. “It wasn't like that. He just happened to be passing by.”
Gia snorts. “Right.”
I turn to face her, frustration bubbling up. “What do you want me to say, Gia? That I'm scared? That I'm in over my head? Because I'm not. I can handle this.”
My sister's expression softens. “I know you can, Sofia. You're the strongest person I know. But this... it's dangerous territory. The Del Toros aren't people you want to mess with.”
I sink into the armchair across from her, suddenly feeling very tired. “I'm not messing with anyone. I'm just trying to run my restaurant.”
Gia leans forward, her voice gentle but insistent. “A restaurant in disputed territory, Sofia. You had to know there could be trouble.”
I did know. Of course I did. But I'd been so focused on my dream, on finally having a place of my own, that I'd pushed those concerns aside. Now, they're impossible to ignore.
“What am I supposed to do, Gia? Give up everything I've worked for?”
She shakes her head. “No. But just... be careful, okay?” Then she grins at me. “So was he as hot as we thought he was last night? Or hotter?”
I don’t need to answer, the blush on my cheeks is all she needs to see.
“Oh really?! How interesting.” A grin spreads across her beautiful face.
“Noooo! Gia, no. Not interesting. Nothing to see here. Move along.”
“Uh huh.”
“Seriously! He’s a mafia boss Gia, I know that. I’d be crazy to get involved. IF, and it’s a huge if, if he was interested.”
My sister crosses her arms over her chest and cock her head to the side. “Pretty sure it’s not an ‘If’ sis. Mafia bosses don’t make house calls. They send their guys for that. He’s into you.”
“I think you’re crazy.”
“And I think you are playing with fire.” She winks at me. “But have fun! You only live once, and Lord knows you haven’t lived enough yet. Just imagine the things he could teach you in the bedroom.”
“That’s enough Gia, time for you to go.”
She laughs but heads for the door. “Be safe, okay? And call me if you need me to help out at the restaurant again. Anytime. I’ll be at the art gallery as usual.”
I nod, feeling a rush of affection for my stubborn, overprotective big sister. “I will. I promise.”
After Gia leaves, I find myself standing at my window, looking out over my quiet street. The street lights cast shadows on the old brownstone buildings. Somewhere out there, Luca Del Toro is probably in his penthouse, surrounded by luxury and power.
I think about the way he looked at me in the alley, a mix of concern and something close to pride. It makes me feel... seen, in a way I haven't felt in a long time. It's dangerous, I know. But I can't deny the thrill that runs through me at the thought of seeing him again.
As I finally crawl into bed, exhausted but too wired to sleep, I can’t get him out of my mind. I should be scared, I should think about his warning.
But all I can do is picture what it would be like to be in bed with him. I can imagine everything we’d do. I bet he’s anything but gentle. And I blush as I realize I probably don’t want gentle. I need a man who wants me so badly he can barely contain himself. I bet a man like Luca Del Toro knows exactly how to take what he wants while making a woman scream in pleasure.
I squeeze my thighs together and flop over to my side, snuggling into my pillow and wishing for a blissful night’s sleep that never happens.