Chapter 20 Sofia
SOFIA
Anew pattern began in the days after Andre’s failed meeting with the Rossis.
He was gone. Often. And for long spells.
These weeks I’d spent with him, almost two months now, had passed in limbo. I was here to spy, but I couldn’t do it well with nothing to find and then my reluctance to betray the man I was starting to fall for.
He’d been present, day in and out. From the initial pestering and sneaking after me in his home to steal kisses, then submitting to him in bed, he’d been available and always here to just be with me.
His “excuse” was that he was recovering.
Claire had unofficially advised that he be on light duty and give his wounds a chance to heal.
That arrangement no longer applied. After the ambush and unexpected violence at that restaurant, he dove into his former role for his family.
Dressed in suits in work mode, he was done with his vacation.
Finished with his sabbatical. The new schedule was him leaving in the morning, checking in with me during the day when he could, and coming home in the evening.
Gone to look into the matter of that attack, he left me with less of a purpose.
I didn’t go into his office, seeing no point to act like his “assistant” when there was nothing to assist on.
I didn’t resume being a maid since Susana came back—bored with her retirement and sick of seeing her also-retired husband day in and out.
No one assumed I’d leave, though. If they all looked upon me as a kept woman, then that was that. Andre made it clear that I wasn’t going anywhere. Each night, he reminded me that I belonged to him. That he needed me.
Stuck in limbo wasn’t a good feeling, though. I couldn’t go “home” when this building felt more like one. I couldn’t return to my uncle when I was actively wanting to stand with his rivals.
Esmeralda was the variable in the middle that I couldn’t let go of, and that was what I spent my free time on.
“That’s correct,” the representative from one of the long-term hospice facilities said. “Once the financial assessment is complete, your eligibility for the different tiers of payment plans will be determined.”
Oof.
I cringed at the sweet but pointed tone she used. I’d be going into debt to cover Esmeralda’s care, but knowing she was not in pain would make it worth it.
“Okay. And you have all that you need from me?” I double-checked.
“Once you email the paystubs and information from your employers for the last six months, yes.”
I cringed again, for longer.
Six months. “Working” here was the only job I had on file anywhere, and it had only been for almost two months. The agency that we used to get me in here was legit, but I wasn’t sure how to justify being here as Andre’s lover to count as a real job.
After I ended that call, I checked the email that just popped up on my phone. Another facility was contacting me again, explaining that I would need to arrange for a home visit with someone from their team to better assess Esmeralda’s needs.
A home visit? Fuck.
I couldn’t risk anyone showing up at the Giovanni residence where my uncle lorded over all of us. He’d laugh at them and tell them they had the wrong address. To get lost.
Instead of using the address to his mansion, I’d used a fake one. Borrowing the address for one of the laundromats—a front or cover business for him to launder money quicker—I hoped to put off this facility from reaching out directly with Esmeralda.
They were already catching me in the lie, stating that the address I’d provided them wasn’t correct. Their implication that it was a typo irked me.
No, it’s not a typo.
And no, you can’t do a home visit.
I bit my lip and worried that I couldn’t pull this off.
Running my hands through my hair, I winced and knew I needed to shower. I was bordering on a greasy look, but it wasn’t as though the last two nights were calm enough for me to shower.
Natalie had given birth to her baby girl.
Maisie was over the moon to have a little sister, but unfortunately, she had a cold and was resting away from the newborn and her mother.
Anya was helping Maisie adjust to baby Rose’s arrival, which meant that Claire was busy helping Natalie with a little bit of a post-partum issue.
Baby Owen was also sick, with a stomach bug, so all of them were busier than normal.
In between my efforts to figure out my cousin’s situation, I was over there helping however I could.
Thank God no one’s getting hurt right now.
So far, knock on wood, no attacks had sprung up.
Andre hadn’t come home like usual for two nights, busy handling some things for Sergei since he was with Natalie and/or Maisie. Late in the middle of the night, Andre would stagger home, shower, and pass out in bed next to me.
The craziness was expected with these people.
The Mafia lifestyle wasn’t for the fainthearted, but still, Andre didn’t miss a single chance to remind me that I was his.
He’d fuck me in the morning, waking me up with wicked kisses.
Or he’d stay awake enough at night to pleasure us both before we fell asleep—around the hecticness of Natalie and Sergei having their baby.
Busy and stressed, I was prone to pushing Andre away. The more we solidified our sex life and proved that our passion burned strong, the more I wondered if that was all this was to him. That when he called me his, he meant it in a possessive way like he’d view any other item he owned.
No matter how often I tried to play it cool and resist him, I caved each time. Our bond—whether it was only physical or suggestive of something more meaningful—was unbreakable.
Like an addiction.
Debating whether I should shower first or go check if anyone needed anything in Natalie and Sergei’s building, I drummed my fingers on the table and tried to ignore the sounds of Renee and Susana cackling and laughing about a raunchy joke they’d shared in the kitchen.
They were speaking in Russian and likely thought I couldn’t understand, but I did.
I just wasn’t in the mood to laugh.
When my phone rang, showing my uncle’s fake number, my lips curled in disgust.
I answered, scowling, and speaking in Italian just in case. Renee and Susana wouldn’t pay attention to me, and no guards were around, but I was cautious.
“What the fuck are you doing contacting those places?” he demanded.
Oh, no.
My attempt to lie about Esmeralda’s residence was already failing.
“Some bitch called and said that you were trying to arrange for a home visit for your cousin.” He barked a cruel laugh. “Are you fucking kidding me? Is this your idea of a stupid joke?”
“No. It’s not a joke. Esmeralda deserves a break from the pain. She should be able to rest comfortably, and if that is too much of a burden on you, I will arrange—”
“You’ll arrange nothing,” he snarled. “I’m not paying a single fucking penny for her. What’s the point?”
“The point is that she’s family,” I bit out. “She’s your sister’s child. And she has done nothing to deserve this lack of care and mercy.”
“Exactly. She’s done nothing for me.” He grunted like he wanted to laugh more. “And she never will. She’s a sick excuse of a person and not my concern.”
I hate you!
I hate you with all my soul, you heartless asshole!
Clenching my fingers in a fist, I tried not to let loose on him. It wouldn’t help. Losing my temper and lashing out would only entertain him because he held the power, not me.
“No one’s coming to do a fucking home visit. And no one’s coming to move her to some expensive-ass facility.”
I ground my molars and breathed through the fury.
“Is that why you haven’t been sending me anything? Huh? I haven’t heard from you for weeks, you little brat. Weeks! Are you wasting all your time looking up hospices and not doing as I asked?”
“No.” I bit it out and fought the urge to scream.
“No what, you stupid cunt?”
“No, I haven’t been too busy to do as you asked. There is nothing to tell you.”
“That’s a fucking lie.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and dared to cut him off from berating me any further. “Why can’t you let her go? Why can’t you let me move her to a place where she can be comfortable?”
He growled. “Why? Why? Because that’s the only hold I have on you. If I keep that stupid bitch here, you’re obligated to fucking listen to me. To do as I say.”
Leverage. That was all Esmeralda was to him.
I knew it. And I wasn’t a skilled actress to lie and tell him that I’d still spy for him if he let me get Esmeralda out of there.
I’d lost the willpower to spy for him. I’d given up on caring about him at all.
With my hopes to extract Esmeralda out of the hostage situation she was in, I’d wipe my hands of him.
“You won’t beat me,” I warned. “Not like this.”
“Oh, really? Fine, then I’ll just fucking kill her. How would you like that?” he taunted.
I blinked quickly and swallowed, forcing it past the thick emotions clogged there. “Fine. Go ahead. Let me say goodbye to her first.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“No, I’m not. She’s suffering. Maybe it would be more merciful to let her go, you bastard.”
He chuckled, and I knew my mistake was in letting him hear how furious I was. He still had the power, the power to hurt me through her.
“Nah, I’ll call your bluff. But if you’re starting to get too cozy in that fucking Orlov place and you’re thinking about defying me, consider this, brat.”
I scowled, wondering if it was possible to hate him any more than I did.
“I found out about a new drug. I’ve been looking into diversifying my product. And wouldn’t you like to know they’re making a new treatment for sick wastes of space like your cousin?”
My mouth hung open. He could be lying, but if he wasn’t…
“A cure?”
“Sounds like it. If not a cure, something that makes them feel human.” He chortled.
“You’re aware of a new treatment and you would deny her the help she needs?” I asked.
Stupid question, Sof. Of course, he fucking will.
He had no heart. No remorse. He had to have sold his soul to the devil to be this cruel to his own flesh and blood.
“You’re denying her,” he corrected. “I could look into asking around how to get this treatment. It’s not on the market, not for just everyone yet. But it’s there. I could ask about getting my hands on some for her, but why should I if you’re not going to do what I sent you there to finish?”
My mouth moved. I wanted to speak. Instead of looking like a guppy, I wanted to tell him to either fuck off and let my cousin be free or to get that potential cure now.
“Sleep on that, niece. Think about that when you want to slack off and defy me. I expect more reports. Immediately.”
He ended the call, leaving me staring at the wall in stunned silence.
I’m damned if I do.
I exhaled a shaky breath to weather the storm of rage boiling inside me.
And I’m damned if I don’t…