Chapter 1
Chapter One
Sophia
I didn’t mind the rain. Coming from New York, I was used to all sorts of weather, but this light drizzling rain, that seemed to be barely there, still soaked you to the skin. It was the worst.
My denim jacket was sodden, and so heavy it weighed my shoulders down, and the navy blue slacks I was wearing were soaked.
A shiver ran through me, half to do with the cold water currently dripping into my eyes and half because I was tired.
This week had been the busiest I had lived through since taking the job at the local Italian deli. I didn’t know what had gotten into people, but they all seemed to be wanting more Cannoli than normal. Probably some kind of internet trend that I wasn’t up to date with.
There seemed to be a new fad at least once a week, not that I spent much time on the internet. No social media, one generic email…that was enough for me. I couldn’t risk anyone from my old life finding me.
Having Gio know my location was one thing; I knew he wouldn’t betray me. He was my brother after all, but anyone else?
After what had happened to my parents, there was no way I wanted Matteo to find me.
Instantly, my shoulders hunched, and that sent a trickle of ice-cold water down my spine.
Yeah, Matteo could never find me. I’d spent the last six years hiding from him, looking over my shoulder and jumping at every shadow. After what he had done to my parents, it was pretty clear to everyone that I would be next on his list.
Crossing my arms around my chest, I turned onto my street.
I looked at the houses that had been converted into apartments lining the road on either side of me.
Not the best area, but not the worst either.
I’d lived in a lot worse since I had been running.
At least here, Lily had a small backyard to play in.
Lily—
She was the other reason I didn’t want Matteo to find me. It would put her in danger. Not because I thought he would murder a child. I didn’t think he had become that evil. But because he wasn’t stupid. He would be able to work out dates and realize she was his.
One night of passion, that’s all we had spent together, and it had resulted in the sweetest, most beautiful little girl in the world. A little girl I adored.
A child I would do anything to protect.
The house on the corner came into view, and my feet sped up.
Almost home, and I had the whole weekend off to spend with my child. I’d already made plans that I knew she would love, but tonight would be spent getting warm and just spending time together as a family.
The promise of a warm bath and a night in front of the television sped up my feet, but only for twenty seconds before I clocked the car in the street.
It was silver, sleek and expensive. It didn’t belong on this street.
My eyes swept over it. A rental, nothing more. Maybe a visiting guest of someone who lived here. We weren’t far from the airport, so it made sense.
It made sense that was, right up until a shadow stepped out of the driver’s side of the car and leaned against the door with his muscled arms crossed awkwardly over his chest.
Dark eyes found me and narrowed.
My feet slowed and then stopped altogether. I didn’t know the man, but he sure as hell looked like he knew me.
I swallowed hard, and my heart took off at a gallop. Had someone found me? After all this time, had someone from my past tracked me down?
He straightened, looking even bigger than I had thought, and my eyes darted to the house before I could stop myself.
Lily was in there with my roommate and best friend, Nat, but who else was in there?
Were the two people I cared for the most in the world in danger, and if they were, what could I do about it? I wasn’t armed, and hitting a would-be attacker with my handbag just wouldn’t cut it.
“Miss Bianchi.” The goon with the military style haircut nodded his head politely as I approached. Holding my breath, I walked past him and up to the front door.
He hadn’t made a grab for me, so this wasn’t a kidnapping attempt. In fact, he had been polite. Did that mean…
Pushing open the door, I swung my head to the left. Nat sat opposite the door. Her back was rigid, and she held my daughter protectively on her lap. Her eyes darted up to me and widened.
There was a man sitting in the armchair nearest the door, his dark hair shiny. There was a notch taken out of the top of his right ear.
“Are you just going to stand there and stare at the back of my head, Sophia, or are you going to come in so we can talk?”
“Gio?” My brother’s name tumbled out of my mouth in shock. He sounded different: rougher and colder all the same time.
“Surprised to see me?” He chuckled. His eyes were the exact same shape and shade as mine. They followed me as I walked into the room and shrugged off my jacket.
“What are you doing here, Gio?”
Standing in the middle of the rug, I glared at him.
And he stared right back, his familiar, knowing smirk tilting up his full lips. “Anyone would think you are not happy to see me, little sister?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nat’s eyes widen.
“Brother?” she mouthed silently, and I nodded before turning my attention back to him.
“I’m not. You told me six years ago that you wanted nothing to do with us, that it was safer if we didn’t stay in touch. You said,” I paused, “you would only get in touch if something bad had happened.”
For five whole seconds, he didn’t say a word. “Something bad has happened, Sophia.”
Sighing, I shook my head. Of course something bad had happened. In his world, bad things were always happening.
“Who died?” My voice was completely blank. “Can’t be any of the family, because, well…” my eyes narrowed. “There’s only three of us left.” A sinking feeling opened in the pit of my stomach. “Is Matteo—“
My brother’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Alive and well,” he snapped. “In fact, Matteo is why I am here.” Turning his head, he stared at Nat. And the look in his eyes was clear. He didn’t want to say anything else until we were alone, and that was okay with me.
Nat had been my friend since I had arrived in this country, and she knew I was running from my past, but she didn’t know everything. It was safer that way.
For everyone.
Taking the hint, she stood, heaving Lily up as well. “I’ll give you two some time to catch up. Lily bum and I are going to have a tea party. Isn’t that right, Lily?”
“Bye, Uncle Gio.” Lily waved her little chubby hand at my brother, who remained stonily silent. Not that I was surprised. He had never been good with children.
“I’ll catch you up later,” I called after Nat before falling into the seat she had just vacated.
The sound of a door closing was loud in the sudden awkward silence.
“Has Matteo found me?” I couldn’t help it. My voice shook.
“No,” Gio said softly. “He doesn’t know about your current situation.” His eyes darted toward the door.
“Nat is just a friend, Gio.” I rolled my eyes.
“I wasn’t talking about your roommate, little sister. I was talking about the kid.”
There was so much hatred in his voice that I did a double-take.
“Her name is Lily and she is your niece,” I snapped right back. “You can’t—"
“Matteo wants to see you.”
The words died in my mouth. I opened my lips and no sound came out.
“I mean, he has agreed to see you,” Gio amended.
Shaking my head, I cleared my throat. “Not going to happen, Gio. He killed our parents.” I sucked in a breath. “Who’s to say he won’t try to kill me?”
Gio’s eyes darted away. “He won’t kill you, Sophia. Just like he won’t kill me. He’s playing the long game instead.”
My head snapped up. “What do you mean?”
“He’s destroying everything our parents built, one deal at a time. Our family will be ruined.”
Confused, I leaned forward. “And you think talking to me will change that? He was your friend, Gio. If you can’t fix it, why do you think I can?”
For the space of several seconds, my brother stared at me. It was the kind of look that told me he knew the truth about Lily’s conception.
I’d never told anyone who had knocked me up, not even my brother, but that look made me uncomfortable.
“I’m really sorry, Gio, but I don’t know what I can do. My life is here now. I have people who depend on me.”
He cut me off with a snarl. “I am depending on you, Sophia. You’re my last resort. I need you to come home.”
Jumping to my feet, I shook my head. “There’s nothing I can do—“
“At least meet with him.”
I searched his face. There was no sign that he was lying, but it felt like he was keeping something from me. I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was.
“Matteo has agreed to see me?” My voice shook and my heart beat so hard that I was sure the whole neighborhood would be able to hear it.
After all this time, Matteo wanted to see me? What did that mean? Or did it mean anything at all?
The real question was, did I want to see him? Six years ago, I would have given anything to see his face every day for the rest of my life, but now?
He had betrayed my family and me in the worst possible way, and it had broken me. Could I face him again?
“He’s agreed to, yes. I think he wants to see you for himself before he agrees to anything else.”
“Anything else?” My eyebrows shot up.
Clearly, my brother was up to something. He was older than me, but I’d always been able to tell when he wasn’t being truthful, and he wasn’t right now.
“What aren’t you telling me, Gio?”
He remained stonily silent.
“Gio, if you want me to talk to him, then I need to know everything.”
Was I really considering this? It was crazy. But Gio was the only family I had left, and if I could help him, then I had to do it.
“I need this alliance, Sophia.”
My heart slammed to a halt. An alliance? Did Gio just say that out loud, or had I misheard him?
Throwing my head back, I laughed. “You’re talking about marriage. Jesus Christ, Gio, you can’t be serious?”
Nothing. He just stared at me.
“This plan is crazy, Gio. I can’t leave here. This is my home, and even if I could, hell would have to freeze over before Matteo agreed to take me as his wife.”
My laughter filled the room, loud and sarcastic. The entire time, my brother remained silent.
It was ludicrous.
Except he didn’t look like it was a joke at all. I swallowed down the laughter. “You can’t be serious, Gio. You want me to marry Matteo Romano?