Chapter 6 Dante
Dante
Day one of babysitting Sofia Gallo at the Greenhouse, and I'm already questioning every life choice that led me to this moment.
The place is nice enough—sprawling estate on the Hudson River, plenty of space to roam, and Olga Gallo makes a mean cup of coffee. But watching Sofia pace around like a caged tiger is making me wonder if Vito's punishment fits the crime here. Then again, maybe this is punishment for both of us.
I've stationed myself in the kitchen where I can see both the front door and the back door, plus I've got a clear view of the main staircase. Sofia's been upstairs for exactly forty-three minutes, which is either her getting ready for the day or plotting her first escape attempt.
My money's on escape attempt.
"She's been quiet," Olga mentions, bustling around the kitchen and shooting worried glances toward the ceiling.
"Too quiet," I agree, taking another sip of coffee. "In my experience, quiet women are usually up to something."
As if on cue, I hear the unmistakable sound of a window sliding open upstairs. I set down my coffee and check my watch. Forty-five minutes. Not bad, princess. I give her points for patience.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Gallo," I say, already heading for the back door. "I think your daughter might need some fresh air."
I slip outside and position myself under Sofia's bedroom window, leaning against the side of the house with my arms crossed. The morning sun feels good on my face as I wait. And wait. And wait some more.
What the hell is taking her so long? Is she packing a suitcase up there?
Finally, a bare foot appears at the window, followed by a leg in dark jeans.
Sofia's moving carefully, testing each handhold as she climbs down the side of the house.
I've got to admit, the girl's got skills.
Most people would break their neck attempting this climb, but she's moving like she's done it a hundred times before.
Which, knowing Sofia, she probably has.
She drops the last few feet to the ground, landing in a crouch. When she straightens up and turns around, her face goes through about four different emotions in the span of two seconds: surprise, anger, resignation, and then something that looks suspiciously like calculation.
"Going somewhere, princess?"
"Don't call me princess," she snaps automatically, but there's no real heat behind it. More like she's testing the waters.
"What should I call you then? Houdini?" I push off from the wall and take a step closer. "Because that was some impressive window work up there. Very graceful. Though you might want to work on your timing."
Her eyes narrow. "My timing was fine."
"Eh, not really. See, the thing about escape attempts is you want to make sure your audience isn't already waiting for you." I gesture to myself with a smirk. "Kind of defeats the purpose when your security detail is standing right here enjoying the show."
Sofia crosses her arms, and I can practically see the wheels turning in her head. "How did you know?"
"Professional instinct. Plus, you've been way too quiet up there. In my line of work, quiet usually means trouble." I tilt my head toward the house. "Also, your mom makes fantastic coffee, and I had a perfect view of your window from the kitchen."
"So you were just... waiting?"
"Like a spider in a web, princess. Like a spider in a very comfortable, well-caffeinated web."
She huffs out a laugh despite herself, and for a second I see a glimpse of the girl underneath all that anger and defiance. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"What, keeping you from potentially breaking your neck in a poorly planned escape attempt?
Yeah, it's the highlight of my morning." I lean back against the house again, getting comfortable.
"Though I have to say, I'm a little disappointed.
I was expecting something more creative for your first try. "
"First try?" Sofia's eyebrows shoot up. "Who says this is my first try?"
"Well, unless you're planning to tunnel out or catapult yourself over the fence, you're pretty much out of obvious exit strategies.
The front door's got cameras, the back door leads right past the kitchen where I'm set up, and you just blew your window option.
" I count off on my fingers. "So either you've got some master plan brewing, or you're going to have to get a lot more creative. "
"Maybe I do have a master plan."
"Yeah? What's step two then? Because step one—climb out window—didn't exactly work out for you."
Sofia stares at me for a long moment, and I can see her weighing her options. Fight, flight, or negotiation. Given that flight just failed spectacularly and she's smart enough to know she can't take me in a fight, I'm betting on negotiation.
"What if I asked nicely?" she tries, giving me a smile that's probably melted more than a few hearts in her eighteen years.
"What if you did?"
"Please, Dante. I just want to go for a walk. By myself. Like a normal person."
"Normal people don't usually climb out second-story windows for their morning constitutional, princess."
"Stop calling me that!"
"What, princess? Why, does it bother you... princess?"
She takes a step toward me, and for a second I think she might actually try to hit me. Instead, she stops just close enough that I can smell her shampoo—something floral that shouldn't be as distracting as it is.
"You know what? Fine. You want to babysit me? Then babysit away. But I'm not making this easy for you."
"Wouldn't want it any other way. Easy is boring."
"Good," she says, backing toward the house. "Because tomorrow I'm going to try harder."
"Looking forward to it. Maybe next time aim for something more challenging than a basic window escape. Where's your sense of adventure?"
Sofia pauses at the back door, one hand on the handle. "You really think you're going to be able to stop me every time?"
I flash her my best cocky grin. "Princess, I've been doing this job for fifteen years. You're going to have to try a lot harder than that to get away from me."
The look she gives me is pure challenge, and despite everything—despite the fact that she's my assignment, despite the fact that she's Vito's sister-in-law, despite the fact that this whole situation is complicated as hell—I find myself looking forward to whatever she's planning next.
This job just got a whole lot more interesting.
"We'll see about that," Sofia says, and disappears into the house.
Yeah, we definitely will.