Chapter 17
SOFIA
Ifollow Dominic up the stairs in silence, turning his offer over in my head. The same protests fire off instantly, even with the truth laid bare in front of me. I like my job. I need the money. I have feelings for Dominic.
The words that have become a mantra over the last few days become diluted by new truths. Dominic is a crime boss. Dominic has probably killed people. Being involved with Dominic could get me hurt or killed.
I don’t speak to him again. None of the words I want to say would come out right anyway, so there’s no point now. He says he’ll understand if I quit, and I should take the out. I should see it for the olive branch it is. Maya would tell me to squeeze him for money. Hell, so would my father.
Except there’s a baby to think about. One he doesn’t know exists. Yes, he’s dangerous, but could I really justify cutting him out of his child’s life? That seems unnecessarily cruel.
The best thing is to go home and sleep on it, so I do. I don’t feel my usual guilt about taking the town car home. After tonight, I’m too shaken to even attempt the subway.
I can’t sleep, though. I toss and turn all night, replaying everything in my head. The men coming up from below. Who were they? Would they have hurt me? Did they come for me, specifically?
Am I safe in my apartment? At the garage? Am I safe anywhere?
I should quit. Would that end any of this, though, or would I still be a target with no protection? Fuck, it’s all so complicated.
When the sun finally comes up the next morning, I feel exhausted and irritated, but I know I’m not going to quit.
I walk into his office. He’s already there, which is no surprise. There are dark circles under his eyes too, and they give me some satisfaction. If I can’t sleep, I’m glad he can’t either. It’s the least he deserves.
When he sees me, he looks both surprised and relieved. A moment later, that look gives way to casual indifference. I’m starting to think no one in his life has ever given him the space to show genuine emotion. It kind of makes me sad for him.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to see you today,” he says quietly.
“I work here.” I shrug.
There it is. That’s my decision, laid bare in front of both of us.
“Are you sure?” he asks.
I nod, and he allows just the slightest smile.
“Well, at the very least, I think you should take some time off. Take a few days. Last night was traumatic.”
“Is everyone in the office getting a day off?” I ask him pointedly.
“Well, no…” he hesitates.
“Because it wasn’t just traumatic for me,” I say. “I’m sure plenty of others are feeling stressed after last night.”
“You were the only one who saw what actually happened,” he says. “The only Vieri Holdings employee, that is. All anyone else knows is that there was faulty wiring and it was a false alarm.”
“It’s New York City,” I point out. “Knowing it’s a false alarm doesn’t erase the fear.”
He groans in frustration. “So, to be clear, you won’t be taking time off.”
I shake my head. “No, I won’t be taking time off.”
A small smile pulls at his lips, making him look younger. He’s handsome now, but there are so many sharp edges and masks. I wonder if he was different when he was younger. Maybe he didn’t have to be so guarded all the time.
“I should probably be clear about something,” he says after a moment. “Being near me puts you at a certain risk. As my assistant, you’ve become one of my closest confidants. You know more than anyone else who works here, apart from Rafe. I promised myself I wouldn’t let you go into this blind.”
I wince, remembering my words from last night. I basically accused him of trapping me in this job. Not my best look.
“So, I’ve been in danger as long as I’ve worked here,” I argue.
“Right? Knowing the truth is just like putting on a pair of glasses. It was always there, I can just see it now. If I walk away from this, it’s not going to magically erase what I know.
People have seen me with you. Those men who were threatening my father, Kevin Armand, and who knows who else? ”
His jaw tightens and he stares at me with an unreadable look on his face. I can’t decide if he’s agreeing with me or angry that I’ve pointed it out. Either way, he doesn’t look happy.
I walk around to his side of the desk and perch on the corner of it. His eyes go wide for a fraction of a second, then cut to the door like he’s worried we’ll get caught.
“There’s another reason I can’t leave,” I tell him softly, heart racing. “Life feels too short, especially after last night, so I think I should tell you—”
He shakes his head, and I feel the sting of rejection until he takes my hand and brings it to his lips. They brush softly against the skin on the back of my hand, and I melt at the touch.
“Not now,” he says huskily. “I very much want to hear it, but wait until everyone’s gone. I’ll make it worth your while, I swear.”
I get off his desk and walk toward the door.
The rest of the day is torture. I’m just going through the motions, waiting for the moment when the day finally ends and we have a chance to be alone. My stomach twists and lurches in a way that has nothing to do with morning sickness.
Something very real has shifted. Something important. I don’t want to keep having dirty office hookups with him and hating myself after. I want something real. I think we could have something real. Now that the truth is out, or his truth, at least, we can try.
The hours seem to drag by. Nina comes by to gossip about last night’s events, retelling it like it’s a war story and she was nearly a casualty. I have to remind her that I was also here when it happened and it was just a false alarm. That’s the official story, anyway.
I sit behind Dominic, taking notes in two meetings I couldn’t care less about.
I find myself staring at his neck, considering leaving him a hickey to get revenge for the one he gave me last time.
I watch the way his jaw moves and think about kissing all along it until he’s desperate to put his lips on mine.
All in all, I find him very physically distracting until six p.m., when he finally announces he’s leaving for the day.
“I’ve got an event in Queens tonight,” he says, loud enough for anyone nearby to hear, if they happen to be lingering and shameless gossips. “Maybe we should share a town car?”
I nod, trying not to look overly enthusiastic as I quickly pack up my things and follow him to the elevator.
My pulse is pounding the whole ride down.
I feel it in my throat as we walk out of the office and toward the car.
When I slide against the seat and feel the leather pressing against the backs of my legs, I nearly combust.
He must be feeling the same way, because the second we’re out of the eyeline of the building, his hands go to my hips and he pulls me against him.
Our lips crash together, quickly replaced by tongues and teeth.
I don’t worry about the driver. He’s probably seen much worse, and anyway, now that I know who Dominic is, I’m sure the man is paid very well to keep his mouth shut.
“So,” he sighs against my lips. “There was something you wanted to tell me?”
I nod and kiss him again, lightly. “Yes, I think I was going to tell you that I’m absolutely not having sex with you in a town car in Manhattan.”
He chuckles and he’s so close to me, I feel the reverberation in my own chest.
“Come on,” he says, sending another pleasant chill down my spine. “The windows are well tinted and Bradley isn’t going to say a word.”
I giggle and hit him lightly on the chest. “No,” I say, pulling away from him. Then I lean in to him and whisper in his ear. “But I do have a pretty comfortable bed. You can take me however you want me there.”
He looks at me, eyes darkening, and I swear to God he licks his lips.
Something in me finally snaps, the tension I’ve been carrying breaking and I feel a million pounds lighter. I lean my head against his shoulder, and he runs his hand up and down the length of my thigh the rest of the way home.
When we pull up to my street, I feel giddy and lightheaded in the best way. He gets out and looks up at my building. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, though I have to imagine it’s a hovel compared to other apartments he’s been in.
“It’s not much,” I say, grabbing his hand. “But it’s very cozy.”
He shakes his head. “I was actually checking for points of entry,” he mutters.
I roll my eyes. This is Dominic in real life.
On the landing, I reach into my purse, frustrated I didn’t have the foresight to grab the keys in the car.
The last thing I want is more space between us.
I’m ready to get him inside and rip his clothes off.
I feel them at the bottom of my purse, but they’re snagged on something.
Impatient, I yank as hard as I can, and out comes a packet of prenatal vitamins I ordered online to try.
Dominic and I bend down at the same time to grab it. Me, with mild horror, him out of chivalry, I imagine. Then he picks them up and reads the label. He stares at them in confusion, then looks at me. My face must give away everything, because he frowns back down at the packet.
“Sofia, what are these?” he asks.