Chapter 7

FLORA

I stood frozen by the intercom with my heart pounding loudly in my ears. What would Vivian be doing at my apartment this late? And what was that she said about me being in danger? None of this even made sense.

The knock on my door made me jump. I peered through the peephole and blinked in surprise. The woman standing there wasn't Vivian at all.

She was younger, around my age, with long dark hair and olive skin. And those eyes. I recognized them immediately. They were Dante's eyes, although these ones were warmer and framed by long lashes.

I kept the chain on as I cracked open the door. "You're not Vivian,” I pointed out.

She smiled, and something in my chest tightened. Her smile transformed her face, making her stunning rather than merely beautiful. "No, I'm Sofia Romano. Dante's sister."

"Why did you lie about who you were?"

She held up a paper bag that smelled amazing. "Would you have let me in if I told you I was Dante's sister?” she replied. “I brought dinner."

My stomach growled, betraying me. I hadn't eaten since lunch, and whatever was in that bag smelled like heaven.

Against my better judgment, I unhooked the chain and stepped back. "Come in."

Sofia swept into my apartment like she owned it as her eyes took in everything. She wore a pair of boot-cut designer jeans and a simple black top, but the watch on her wrist probably cost more than six months of my rent.

"Cozy place," she said, heading straight for my tiny kitchen. "Plates?"

I pointed to a cabinet while still trying to process what was happening. "Why are you here?" I asked. I was curious.

She began unpacking the bag, revealing containers of pasta, bread, and salad. "Dante sent me to check on his investment."

"His investment?" I asked incredulously. The words felt like a slap on my face.

"His words, not mine." She glanced at me. "My brother has always been... transactional. But he was worried about you."

"Worried? Or making sure I wasn't googling him?" I said, but I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.

Sofia's eyes widened slightly, then she laughed after a short moment. "Ah, so you have been doing your homework? Smart girl."

She handed me a plate piled high with pasta. "Eat. You look like you've had a rough day."

I took the plate, my stomach winning over my suspicion. The first bite was incredible. The food tasted rich, garlicky, and comforting.

"This is amazing," I admitted between large bites.

"It’s from our family restaurant. I told the chef to make it special." Sofia settled across from me at my small table. "So, you've been with my brother for two days now. What do you think?"

"I think he's dangerous,” I replied immediately, surprising myself with my honesty.

She nodded, and it didn’t look like she was offended. "He is. Very. But there's more to him than what you've seen."

"Like what? The man I saw today broke someone's fingers without blinking."

"Did he do it himself?" she asked quietly.

I paused before saying, “No."

"Exactly. Dante doesn't enjoy violence. He uses it because, in our world, it's necessary." She twirled pasta around her fork. "We didn't choose this life, Flora. It chose us."

I set down my fork. "What do you mean?"

Sofia's eyes grew distant just before she started to speak. "Our father was Antonio Romano. To the public, he was a respected businessman. But behind closed doors, he was a monster."

She pushed up her sleeve, revealing a faint scar running along her forearm. "I was seven when he did this. I dropped a glass of his favorite whiskey." She pulled her sleeve back down. "Dante was ten. He tried to stop our father and got thrown through a glass table for his trouble."

I felt sick again, but for different reasons now. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It made us who we are." Sofia's eyes met mine. "As we got older, Dante became my shield. He took beatings meant for me, and drew our father's rage whenever it turned my way."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you need to understand that he's not a monster. He’s not our father. He's just a product of this life." Her gaze was intense. "Dante learned early on that power is the only protection in this world. He took over the family business at 18 after our father's heart attack. He's ruthless because he has to be."

I thought about the contract and my mother's medical bills. "He's manipulative."

"Yes," she agreed easily. "He's also loyal to those who are loyal to him. The people in our neighborhood adore him. He puts their kids through college, pays their medical bills, protects their businesses."

"Like he paid my mother's medical bills?" I asked sharply.

Sofia smiled. "Ah, so he told you about that. Interesting."

"What's interesting about blackmail?" I shot back at her.

"That he cared enough to research you so thoroughly." She leaned forward. "My brother doesn't get personally involved with employees, Flora. Ever. Yet he's taking a special interest in you."

I felt heat rush to my face as I remembered the real reason he had taken an interest in me. "It's not like that,” I protested.

"No? Then why am I here, bringing you dinner? Why does he have Rex driving you around? Why did he let you keep your apartment when he could have forced you to move into his mansion?"

I had no answer for that though.

Sofia stood abruptly, already gathering the empty containers. "Just give him a chance. There's more to Dante Romano than what you see on the surface."

She left me with a full stomach and a head spinning with lots of confusing thoughts.

***

The next morning, I arrived at the office to find a stack of folders on my desk with a note in bold handwriting: "File these personally. For your eyes only."

As I worked through the documents, I began to see the scope of Dante's empire. There were papers for dozens of shell companies, property deeds across the city, and a good number of offshore accounts with sums that made my eyes widen.

"Figured it out yet?" Dante's voice made me jump. He stood behind me, too close for comfort.

"You own business in almost half the city," I said, trying to keep my voice steady even though I was in awe.

"More than half." He perched on the edge of my desk. "These are the legitimate businesses."

"And the others?"

His eyes glinted. "That’s not something we discuss here,” he said curtly.

Before I could respond, the elevator doors opened. A man in a rumpled suit stepped out, his posture screaming "law enforcement" even before he flashed his badge to Vivian.

"Detective Reyes to see Mr. Romano," he announced.

Dante's expression didn't change, but I felt him tense. "Show him in, Vivian."

To my surprise, Dante gestured for me to follow him. "You too, Flora."

The detective was a weathered man with tired eyes and a face that had seen too much. He eyed me suspiciously as I entered behind Dante.

"New PA?" he asked.

"My most trusted associate," Dante corrected smoothly, placing a hand on my lower back. "Flora, this is Detective Reyes. We go way back."

I nodded, even though I was not sure what my role was supposed to be in this meeting.

"What brings you by, Detective?" Dante asked, gesturing for the man to sit.

Reyes remained standing. "There was a drug bust in the Art District last night. Thought you might want to know,” he replied.

"Why would that concern me? My businesses are all legitimate."

The detective's smile didn't reach his eyes. "The Art District has always been Romano territory. If someone's moving product there without your knowledge..."

I watched the subtle exchange, suddenly understanding. The detective wasn't investigating Dante; he was warning him subtly.

"I appreciate the information," Dante said smoothly, moving to his desk. He took out a checkbook. "By the way, I've been meaning to make a donation to the Police Fund. Your daughter's quinceañera is coming up, isn't it?"

Reyes nodded. "Yes. Next month."

"A special occasion deserves a special gift," Dante said before he proceeded to write out a check and handed it to the detective, who pocketed it without looking at the amount.

"Always generous, Romano."

"Family is everything," Dante replied. "I'll look into that Art District situation."

After the detective left, Dante turned to me. "Not a word about that meeting to anyone. Do you understand?"

I nodded, still processing what I had just witnessed. "He's on your payroll," I stated rather than asked.

"Most of them are,” Dante said confirming my words just before he checked his watch. "I have meetings across town. I won't be back until later. Hold my calls except for Sofia or Uncle Giovanni."

After he left, I used the quiet time to organize his files properly. I had never seen such meticulous record-keeping for what I now understood were criminal enterprises. Dante documented everything, just not in ways that would incriminate him. He was a smart man.

While reaching for a high shelf in his office, I knocked against what looked like a solid wood panel. It shifted slightly, revealing the edge of a metal door. When I looked closely, I could see that it was a hidden safe.

I glanced toward the outer office. Vivian was at lunch, and no one else was around. Curiosity overwhelmed my better judgment. I pushed the panel fully aside, revealing a state of the art safe with both a keypad and a fingerprint scanner.

I knew I couldn't open it, but I found myself reaching out anyway, tracing the keypad with my fingers. What secrets did it hold? What would happen if—

"Looking for something?" suddenly came a voice behind me.

I spun around instantly, my heart almost stopping. Dante stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

"I—I was just filing these documents," I stammered, holding up the folder in my hand like a shield.

He stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. "And the safe? Were you filing documents there too?"

I swallowed hard, unable to form words as he approached. There was nowhere to run.

Dante stopped directly in front of me. He was so close that I could smell his cologne. His eyes searched mine, and I waited for the explosion of anger, threats, or even worse.

Instead, he reached past me, his arm brushing mine, and pushed the panel back into place, concealing the safe once more.

"Curiosity," he said softly, still standing too close, "is a dangerous quality in my world, Flora."

I finally found my voice. "Are you going to kill me?"

His expression shifted, and something like surprise reflected on his face. When he laughed, the sound was unexpected.

"Kill you? For finding a safe that most people with eyes could find?" He reached up, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. The casual intimacy of the gesture made me shiver. "No, I'm not going to kill you. But since you're so interested in what's inside..." He trailed off.

Then Dante's hand moved to my wrist, his grip firm but not painful as he lifted my hand and pressed my palm against the wooden panel.