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We reached the car, and I opened the passenger side door to let her in. She sat down and set the pup on her lap. Once I got in and started the car, she spoke.
“It wasn’t stupid. Lina was gone with Damon. What was I supposed to do, hang out with Eric?”
“I don’t know, play with your dog, swim, read. Take a fucking nap.”
“I’m sure many women would envy my position, but you know I needed to talk to him.”
I turned to her and glimpsed the bluish marks on her neck. Marks I’d left. I swallowed my rebuke and returned my attention to the road.
“Eric is there to keep you safe, Sofia,” I said more calmly ten minutes later.
“My grandfather doesn’t pose a threat. Not to me.”
“He may not, but his associates do.”
“Moriarty isn’t an associate.”
Raphael glanced at me and chuckled. “Is that so?”
“What does that mean?”
“Did your grandfather tell you that?”
She seemed confused. I knew there couldn’t be any truth to it. The old man was a manipulative liar.
“And what about becoming your sister’s legal guardian? Did you ask that? And did he readily agree? Putting his grandchildren before himself?”
She shifted in her seat and looked straight ahead. “He refused outright.”
I didn’t say anything, although I wanted to.
“Go on, Raphael, don’t hold back. Don’t you want to tell me you told me so?”
“Believe it or not, I wish I were wrong in this case.”
She exhaled and shook her head, looking out the side window.
“Did you think for a minute your sister might be safer there than here? At least for now?”
“Safer?”
“I have enemies, your grandfather being one of them. But Moriarty poses a more imminent threat.”
“You said—”
“I said I’d keep you safe, and I plan to. But it would be easier if I didn’t have to chase you around Tuscany, and your sister physically not being here is better for her. Your grandfather will take care of her.”
“He wouldn’t hurt me either.”
“I know he wouldn’t physically hurt you.”
Our eyes met, and I saw a thousand and one questions behind them. But she didn’t ask even one. She doubted. She doubted her grandfather. She doubted me. And she should. She’d be smart not to trust either of us.
“Can you see how her not being here may be safer for her? Out of reach of Moriarty.”
“What do you owe him?”
“I owe him nothing. My father, on the other hand, owed him half a million dollars.”
Her mouth fell open. “Half a million dollars?”
I nodded.
“Why?”
“He stole from him. Like the fucking idiot he was.”
“Can’t you just pay him off?”
“It’s half a million dollars, Sofia. Besides, it’s not my debt to pay. If I paid this one off, I’d be sending a message. I want it to be known that I will not pay for my father’s mistakes. His sins are his. I’m no longer his whipping boy.”
“What are all your meetings about?”
“Vineyard. I’m thinking about selling.”
“Sell the land?”
“The land. The house. All of it.”
“Raphael—”
“I wonder if it wouldn’t be better. To walk away from everything. Start fresh.”
“But it’s home. You said so. It’s where you remember your mother. Your brothers. You said it’s where you remember being happy. If it were me, and I had something of my parents, I wouldn’t give it up, no matter what.”
Did she think I took this decision lightly? We sat quietly for ten minutes. “Your neck, Sofia,” I finally said.
She wrapped one hand around it.
“I’m sorry. I can get very…angry.”
“I noticed.”
I turned to her. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Then don’t. You have to figure out how to deal with the anger.”
“How do you not despise me?”
“How could I? How could I hate you? You’re a victim. Maybe more of one than me.”
“I don’t know that there are degrees or that they matter.”
“What do your brothers think about the sale?”
“Doesn’t matter. I own it.”
“Raphael, you want to—”
“I’m not decided yet,” I said honestly. “One way or the other.”
“But—”
“Leave it, Sofia. I need to think.”
“You’d do this?”
I didn’t reply. Instead, I took the turn onto the property. Lina and Damon walked out of the house together to greet us.
Sofia leaped out of the car after Charlie, hugging first her sister, then Damon. He said something to her, but I didn’t hear it. From the look on her face, it was a reproach. Good.
Lina took Sofia’s hand, and they went into the house. But just before they were out of sight, I noticed the look Lina threw over her shoulder at Damon. There was something strange about it. Something unexpected.
“Where did Damon take you?” Sofia asked.
I didn’t hear Lina’s response as they disappeared ahead of us, but I did study my brother, saw how his eyes followed them, how they narrowed as they tracked Lina.
“She’s a little young, isn’t she?” I asked, meaning it to be a joke but realizing he took it as more of a taunt the moment I saw his face.
