I now understand Teresa's concern so much more than before. This is not about Caterina being difficult. This is about Caterina being ambushed.
"That was a mistake," I say, looking Vito directly in the eye. "A major one."
He doesn't flinch. "I did what I had to do to ensure my sister's safety."
"No. You did what you had to do to ensure you got your way," I counter. "There's a difference."
"I'm the one who hired you," he says. "I make the call on how this is handled."
"And yet your father is the one telling her," I point out. "Do you see the disconnect here?"
Vito’s jaw tightens as he pushes to his feet as well. The easy mood of dinner is completely gone now. "He insisted on being the one to tell her."
Teresa puts a hand on her husband's arm. "He's right, Vito. This should have been handled differently. We should have told her together. Made her part of the conversation."
"She wouldn't have agreed," Vito insists. "She would have fought us, and we don't have the luxury of letting her pride get her killed."
"And now she's going to fight me," I say, my voice dangerously calm. "And instead of being her protection, I'm going to be a symbol of her family's distrust. Of their disrespect. Every second of this job is going to be a battle."
Vito scoffs. "You're supposed to be one of the best. What happened to the guy who handed me that damn seashell in the living room an hour ago?"
Teresa's brows furrow at that. "What seashell?"
"I'm still here," I say, ignoring her. "But I'm not a magician. I can't protect someone who is actively working against me. I've been in those situations. It's how people get hurt. This is a collaborative effort. It has to be. Otherwise, I'm not a bodyguard, I'm a jailer. And your sister is not going to respond to that. She's going to fight it every step of the way. Not out of pride, but out of principle."
I look at Teresa. "You were right. She’s going to hate me."
"I don't give a damn. Her hatred is better than her death," Vito says, his voice cold and hard.
"You're missing the point," I say, my own patience fraying. "It's not about whether she's happy about it. It's about whether she trusts me. If she sees me as an extension of you, as someone who was forced into her life, she'll never trust me. She'll never listen to me. And when the real threat comes, I can't protect her without her cooperation. I can't be fast enough or close enough if she's not where I expect her to be. If she deliberately disobeys a direct order from me because she sees it as an act of rebellion against you, that could be the mistake that gets her killed."
I take a breath, forcing myself to calm down. This is getting us nowhere.
"She doesn't have to love me, Vito. She doesn't even have to like me. But she has to trust that I'm on her side. And right now, you've guaranteed she won't. That's the cost of the mistake you made."
The room is silent.
Vito stares at me, a muscle working in his jaw. He's angry, but he's also thinking. He knows I'm right. He might not like it, but he knows.
Teresa looks at her husband, her expression pleading. "Vito, please. Adrian is right. This is Caterina we're talking about. You know how she is. This is going to be a disaster if you don't fix this."
"And what do you suggest I do?" he asks, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Call her and say, 'Oops, my mistake. Let's discuss this like rational adults? She's already made up her mind."
"No," I say, cutting in before they can start arguing again. "It's too late for that. The damage is done. You can't undo it."
Vito looks at me, a challenge in his eyes. "Then what's the solution, Mr. Bodyguard? If my brilliant sister is determined to make your job impossible, what do you suggest we do?"
I meet his gaze without flinching.
"I'll handle it," I say. "I'll handle her."
He raises an eyebrow. "You? You think you can just walk in there and get her to cooperate?"
"I'm going to have to, aren't I? You've left me no other choice." I pick up my glass and drain the last of my water. "But I'm going to do it my way."
"And what way is that?"
"I'm not going to be the jailer you've set me up to be. I'm going to be the professional you hired. The one you hired for a reason. And I'm going to make it clear to her from the very beginning that my loyalty is to her safety, not to your authority."
