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“I only went to NYU because my dad didn’t want me to be too far from home,” I find myself saying. “I got into Stanford. But he strongly advised against me going.”
“Your sister got to go to Harvard though?”
“Yeah but Kat’s a goody two shoes. I like to get my shoes occasionally dirty,” I say waggling my eyebrows. “He wanted me closer to home, which is why I chose NYU. I liked it though. It was fun and I still had some freedom.”
It doesn’t go unnoticed that we just agreed not to talk about our families and are currently engaging in a topic related to that. But this is something real, us getting to know each other. It has nothing to do with the current war. And we should be able to have at least this.
“College was amazing,” Tony says, brown eyes glittering.
He starts to regale me with his best stories and I listen with a soft smile, taking it all in and wondering exactly how I got here.
* * *
A few days later,I’m poring through some documents at my desk when my father walks into my office. I get to my feet and offer him a smile.
“Hi, Papa.”
“Mia cara,” he says affectionately. “How are you?”
He takes a seat and gestures for me to take mine as well.
“I’m okay.”
“Good, good. I just came to check up on you. Since you moved out, I don’t seen you as often, Sophia.”
“You saw me a few days ago,” I remind him. “I came to inform you about the progress on the mining operation.”
“And how’s the progress now? Have all the documents being finalized. I asked your sister to look into Li Jun and he seems to have a habit of backing out on deals.”
I fight an eyeroll, “I told you I’ve got this, Papa. All the documents have been signed. I’m just waiting on him to release funds and then we can start mining. I was at the site yesterday and everything will go smoothly. Just trust me.”
“I do trust you,” my dad states. “You and your sister are my pride and joy. The both of you are the glue that keeps our family together. I don’t know where I would be without you girls.”
“Probably still being the strong, powerful Don that you are,” I say with a smile.
“True,” he says nodding. “But the two of you are my heart.”
My father may have his faults but there has never been any doubt that he loves us. I’m suddenly hit with a stab of guilt because I’m literally sleeping with a man that wants more than anything to kill him. I would never let Tony kill my father. And I’m smart enough to know that whatever this thing is between us, it won’t end well. But my heart won’t let me end things with Tony. I just have to find a balance. A way to protect my dad while holding on to whatever this thing going on between us is.
If I had to choose though, I’d choose my dad anytime.
“By the way,mia cara, Albert informed me that he noticed a strange car parked in front of your home yesterday. Are you receiving any visitors in your home that I’m not privy to?”
His piercing gaze is fixed on my face and I fight the urge to shift nervously. I should have known he walked in here with ulterior motives. This is an interrogation.
I force a confident smile. “Of course not, Papa. The car probably had something to do with one of my neighbors. I haven’t been receiving anyone.”
I’m just going to have to tell Tony to be more careful. We can’t afford to slip up. If my dad finds out, he’ll be furious. So far, he doesn’t seem all that interested in murdering any of the De Luca’s. We’ve taken a few hits at their business and they’ve done the same to us. But there hasn’t been any murder on both sides. A little maiming, but no deaths.
If he finds out about Tony, I have no doubt that will change.
“Good, because if you have a boyfriend. I’d like to know.”
I look at him with raised eyebrows.
“What, Sophia? You’re a grown woman. I wouldn’t be opposed to you being in a relationship. As long as he’s well suited for you. And a man I could approve.”
He would never approve of Tony. Not in a million years. Which is good because we’re not actually in a relationship.
