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I winked, pulling away from the curb. “Surprised?”
“Y-yes,” she stammered out. I glanced back at her, seeing her head swinging left and right as she scanned the SUV. “This isn’t your car.”
“Nope.” She was observant.
“And that’s not the way home.”
“You’re right.” My grin came back tenfold, my excitement building. I loved surprises. “I’m taking you somewhere special.”
She huffed out a breath, her annoyance at my quick answers clear as day. “Dante Beretta, what the hell are you doing here and where the hell are you taking me?”
“I told you,” I repeated, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel again. “I have a surprise for you.” I stopped at a red light. “And as for why I’m here, I heard some guy was asking about me.” She frowned, so I explained, “One who wears a badge?”
I pursed my lips, thinking about the fact that some guy from the FBI had turned up at the mansion asking about me. I’d always managed to stay under the radar, not being the main focus. But to be asked for by name meant that something was going on. I just didn’t know what yet.
“Oh.” She bit down on her bottom lip and settled back in her seat. “Yeah, the FBI guy from dinner.” She blew out a breath. “Are you in trouble?”
“Me?” I gasped, outraged, but the reality was, it was a front. I didn’t know what was going on, but Remy was on the case, doing what he could from his makeshift station that he’d set up in one of the safe houses. “I’m a perfect angel, Sofia. A perfect damn angel.”
She snorted, not believing me for a second. “You keep telling yourself that.”
“I will.” I shuffled in my seat and took a left turn that led us down a side road. “We’re almost there.”
“Almost where?” Sofia asked, leaning forward in her seat. “Dante…this is creepy. You pick me up out of nowhere and take me to what looks like an abandoned building.” She paused. “Are you gonna murder me?”
I laughed so hard that the steering wheel jerked and the car veered to the side. “Oh shit, Sofia, I’ve missed you.” Only she would think she was about to be murdered by her big brother because we were heading toward an abandoned building.
She wasn’t far off though…
I spotted another SUV, my stomach flipping at the sight of it. Lorenzo didn’t know that I was back in town, but I’d told him to come here because there was something important he needed to witness. I was vague, knowing that if I wasn’t, he’d get wind of what I was doing and would probably try to stop me and do the dirty work himself.
But it wasn’t his to do. It was Sofia’s. She needed this more than anyone would ever realize.
I pulled up directly next to it, and as soon as I did, three of the doors opened and they all exited—Lorenzo, Christian, and Mateo.
“If you missed me so much, why are you bringing me here?” Sofia asked with a lilt of confusion to her tone.
“I brought you here,” I started, turning serious. Gone was fun Dante, and in its place was the man I’d grown up knowing I’d become. “For revenge.” I jerked open my door, slid out of the SUV, then walked toward the building.
“Revenge?” Sofia murmured, scrambling out of the SUV. “Dante! Where are you going?”
“Sofia?” Christian called.
“What the fuck, Dante?” Lorenzo growled.
I ignored all of them and pulled open the heavy, metal door. “Come on, we haven’t got all day.” I waved at them to hurry, but all that greeted me were confused and pissed-off expressions. “Fine,” I huffed out. “I’ll explain, just come inside.”
Several seconds went by, then finally Lorenzo stepped forward with Mateo following closely behind. Christian veered toward Sofia, his hand at her back as they all moved inside the building.
“Dant—”
“Shhhh,” I cut Sofia off. “Just wait a second.” She frowned, but I was waiting for Christian to shut the door. Once it had slid closed, I glanced around the small, dimly lit room, then stuck my gaze onto Sofia and stepped toward her. “I have a present for you, Sofia.” I placed my hands on her shoulders, standing directly in front of her. “If these guys have anything to do with it”—I tilted my head toward the other three men in the room—“they’d take your revenge, but I know my little sister.” I bent at the knees so that our gazes were level. “I know you, which is why I put this together.”
I inhaled a deep breath, grabbed her hand, then led her past Mateo and Lorenzo. Halting at the door, I turned to take one last look at her, smiled, then opened it. “This is just for you,” I whispered, leading her into another room.
Sofia’s gaze bounced off the cement floors and exposed brick walls. Her body shivered, her arms coming around herself as she focused on the metal beams along the high ceiling.
“Jesus Christ,” a voice from behind us whispered.
