Sophie Deni unraveled the Mafia's inner workings and made a lasting impression with ease. Little did she know, this merely scratched the surface of her journey. More challenges like love and revenge await, and they would not be so forgiving.
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"Sometimes, I think you're the best thing to happen to me."
We locked ourselves into Room 24, the last known location of Pat. We tried to catch our breath but within seconds Sophie was all over the place.
She scrambled under the beds, floorboards and even started tapping the ceiling for a hole. She opened the cupboard and checked underneath.
"There's a latch." She said.
I leaned close to her and helped her lift it up. She was right.
The latch opened and inside revealed nothing. Sophie grabbed the pen which stook to the corner of a box.
The corners were rusty and turned this blue box into something that looked like a corrosive item from the 1900s.
"I don't know what we're doing." Sophie muttered.
"You'll figure it out." I said.
Her hands trembled as she opened the box, and inside there were some notes.
She opened one of them and covered her mouth.
Seeing her cry, infuriated me.
"My mum wrote letters for me." She closed the box and shoved it into her bag.
Sophie wiped her tears away and helped me up. Her phone pinged and she stared at me.
"Francis wants us to go to this address." She handed the phone over.
I paused.
"That's my dad's house." I said, "you shouldn't go there."
My father has a knack for being able to tell exactly who someone is. Seeing Sophie after -- years would not provide him with any difficulty because he would recognise her.
Sophie pushed me against the wall, "I thought you were going to support me."
My throat dried up as she grabbed my neck.
By now, I would've tried to stop her.
For some reason, I don't.
"Make yourself unrecognisable. The last thing you want is for him to remember who you are." I muttered and her grip eased.
Her fingers traced my cheek and her touch was like gasoline. I don't know what will ignite the traces she's left on me.
"Fine." Her eyes met mine as I held her hand, "I'm terrified of doing this."
My other hand wiped her tears away and then she hugged me tight.
"Antonio, I don't know what I'd do without you." She said with such conviction that it almost broke my heart in two.
"I'm not going anywhere." I said and she kissed my cheek.
"I wish I could believe that." She said.
****
The ember lights flickered in the windshield as I pressed hard on the accelerator. Sophie didn't elaborate as to why she didn't believe me not wanting to leave to that I'll be staying.
I would do whatever it takes to make her believe that.
She rolled the windows down and her hair fluttered in the wind, she caught me staring and stuck her tounge out like a kid.
The orange hues of the sun illuminated her face.
"You're beautiful." I said on accident.
That was supposed to be a thought not an actual statement.
I stared at the road as I waited for a reaction. In the corner of my eye, I could practically feel Sophie stare at me.
"I feel sick." She muttered and I stopped the car on the side of the dirt road.
She opened the car door and the fresh breeze calmed my nerves down.
So her reaction to being called beautiful was to have the urge to vomit.
Sophie turned around to face me, she inched closer and touched my cheek.
"Say it again." She ran her fingers through my hair.
"You are beautiful." I said it slower this time and Sophie tried to hide her smile.
"You're not too bad yourself."
I couldn't contain my laughter.
"Thank you," I said.
For some reason she wouldn't turn away, so when I pulled her towards me for a hug she didn't refuse.
She clung on tight.
"I really wish we meet under different circumstances." She said.
I stroked her hair, "we're not normal people so it wouldn't have ever worked that way."
We got out of the car and made it to the address we never to get to.
Father's house was always in the middle of nowhere regardless of how many times he moved around.
Coming here might be a mistake but it's one I'm willing to take for Sophie.
The grass fields were unkept intentionally, because the longer the grass you have, the easier it is to hide from enemies.
The cottage was painted white and had brown painted windows. We headed to the steps and Sophie knocked on the door. Her hand trembled but I couldn't hold it.
If I did, my father would realise that she is important to me and take that to his advantage to manipulate me.
The door opened and it was a security guard, they stared Sophie down and let us both in.
The inside of the cottage was dark, and it had been my second time coming here. The first was when dad prepared to kill Sophie's mom.
We headed further into the cottage, and finally made it to my father's quarters.
"It's Antonio, Mr Vino." I said.
If I didn't address him that way, he would have had my head on a pike by now.
He turned around his swivel chair and revealed photographs.
