When Raul started the car, Sofia gasped the moment she realized what time is it. The glowing red numbers on the dashboard were showing without mercy that it's midnight.

Midnight.

But let's not panic. Let's stay calm.

Alessandro never told her when she's supposed to come back home and most importantly he did not call her once.

That's a good sign, right? Right.

Instead of worrying, she decided to focus on something else: anger.

"You didn't have to grab him" Sofia complained.

"With all due respect, Sofia, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell me how to do my job," Raul said, his eyes were on the road, his voice strict.

Seeing that she got spooked, for his next words he used a more gentle tone. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. I am just doing my job," he responded.

Raul was used to guarding spoiled brats, that's why he wasn't afraid to put a kid in his place when they were acting up. Respect was vital in his job. If the person he's protecting is in danger, he needs to know his orders aren't questioned. But he could already see that Sofia was a kid who would require a bit more gentle approach. He knew she was asking out of her concern for that boy, but he had his orders. No one was allowed to disrespect her. Her brothers would kill him if they knew he allowed it.

Raul decided that now it's a good time to clear it up with her "Sofia, we can only be on friendly terms as long as you're not disrupting my work. I work for Don Alessandro and I know what he expects of me. I went easy on Anastasio because it's the first day you're having to deal with a company like mine"

"That was going easy on him?" Sofia's question was rhetorical she didn't want to know any more of this. She had other things to worry about. "Can you tell me what was Anastasio was speaking about? About my family I mean? Why didn't he want anything to do with them?"

Raul remained silent so Sofia continued. "You're not going to tell me right?"

"I can't answer your question" Raul responded, his face unreadable.

"Ah, right talking is not a part of your job. Sorry for asking" she said in an irritated voice and instantly regretted it. Raul was working, it was just a job for him. She had no business with making it harder for him by acting like a spoiled brat. An ugly feeling of guilt appeared in her chest.

For the rest of their ride while holding back her tears.

❤️❤️❤️

Maybe they're asleep. That's what she hoped for when she arrived at the house. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Alessandro, Francesco, and Valentino were sitting in the living room with a bunch of men she didn't know, and they were playing... was that poker? The smoke of cigars was forming a small cloud over the dim-lit sitting area. All men were wearing expensive suits except for Valentino who was just wearing a simple black T-shirt, black pants there was a silver chain around his neck. There was a tattoo on his hand.

Despite his young age and normally carefree behavior, he seemed to be fitting in there for some reason. Maybe it was a serious expression on his face that made her think so.

"Look who's back," he said with a cocky smile appearing on his lips.

Francesco did not find her arrival amusing. Sofia felt intimidated by the serious expression painted on his face. Alessandro's focus shifted from the cards he was holding in his hands towards her and said "good evening"

"Good evening" Sofia muttered watching how her eldest brother stands up leaving his cards behind.

"Gentlemen if you excuse me I have to have a chat with my sister," Alessandro said.

"Of course boss" one of them replied.

"Goodnight," she said quietly and everyone said goodnight back but the atmosphere seemed to be tense.

She could admit, Alessandro knew how to build tension. He was quiet for the whole time they were walking to his office and because the house was big it felt like an eternity to get there.

With a heavy heart, Sofia followed him. She had no idea what's going to happen next.

When they arrived at his office he sat behind his desk on the comfortable armchair. Sofia on the other hand was sitting in front of him on the less chair.

He started speaking without waiting for her explanations.

"On your first they out I expected you to go shopping or for a walk instead you drove to another city to visit a boy. Pardon, I meant two boys"

"-you skipped nonna Rosa I came there to visit her too"

"Irrelevant" Alessandro responded in a sharp voice. Scary.

"How is that not relevant?! I felt obliged to visit her after she helped me and she was my grandmother's best friend" Sofia had no idea how she managed to argue with him right now.

"It doesn't change the fact that after that you've met with another boy"

"Because I owed him a favor" Sofia realized how lame this explanation must have been in his eyes.

"What favor?" Alessandro barked with his face serious and eyes cold as a stone. Sofia flinched but his eyes remained cold.

She was scared of him and she had to focus on stopping herself from crying.

This was going to be a long night.