The soft scent of eucalyptus in the pilates studio, mingling with the strained sound of breath encouraged Sofia to keep her hard position for ten more seconds.
She lay on her mat, legs extended, arms reaching overhead in a slow, deliberate stretch. Beside her, Tati mirrored the motion, her brows furrowed, and before the ten minutes elapsed, she'd let out a low groan, collapsing onto her mat.
"I swear this instructor is a sadist" Tati muttered, reaching for her water bottle.
Sofia laughed quietly, wiping her forehead with the back of her wrist. "Pain is just weakness leaving the body, Tati."
Tati rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. Says the girl being hunted by the mafia."
The words hit Sofia like a kick. Her laugh faded. She lowered herself to sit cross-legged on her mat, avoiding her friend's piercing gaze. "Don't remind me."
Tati joined her. "We're gonna have to talk about it, sooner or later, Sof. Something has to be done."
Sofia sighed and ruffled her hair in frustration.
"I still can't believe he found you."Tati said, voice low and breathy. "After everything we did to cover your tracks…"
Sofia resumed her former position. "Neither can I. I didn't ask him how. I was too shaken up. But I can bet it has something to do with Daniel."
Tati paused mid-stretch. "Daniel? You think he gave you up?"
"Fuck, yeah. I should've known something was off" Sofia muttered. "The way he called that night…so enthusiastic, so eager to invite me. It wasn't natural. That dick must've threatened him."
Dick. Sofia remembered what was pressed against her vulva yesterday, and her face reddened.
"What does he want from you, girl? His dedication is… scary." Tati hesitated, giving a teasing smirk. "But also kinda sweet, in a twisted way." She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling.
Sofia let out a short, humorless laugh. "Sweet? He kills people, Tati. He's dangerous."
"Dangerous can still be charming."
Sofia scoffed. "I have a guess. But I'm hoping I'm wrong."
Tati turned her head, smirking. "You know damn well he's crazy about you."
"I don't want to accept that." Sofia said, her voice tired. "I really don't want anything crazy in my life."
They moved into a plank position, arms trembling slightly from the strain. Tati glanced sideways with a serious look. "Regardless of anything, your safety comes first, Sofia. Just forget the land, and don't meet him."
Sofia didn't answer immediately. Her mind was a battlefield. The land was tempting. Fuck, irresistible, even.
But Alessio… Alessio was something else entirely. She'd spent the previous night and that morning thinking about him. His voice. His touch. His body pressed against hers in that elevator.
She had even touched herself to the memory of his print.
The shame burned through her like acid.
He was a murderer! Most certainly part of the mafia. A man who could ruin her with a single word.
And yet…
"I'm going to meet him." she said finally, her voice quiet but firm.
Tati dropped to her knees, stunned. "Sofia, no. That dinner can't be simple. You know that."
"I know" Sofia said. "But that land is worth every risk. Plus he's already seen my face. It's only a matter of time before he finds me."
Tati sighed, worried. "When did you become this crazy, Sofia?"
——
After their workout, they walked to a nearby café, the kind with exposed brick walls and mismatched chairs that made it feel cozy and unassuming. They ordered breakfast; Avocado toast for Tati, a spinach omelet for Sofia. Then settled into a corner booth.
Their conversation drifted to the cleaning service business they'd been planning. Sofia had pitched the idea days ago, not just as a source of income, but as a tool. A cleaning service could access homes, offices, private spaces. It could gather intel. It could help her build cases against the Smiths.
"I still think we should call it 'Dust & Justice'" Tati joked, sipping her latte.
Sofia laughed. "Ew. That sounds like a crime-fighting cartoon."
Tati just shrugged.
After a few more bites, Sofia pulled out her laptop. She had been itching to, but hadn't dared search Alessio's name before. She didn't want to leave a trace. One never knows if he had the power to scour the internet for people looking him up, she didn't want to be on that list.
But now?
She was already exposed. He'd seen her. Touched her. Cornered her. She needed to know who she was dealing with.
She didn't know his last name, so she typed: 'mafia gangs Alessio' into good ol' google.
The results were vague at first, showing random unrelated articles. But then she clicked on the image tab. And there he was.
Alessio Coli Vitale.
Her stomach dropped. She'd found him.
She clicked through the links, skimming through everything she could find. He was the heir to the Vitale Conglomerate, a massive company dealing in machinery and arms manufacturing. Their name was everywhere; contracts, trade shows, international deals.
But she wasn't satisfied. Why would a billionaire heir stoop to killing?
The questions rang nonstop in her mind, so she he dug deeper, and the deeper she went, the darker it got.
The Vitale Corp was a cover. The real money came from their mafia dealings; Black market trades, laundering networks, and arms smuggling.
They were one of the top Italian mafia families. Ruthless. Powerful. Untouchable.
Sofia stared at the screen, stunned. Her mind raced to every moment they'd shared—the glint in his eyes, the way he spoke to her like he owned her.
Now, she understood why. He was used to getting what he wanted.
And this time, he wanted her.
She had been arrogant. Reckless. She'd almost lost her fucking life. How the hell does she encounter the mafia first thing in the novel?
It was too late now.
She shut the laptop, stepped outside the café, and dialed his number, as she bit her finger.
He picked up on the first ring. "Celeste" he said smoothly, his deep Italian-accented voice curling around her name like smoke. "You kept me waiting…"
Sofia rolled her eyes and straightened, trying to steady her heartbeat. "I'm not calling for small talk."
"Oh?" he drawled, amusement lacing his tone. "Then what for?"
"I accept your dinner invite." she said, keeping her tone neutral.
A pause followed, then he finally spoke. "Good girl. Send me your address. I'll have my driver—"
She snorted. "Nice try, big guy. You just want to know where I live."
Alessio laughed quietly. "You wound me, cara mia. You think I need tricks to find you?"
"I'm not giving you my address." she said firmly. "I'll choose the restaurant and convenient time. For my safety."
There was a dangerous silence. Sofia's grip tightened on the phone, but she refused to back down. She needed to be firm.
She heard a giggle. "Okay, love. Text me the place and time, then."
She exhaled, relieved.
"Celeste?" he murmured.
Her heart thudded painfully. "What?"
"Wear white." he said softly.
The line went dead. But the ease of his agreement unsettled her. What was he planning this time?