Updated Nov 6, 2025 • ~10 min read
I woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar windows and a moment of pure panic before I remembered where I was.
The Marchetti estate. Dante’s home. My new reality.
A soft knock at the door connecting my room to Lucia’s. I sat up.
“Come in.”
Elise entered, looking perfectly put together in cream-colored slacks and a silk blouse. Behind her, Lucia bounced excitedly in pajamas covered in dinosaurs.
“Mama! Aunt Elise says we can make pancakes! The kitchen has a griddle that’s bigger than our whole kitchen in Portland!”
I couldn’t help but smile. “That sounds fun, baby.”
“I hope you don’t mind,” Elise said. “I heard her wake up and thought I’d save you the early morning. You looked exhausted last night.”
“Thank you. That’s… really kind.”
Elise’s expression softened slightly. “She’s my niece. And she’s wonderful. Can I steal her for a few hours? I promise to feed her breakfast and keep her thoroughly entertained.”
Part of me wanted to say no. To keep Lucia close. But the hopeful look on my daughter’s face made the decision for me.
“Okay. But Lucia, you listen to Aunt Elise, okay?”
“I will! Come on, Aunt Elise! Let’s make chocolate chip pancakes!”
They left in a whirlwind of excitement, leaving me alone in the quiet room.
I showered, dressed in clothes someone had thoughtfully placed in the closet—designer labels, perfectly my size, probably courtesy of Dante’s efficient staff—and ventured downstairs.
The house was even more impressive in daylight. Every room perfectly decorated, lived-in but elegant. I found my way to what looked like a breakfast room.
Dante sat at a smaller table, reading a newspaper, coffee in hand. He looked up when I entered.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.” I poured myself coffee from the sideboard. “Your sister kidnapped my daughter.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Elise has been waiting three years to spoil a niece or nephew. You’re going to have to get used to that.”
I sat across from him, cradling the warm mug. “She’s being surprisingly nice. I expected more hostility.”
“Elise is practical. You gave me an heir. In our world, that matters more than grudges.” He set down the paper. “Besides, she’s already in love with Lucia. That makes you tolerable by association.”
“High praise.”
“From Elise? It is.”
We sat in comfortable silence for a moment. It reminded me of mornings three years ago. Before everything got complicated.
“Elias will be here at ten,” Dante said. “To start your preparation for the Navarro meeting.”
My stomach knotted. “What exactly does this preparation involve?”
“History. Protocol. How to read a room full of dangerous people. How to stand beside me without looking terrified.”
“I’m not terrified of you.”
His eyes met mine. Dark. Intense. “Maybe you should be.”
Before I could respond, Jade appeared in the doorway, looking rumpled and uncomfortable.
“Morning. Is there coffee?”
“Help yourself,” Dante said.
Jade poured a cup, then sat beside me. “So. I woke up in a mansion. With armed guards outside my door. This is still happening.”
“It’s happening,” I confirmed.
“Right. Cool. Cool cool cool.” She took a long drink. “And we’re just… staying here? Indefinitely?”
“Until the threat is neutralized,” Dante said.
“The threat being my psycho ex-boyfriend who may or may not have photographic evidence of Sofia at a murder scene.”
“That would be the one.”
Jade laughed. It sounded slightly hysterical. “My life was so normal two days ago. I had a nine-to-five. An apartment. A gym membership.”
“You still have all those things,” I said.
“Do I? Because it feels like I’ve been drafted into the mafia.”
“You haven’t been drafted,” Dante said calmly. “You’re a guest. Under protection. There’s a difference.”
“Is there?”
“Yes. Guests can leave whenever they want.”
Jade stared at him. “Can I?”
“Do you want to?”
She looked at me. Then at her coffee. “No. Because if I leave, Sofia’s here alone. And someone needs to keep her from doing something stupid.”
“I don’t do stupid things,” I protested.
“You dated a mafia boss, had his baby, and ran away with stolen files. That’s at least three stupid things.”
She had a point.
Dante’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it, his expression darkening.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Adrian. Sterling’s been spotted in New York.”
My blood ran cold. “Where?”
“Midtown. Near one of Caleb Navarro’s legitimate businesses.” Dante stood. “He’s making contact. Trying to set up a meeting.”
“With Caleb?”
“Possibly. Or with someone in his organization.” He typed a response. “Adrian’s tracking him now.”
“What if he tells Caleb everything before the meeting? What if—”
“Then we adjust.” Dante pocketed his phone. “Elias will be here soon. Jade, feel free to explore the grounds. Just stay within the property line. Michael will be your security detail.”
“I get a bodyguard?” Jade perked up slightly. “Is he hot?”
Dante actually smiled. “He’s effective. That’s what matters.”
He left, leaving Jade and me alone.
“Okay,” Jade said. “I have to ask. Are you and Dante…?”
“No. God, no. We’re not together.”
“But you’re going to pretend to be?”
“For the meeting, yes.”
“And you’re okay with that? Pretending to be in love with the guy who—”
“Who what? Whose world I ran from? Who I lied to for three years?” I stared into my coffee. “I don’t know if I’m okay with it. But I don’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice, Sof.”
“Not when your daughter’s safety is at stake.”
Jade was quiet for a moment. Then: “He’d really kill for you, wouldn’t he? For Lucia?”
“Yes.”
“That’s kind of hot. In a terrifying, morally questionable way.”
“Jade.”
“What? I’m just saying, if someone looked at me the way Dante looks at you—”
“He doesn’t look at me any way. He’s angry. He’s protecting his investment.”
“His investment?” Jade snorted. “Sofia, that man looks at you like you’re the only person in the room. Like you’re oxygen and he’s been holding his breath for three years.”
“You’re romanticizing this.”
“And you’re in denial.”
Before I could argue, Elias Moreau appeared in the doorway. He looked even more distinguished in daylight. Silver hair perfectly combed. Three-piece suit. An air of authority that made it clear why he’d been consigliere.
“Sofia. Good. You’re awake. We have work to do.”
He led me to a study—different from Dante’s, smaller, lined with books and maps.
“Sit,” he instructed.
I sat.
Elias settled behind the desk, steepled his fingers. “Do you know why Dante chose you to play this role?”
“Because I’m Lucia’s mother. Because it’s believable.”
“Partially. But also because you’re an unknown. Caleb Navarro has never heard of you. You have no reputation in our world. That makes you malleable. A blank slate.”
“Lucky me.”
“Indeed.” Elias opened a folder. “Now. Let’s discuss the rules. First: you never contradict Dante in public. Never question his decisions. Never show doubt or fear.”
“That’s archaic.”
“That’s survival. In our world, perception is everything. If you appear weak, you make Dante appear weak. If Dante appears weak, deals fall apart. People die.”
The weight of that settled over me.
“Second: you observe everything. Who speaks to whom. Who avoids whom. Body language. Tone. There are entire conversations happening beneath the surface. You need to learn to read them.”
“How am I supposed to—”
“Practice.” He pulled out photographs. “These are the people who will be at the meeting. Study them. Know their faces. Their names. Their positions.”
I looked at the photos. Caleb Navarro—older, distinguished, with eyes that held no mercy. Isolde Laurent—beautiful, elegant, with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Various associates and underbosses.
And one more photo. A man I didn’t recognize. Younger. Sharp suit. Calculating expression.
“Who’s this?”
“Theo Marchand. French connection. Allied with Caleb through his European operations.” Elias tapped the photo. “Watch him. He’s ambitious. Dangerous. And he doesn’t like Dante.”
“Why not?”
“Because Dante is everything Theo wants to be. Young. Powerful. Respected. Theo sees this alliance as his chance to rise. He won’t appreciate you disrupting it.”
Great. Another person who would hate me on sight.
We spent the next three hours going through protocols. How to stand. How to sit. What to say and—more importantly—what not to say.
“Never mention children in front of Caleb unless he brings it up first,” Elias instructed. “His wife died in childbirth. It’s a sensitive subject.”
“But Lucia—”
“Is Dante’s heir. That’s different. But don’t elaborate. Don’t share details. Keep it simple.”
“This is insane. There are so many rules—”
“Welcome to our world.” Elias smiled without warmth. “Now. Let’s practice.”
He made me role-play different scenarios. Walking into a room on Dante’s arm. Being introduced to Caleb. Responding to subtle insults. Maintaining composure when threatened.
By noon, my head was spinning.
“You’re doing better than expected,” Elias said. “Most civilians crack within the first hour.”
“I’m not a civilian anymore, am I?”
“No. The moment you had Dante’s child, you became part of this world. Whether you wanted to or not.”
A knock at the door. Dante entered.
“How is she doing?”
“Surprisingly well. She has good instincts.” Elias gathered his materials. “But she needs more practice. I’ll return tomorrow.”
He left, leaving Dante and me alone.
“Thank you for doing this,” Dante said.
“Do I have a choice?”
“You always have a choice, Sofia. You could refuse. Take Lucia and try to run again.”
“Would you let me?”
“No.” He moved closer. “But you could try.”
We were standing too close. I could smell his cologne. See the flecks of gold in his dark eyes.
“Why are you really doing this?” I asked. “The meeting. The fake relationship. You could just pay off Luca. Make him disappear. Why go through all this?”
“Because it’s not about Sterling anymore. It’s about showing Caleb—showing everyone—that I’m committed. That I have a family. That I’m building something that lasts.”
“With me.”
“With Lucia. You’re just… part of the package.”
The words should have stung. Instead, they felt honest.
“And after?” I asked. “After the meeting. After Sterling is handled. What happens to us?”
Dante reached up, tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. The gesture was intimate. Familiar.
“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “But I know I’m not letting you go again. Not completely. Lucia deserves both her parents. Which means you and I need to figure out how to coexist.”
“Coexist.”
“Yes.”
“Not co-parent. Not partners. Just… coexist.”
“For now.” His hand lingered near my face. “Unless you want more.”
My breath caught. “Dante—”
“Mama!”
We sprang apart as Lucia burst into the room, covered in flour and grinning.
“Mama, look! Aunt Elise and I made cookies shaped like dinosaurs! Come see!”
She grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the door.
I looked back at Dante. He was watching me with an expression I couldn’t read.
But as Lucia dragged me away, I could still feel the ghost of his touch on my skin.
And I wondered if coexisting was really what either of us wanted.
Or if we were both just too scared to admit we wanted more.
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