Chapter 3 3

The drive back to her apartment was silent, save for the low hum of the car's engine. Luca sat in the passenger seat, his attention focused out the window as if Sophia didn't exist. The other man, who still hadn't spoken more than a few clipped words, drove with a cold precision.

Sophia stared out her own window, her fingers gripping the strap of her bag tightly. The weight of what she had agreed to pressed down on her chest like an iron chain.

"You made the right choice," Luca said suddenly, his voice breaking the tense silence.

She glanced at him, narrowing her eyes. "Did I?"

He shrugged, the corner of his mouth curving upward in a faint smirk. "Your brother's still breathing. That's more than most people get when they owe Mr. Carbone."

Sophia turned back to the window, her jaw tightening. "This isn't about choices. It's about survival."

Luca chuckled. "Smart girl. Keep thinking like that, and you might just make it through this."

She didn't respond, unwilling to give him the satisfaction.

The car pulled up to her building, and Luca opened the door for her, his polished demeanor eerily at odds with the rough edges of the neighborhood.

"You've got until tomorrow morning," he said, leaning against the open door as she climbed out. "Pack what you need. Travel light."

Sophia hesitated, her gaze locking on his. "And Mateo? What happens to him while I'm... playing this part?"

Luca tilted his head, studying her. "He'll be safe. As long as you do your job."

Her chest tightened, but she nodded, refusing to let him see the fear she felt. Without another word, she turned and headed into her building, the door creaking shut behind her.

Inside, the apartment was dim, the single bulb in the kitchen casting long shadows over the walls. Mateo was slouched on the couch, a beer bottle dangling from his fingers, his face lit by the flickering glow of the TV.

Sophia slammed the door behind her, making him jump.

"Where the hell have you been?" he asked, sitting up, his brow furrowing as he looked her over.

"Out," she snapped, dropping her bag onto the counter. Her hands trembled as she unwrapped her scarf and tossed it aside.

"Out where?" Mateo pressed, standing and moving toward her. "You look-"

"I look like someone who just had to clean up your mess," she cut him off, spinning to face him. Her voice rose, anger spilling out in sharp, bitter waves. "Do you have any idea what you've done? What you've dragged me into this time?"

Mateo blinked, confusion clouding his features. "Sophia, I don't-"

"Save it," she hissed, pointing a finger at him. "Enzo Carbone sent his men to find me tonight. His men, Mateo. Because of you."

His face paled, and the bottle slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor. "Shit."

"Yeah," she said bitterly. "Shit is right. Do you have any idea how close you came to getting yourself killed?"

"I didn't mean for this to happen," he muttered, raking a hand through his hair. "I just... I thought I could fix it."

"You thought," she repeated, her voice shaking. "That's your problem, Mateo. You don't think. You gamble, you lie, and then you leave me to deal with the consequences."

He looked away, shame flickering across his face.

"Well, congratulations," she said, throwing her hands up. "This time, you've outdone yourself. I made a deal with Carbone to save your sorry ass, and now I'm stuck pretending to be his fiancée until he decides otherwise."

Mateo's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "What? No, Sophia, you can't-"

"I already did," she interrupted, her voice breaking. "Because I didn't have a choice. It was either that or let him come after you, and you know what he's capable of."

He took a step toward her, his expression desperate. "I'll fix this. I'll talk to him-"

"Don't you dare," she said, cutting him off. "You've done enough. The only thing you're going to do is stay out of trouble and let me handle this."

"Sophia, I'm sorry," Mateo whispered, his voice thick with regret.

She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "Sorry doesn't fix this. It never does."

For a moment, silence hung between them, heavy and suffocating. Then, Sophia turned away, heading to her room without another word. She needed space, needed time to process the nightmare she'd just stepped into.

As she closed the door behind her, the weight of her decision settled over her like a crushing tide. Tomorrow, her life would no longer be her own. And the man who now held it in his hands was as dangerous as he was enigmatic.

Enzo Carbone.

The name echoed in her mind, a dark promise of what was to come.