“I know.”
“This house is insane.”
“I know.”
“The man who owns this house is—Emma, is he in the mob?”
“We don’t use that word.”
Sophie’s eyes went wide. “Oh my God, he is.”
Emma grabbed her sister’s hand. “Come inside. I’ll explain everything.”
She did.
They sat in the kitchen—Sophie’s choice, because the sitting rooms made her nervous—and Emma told her everything. The fake relationship. The real one. Camille. Teresa. The moment everything had shifted from performance to truth.
Sophie listened without interrupting.
When Emma finished, Sophie was quiet for a long time.
“You love him.”
“Yes.”
“And he loves you.”
“Yes.”
“And he saved my life.”
Emma nodded.
Sophie exhaled. “Then I guess I owe him more than I can ever repay.”
“You don’t owe him anything. That’s the point.”
Sophie’s eyes filled. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For putting you in a position where you had to ask for help from someone like him.”
Emma reached across the table and took her sister’s hand.
“Sophie, you gave me a reason to be brave. You gave me a reason to walk into Luca’s office and demand something I didn’t think I deserved. You gave me a reason to stay when I was terrified. So don’t apologize. Just stay. Let me take care of you for once.”
Sophie started crying.
They sat there, hands linked, until Luca appeared in the doorway.
He took one look at them and started to retreat.
“Wait,” Sophie said.
Luca stopped.
Sophie stood. Walked over to him. And without warning, hugged him hard enough that Luca actually looked startled.
