Dante
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, but my mind was elsewhere.
Leona.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't push her out of my head. Sofia was curled up beside me, her breathing soft and deep in sleep. I shouldn't have let this happen.
We were done. But somehow, I thought that being with Sofia again, even for just one night might help me forget Leona. It didn't.
I still wanted her, I hated it.
I hated how my body reacted when we saw the last time. I hated how my mind circled back to her, no matter what I did.
A sharp vibration from my phone jolted me from my thoughts. I sat up, grabbing it from the nightstand.
Nico.
Sofia stirred beside me. I exhaled and carefully laid her back against the pillow before slipping out of bed and heading to the balcony.
I picked up.
"There was a shooting at Inferno last night," Nico's voice was sharp, straight to the point.
My fingers curled around the railing. "And?"
"Leona was working the shift."
My jaw tensed. "Is she hurt?"
"No. But it was close"
I inhaled deeply, forcing my heartbeat to steady.
"Who's behind it?" I asked.
"I don't know yet, boss. But I'll find out before morning."
I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Good. Call me the moment you have something."
"Got it."
I hung up, gripping my phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. I needed to get my head on straight.
But how the hell was I supposed to do that when Leona kept pulling me back into her world?
THE NEXT MORNING….
Mid-morning light filtered through the windows, striking my face. I winced, too bright.
My head was a mess from last night, but I forced myself to sit up.
The bed beside me was empty.
I exhaled in relief. Sofia was finally reading the room.
I pushed myself out of bed, rubbing the back of my neck as I made my way to the kitchen.
I just needed coffee. That was all.
But the moment I stepped inside, my body shock.
Sofia was standing by the stove, dressed in a silk nightgown that clung to her curves. The fabric shined under the morning light, the thin straps barely hanging onto her shoulders.
She turned, catching sight of me.
A slow smile spread across her lips.
"Good morning," she purred, walking over and pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.
I muttered a "morning" in return, stepping around her.
"Sit," she said, gesturing toward the dining table. "I made breakfast."
I hesitated but sat down anyway.
She placed a plate in front of me, eggs, toast, bacon, the usual. Then, she slid into the seat across from me, propping her chin on her hand.
For a moment, she just watched me eat. I ignored her and ate in silence. Then she spoke.
"So," she said, "how's life been?"
I kept my focus on my food. "Fine."
She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Dante. That's not an answer."
I sighed, setting my fork down. "Business is going well. That's all that matters."
She arched a brow. "THAT'S all that matters?"
I met her gaze. "Yes."
She studied me for a moment. "You're still the same."
I scoffed. "And you expected what?"
She smiled. "Nothing."
We ate in silence for a few moments before she spoke again.
"What have you been up to?"
I took a sip of coffee. "Same old things."
She hummed. "And what about her?"
My grip on my cup tightened. "What?"
She smirked. "Leona."
I clenched my jaw, it wasn't unusual that Sofia already knew about Leona, it was clear she still kept tabs on me knowing we're no longer together.
"What about her?"
Sofia leaned back in her chair, twirling a piece of her hair between her fingers.
"She's new. And considering how distracted you've been, I'm guessing she's the reason."
I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay composed.
"Drop it."
She shrugged. "Fine."
For a moment, I thought that was the end of it. Then she spoke again.
"I ran into Rafael the other day."
I looked up, slightly surprised. "Yeah?"
She nodded, playing with the rim of her coffee cup.
"It's been a while since I saw him. We talked for a bit."
I leaned back in my chair, studying her. "About what?"
She gave a small smile. "Nothing much. Just how things have been, how you've been."
I kept my expression neutral. "And?"
She tilted her head. "He's doing good, from what I gathered. But I could tell he was worried about you."
That made me pause.
"Worried?" I repeated.
She nodded. "He didn't say it outright, but I could tell. He asked about us, about whether we were back together."
I scoffed. "And what did you tell him?"
She smirked. "That you're still as stubborn as ever."
I shook my head. "Rafael knows me better than anyone. He should know by now that I don't change."
She took a slow sip of her coffee, watching me.
"Maybe that's the problem."
I frowned slightly. "What?"
She set her cup down. "That you don't change."
I didn't respond. Sofia had always known how to push buttons without outright pressing them.
She leaned forward slightly. "You and Rafael used to be inseparable."
I raised a brow. "Used to?" I wasn't so shocked to hear Sofia say 'used to' I mean Rafael and I used to be real inseparable until we separated.
She shrugged. "Things feel different now. He's still the same, but you... you're more closed off."
I remained silent.
Sofia smiled. "Don't worry. I reassured him that you still have a heart in there somewhere."
I exhaled, shaking my head. "You like stirring things up, don't you?"
She grinned. "Always."
I ran a hand over my face. "Rafael and I are fine. We always will be." I lied.
She nodded slowly. "Good, he's your brother, Dante. He cares about you."
I met her gaze, my tone firm. "I know."
A beat of silence passed. Then, she leaned back, that same unreadable look in her eyes.
"Dante?"
I pulled my hand away. I was seriously tired of her nonsense.
"Don't."
She pouted slightly. "I'm just trying to talk."
I exhaled. "Then talk."
She bit her lip, hesitating. Then, she spoke.
"When are you going to propose?"
The distance between us closed in instantly. I met her gaze, and for the first time since sitting down, I saw something in her eyes. Something that sent a sharp pulse through my chest.
"Sofia…"
She smiled, tilting her head. "You are going to marry me again, right?"