Chapter 4 - He Gave Her the Entire House—She Asked for Something Money Couldn't BuySophia didn't return immediately.
That surprised everyone.
Especially Dante.
She rented a small apartment near Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Then she reenrolled in nursing school.
Dante offered to pay.
Sophia refused.
He offered again.
She threatened to block his number.
He stopped offering.
Mostly.
Three months passed.
They dated.
Actually dated.
Restaurants.
Walks.
Movies.
One disastrous attempt at miniature golf where Dante discovered Sophia was aggressively competitive.
For the first time, they learned each other outside the Romano estate.
Sophia learned Dante hated olives.
He learned she cried at dog-rescue videos.
She learned he called Margaret every Sunday when traveling.
He learned Sophia still talked to her mother when she was frightened.
They argued too.
Dante's instinct remained control.
Sophia's instinct was independence.
Neither always got it right.
But they stopped pretending.
Isabella visited Sophia four months after Mercer's arrest.
She arrived alone.
No expensive coat.
No arrogance.
“I owe you an apology.”
Sophia crossed her arms.
“Several.”
“Yes.”
Isabella looked embarrassed.
“I knew the room mattered to you.”
Sophia said nothing.
“I asked for it partly because I needed the bird.”
“Partly?”
Isabella swallowed.
“And partly because I saw how Dante looked at you.”
“There it is.”
“I was jealous.”
“You didn't want him.”
“No.”
Isabella looked toward the floor.
“But I wanted to know I still could.”
Sophia appreciated the honesty.
“That was cruel.”
“Yes.”
“And childish.”
“Yes.”
“And spectacularly unsuccessful.”
Isabella laughed.
“I deserved that.”
Sophia eventually smiled.
Isabella became serious.
“He loves you.”
“I know.”
“I don't think he knew how to do that before.”
Sophia looked at her.
“Neither did I.”
They didn't become friends.
Not every woman needed to become best friends after sharing a complicated man.
But they stopped being enemies.
Matteo entered federal protection.
Evan accepted a plea agreement.
Marco eventually visited him.
He never told anyone what they discussed.
Mercer went to trial.
The evidence on Elizabeth's drive destroyed his organization.
And Dante made his own choice.
He dismantled the parts of the Romano operation that depended on violence and blackmail.
It cost him.
Money.
Influence.
Relationships.
Some men called him weak.
Dante discovered he didn't care.
One year after Sophia left the estate, he invited her to dinner.
At the mansion.
She arrived at seven.
Margaret opened the door.
Then hugged her.
“You're too thin.”
“Hello to you too.”
“Dante doesn't feed you?”
“I don't live with Dante.”
“Exactly.”
Sophia laughed.
The west corridor remained unchanged.
Except the bedroom.
Sophia opened the door.
Empty.
No Isabella.
No guest furniture.
Nothing.
She looked at Dante.
“What is this?”
“Your room.”
“I don't live here.”
“I know.”
“Then why is it empty?”
“Because I haven't given it to anyone.”
Sophia stared.
“For a year?”
“Yes.”
“That's ridiculous.”
“Probably.”
She entered.
The ceramic bird sat on the windowsill.
Repaired again.
Beside it was the blue coffee mug.
Sophia touched it.
Dante remained near the door.
He didn't enter.
That mattered.
“You're not coming in?”
“Not unless you invite me.”
She looked at him.
A year earlier he would have walked in because he owned the house.
Now he waited.
“Come in.”
He did.
Dinner waited downstairs.
Neither moved.
Dante reached into his pocket.
Sophia's eyes narrowed.
“If that's a ring, put it away.”
He laughed.
It wasn't.
It was the old brass bedroom key.
The one Sophia left on the pillow.
He placed it in her palm.
“I don't want to give you the house.”
“Good, because taxes would be terrible.”
He smiled.
“I want to give you a choice.”
“What choice?”
“Come back.”
Sophia became still.
“Not as an employee.”
“I assumed.”
“Not because you need protection.”
“Good.”
“Not because I expect you to.”
She looked at the key.
“Then why?”
“Because I want to wake up knowing you're here.”
His voice softened.
“And because when you're not here, this place is just a building with too many bedrooms.”
Sophia looked around.
“Twenty-three.”
“Twenty-four.”
“You told Isabella twenty-three.”
“I was irritated.”
She laughed.
Then she looked at him.
“I have conditions.”
“Of course you do.”
“I finish nursing school.”
“Yes.”
“I work.”
“Yes.”
“No security guard inside the hospital unless there's a specific threat.”
Dante grimaced.
“Define specific.”
“Dante.”
“Fine.”
“No telling me what I can wear.”
“I have literally never done that.”
“Future-proofing.”
“Fine.”
“And if we argue, you don't use the phrase ‘because I said so.’”
Dante looked offended.
“I haven't said that in months.”
“Growth.”
He stepped closer.
“Anything else?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Sophia pointed toward the hallway.
“If one of your ex-girlfriends appears and wants my bedroom—”
“I'll buy her a hotel.”
Sophia laughed.
“Acceptable.”
She kissed him.
Then handed the key back.
Dante's face fell slightly.
Sophia smiled.
“I don't need a key.”
“Why?”
She opened her purse.
Inside was another one.
Margaret had given it to her downstairs.
Dante stared.
Sophia shrugged.
“She likes me more.”
“That woman is fired.”
Margaret shouted from downstairs:
“I heard that!”
May you like
Sophia burst out laughing.
And for the first time, Dante understood what a home sounded like.
