Page 8 of Forced Arrangement

“No, it’s okay,” I say, forcing a smile. “I’ll be fine.”

She doesn’t look convinced, but she nods anyway. “Call me if you need anything, okay? Anything at all.”

“I will. Thank you, Justine. For everything.”

She gives me a quick hug, and I cling to her for just a moment, drawing strength from her before pulling away. I watch as she drives off, her car disappearing around the corner, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I stand there for a few moments, staring up at the building that has been my home for the past few years. It looks the same as it always does—brick facade, tall windows, the familiar, comforting scent of rain-soaked concrete. But now, it feels different. The safety I have always felt here is gone, replaced by a gnawing sense of unease.

The silence is oppressive, wrapping around me like a shroud as I lean against the door, my thoughts racing.

I can’t shake the image of Angelo Castiglia from my mind—the way he had looked at me, the quiet power that radiated from him. He was dangerous, I knew that much. But he was also my only link to the world I had left behind, the world my mother had fled to protect me.

I walk through the flat on autopilot, shedding my wet clothes as I go. I toss them into the laundry hamper and pull on a pair of soft, comfortable sweats, wrapping myself in a thick robe. But no amount of comfort can ease the tension coiled tight in my chest.

The card Angelo gave me is still in my pocket, and I pull it out, staring at it as I sink onto the couch. The address is in the city, a nondescript location that could have been anything from a high-end restaurant to an underground club. I have no idea what I will find there, or what Angelo wants with me.

Part of me wants to ignore it, to tear the card in half and throw it away, to pretend that none of this has happened. But I know that isn’t an option. Angelo found me, and if he has gone to the trouble of seeking me out, he won’t just let me disappear again. Not without answers.

The memory of his voice echoes in my mind—“You’re not safe.”

Safe. I had lived my life by that word, letting it dictate every choice, every move. But now, it seemed, safety was a luxury I could no longer afford.

With a sigh, I reach for my phone, my fingers trembling as I dial the number on the card. It rings only once before a voice answers, deep and smooth, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Angelo Castiglia.”

“It’s Sophia,” I say, my voice steadier than I felt. “Sophia Agostini.”

There’s a brief pause, and I can almost hear the shift in his demeanor, the awareness that this is no ordinary call. “Sophia,” he repeats, as if testing the name on his tongue. “I wasn’t sure you’d call.”

“Neither was I,” I admit. “But here we are.”

“Here we are,” he echoes, and I can hear the faintest hint of satisfaction in his tone. “I’m glad you did. There’s a lot we need to discuss.”

“When?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Tonight,” he says without hesitation. “Nine o’clock. I’ll send a car to pick you up.”

“Okay,” I agree, knowing that I don’t really have a choice. “I’ll be ready.” I don't bother to ask how he knows where I live. Men like him always know.

“Good,” he says, his voice softening just a fraction. “You’re doing the right thing, Sophia. I’ll see you soon.”

The line goes dead, leaving me with nothing but the sound of my own heartbeat echoing in my ears. I drop the phone onto the couch beside me, staring at it as if it might offer some answers to the questions swirling in my mind.

But there are no answers. Only the knowledge that my life is about to change, irrevocably and dangerously. I have spent so many years running, hiding from the ghosts of my past, only to have them catch up to me when I least expected it.

And now, as the clock ticks closer to nine, all I can do is wait. Wait for Angelo Castiglia to take me back into the world I tried so hard to escape. Wait for whatever fate has in store for me.

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes as I lean back against the couch. For the first time since my mother’s death, I allow myself to think about the life I left behind. The life of Sophia Agostini, the girl who had been hidden away for so long, only to be thrust back into the light.

The girl who will soon have to face the truth about her family, her past, and herself.

As the minutes tick by, I feel the fear coiling tighter in my chest, but I push it down, focusing on the one thing I know for certain.

I’m going to meet Angelo Castiglia tonight.

And nothing will ever be the same again.

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