Page 9 of Bound to the Enforcer

"And you should hold those words close to your chest. The first rule of surviving in this world is learning not to trust anyone. Second-guess everyone, and always watch your back. Many will have their knives pointed at you."

I turn my head, tearing my pupils from the forest land and stare at his profile. His angled jaw is locked in place, and his knuckles are white from gripping the steering wheel far too tightly.

"Does that include you?"

The small ball in his throat bobs up and down before the words finally leave his lips. "No, I am the one person you can trust, Sophia."

"And how do I know that to be true?"

He turns his head toward me. "I could have killed you long ago, had it been my intention, Sophia. I only want to do my job and keep you alive."

The truth behind his words hit me like a ton of bricks all at once. For the first time since this whole ordeal began, I feel as though I truly do have someone on my side. I wonder how long it will last.

Chapter Four

Alessio

The car engine hums low as I guide us through the fog-drenched streets, the air outside heavy with the promise of rain. Sophia sits in the passenger seat, arms crossed and radiating a much calmer state than she exhibited these past few days. For a woman whose entire world flipped upside down overnight, she is handling this far better than I thought.

"We're almost there," I say flatly.

She doesn't respond, just shifts in her seat and glares out the window. Her reflection in the glass is a mix of defiance and something else—unease, maybe.

The warehouse looms ahead. I pull the car into the lot and park near the side entrance, cutting the engine.

Sophia turns to me. "So, what's the plan?"

"The plan is for you to be quiet and observe. I didn't want you here in the first place, princess."

"So am I supposed to sit here and look pretty while you play the knight in shining armor? Newsflash, Alessio, I am the mafiaboss. I need to be involved in these things. No matter how gory and bloody."

I unbuckle my seatbelt, my movements slow and measured. "Are you sure you can stomach what you are about to see, Sophia? Can you watch me blow a man's brains out and not flinch?"

She gulps. "I want to at least be given the opportunity to try. You are alienating me before even giving me a fair shot. Please, Alessio."

My eyes scan her face, and my chest seizes for a second or two.

I resist the urge to tuck in one of the stray strands that has fallen from her loosely tied bun. Instead, I need to keep my distance. No matter how small, there always needs to be space between us.

I get out of the car and start walking toward the entrance. Sophia follows suit, her heels clicking against the cracked asphalt as she slams the car door shut.

"You need to stop treating me like a child." She falls into step with me. She pulls her coat jacket closer to her body to keep her body from the cold.

"I will stop treating you like a child when you stop acting like one, Sophia," I say. "You are trying to dive into the deep end without learning to paddle in the kiddy pool. You don't even know how to hold a gun."

"Then teach me." She grabs my elbow and pulls me to a halt just before the warehouse entrance. The wind picks up, and the cold tints her cheeks pink. Her eyes stare into mine with a resolved determination. "I want to do this, Alessio, so teach me how to handle this role."

I can feel this invisible tether between the two of us tugging at my center. The heat radiating from her body hits me, and suddenly, I am thrown off of my axis but only for a moment.

I swallow hard. "I will teach you."

"Okay." One side of her lips tilts upwards into a small smile. "See? Look at us getting along."

I clear my throat and step away from her. "Yeah, yeah."

Before she can retort, Matteo emerges from the shadows near the warehouse entrance. He's been my second for years, and he knows how to read a situation before it escalates.

"We're ready inside," Matteo says, his eyes flicking between Sophia and me. "It's not pretty."

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