Page 53 of Fierce Secrets

"I understand." His voice softened, but it sounded raw with a hint of pain. "Sofia doesn't have blood on her hands like us."

The call ended, and I wiped fresh tears away with trembling fingers. They had protected me that day – my brother and Leo. Saved me from a monster wearing our father's face. But the cost of that protection had been so high, written in blood and secrets.

Sofia was waitingat her door when Roman pulled up, wrapped in a cashmere sweater against the evening chill. She hesitatedbefore pulling me into a hug, like she wasn't sure she had the right anymore, like our years of friendship might have shattered under the weight of truth.

"I never wanted to jeopardize our friendship," she whispered against my hair, her familiar perfume wrapping around me. "Everything I did was to protect you."

"I know," I mumbled, finding comfort in her embrace despite everything.

Inside, I settled on her plush couch while she made fresh coffee, the rich aroma filling the space between us. The soft glow from Sofia's antique lamps cast warm shadows across the room, catching on the crystal vase of fresh flowers on her coffee table. Everything looked so normal, so elegant – the perfect facade while my world crumbled around me. Even the gardens outside her windows, barely visible in the evening darkness, maintained their manicured perfection, as if the chaos of my life couldn't touch this carefully curated sanctuary.

I could see why Sofia loved it so much right now.

"Tell me about your family," I said, accepting the steaming mug she offered. "You said they're a crime family."

She joined me, tucking her legs under her, her dark curls falling forward as she gathered her thoughts. "I wanted nothing to do with that life. But you can't just walk away clean – I inherited money, businesses. Blood money." Her lips twisted. "I sold everything I could, made sure all my ventures were legitimate." Her fingers traced the rim of her mug, her grandmother's rings catching the light. "I cut ties with the family, but sometimes news still reaches me. They've left me alone, respecting my wishes, surprisingly. Probably because my cousin is glad there's no competition for the head of the family. Not that it would go to a woman anyway," she muttered before continuing, "I keep my head down, focus on my work at the hospital, my investments. My life."

"A life built on lies," I couldn't help adding, the bitterness seeping into my voice. It was hard for me to not be upset with her still, despite her attempts to smooth things over.

"No," she met my eyes, her gaze fierce and steady. "A life built on choices. The choice to be better, to do better, to not be like my family. Just like the choice your brother and Leo made that night – to protect you, no matter the cost."

The weight of her words settled over me like a heavy blanket, suffocating in its truth.

I stared down at my mug of coffee, as if it could fix all of this. I couldn't be mad at Sofia right now, make her feel guilty for her family. She'd chosen to leave them behind, something that would not have been an easy thing to do. I'd always known her mother had moved back to Italy and her father had passed like my own, but never all of this.

"I'm sorry, I'm just… still hurting, Sof. You've done well for yourself," I said softly. "Breaking free."

"I understand, and it's okay. I know you feel betrayed, and I'm so sorry for that." She offered me a faint smile. "It's a hard world to escape, though." Sofia's eyes grew distant. "To lose touch with all your family. I rarely communicate with my mother either, but at least I know she's doing well back in her home country." She studied my face carefully. "You're torn about all this, aren't you? It's a lot to take in and understand."

I clutched my mug tighter, watching the steam curl in the lamplight. "Yeah, it really is. My brother is involved in it. And Leo..." My voice caught. "He's a killer still. He didn't just kill once to protect someone he loved like Gray did. Leo is a man who murders easily, who is part of a crime family that runs this city from the shadows, right?" I looked to her, my lips pursed.

"He is," Sofia agreed quietly. "But it's also clear he cares deeply for you."

"That could get me killed, couldn't it?"

Sofia sighed, tapping one of her rings on the rim of her mug. "Few people are willing to defy the Donati family. They've made their position very clear in this city." She set her mug down, the sound loud in the quiet room. "Does him caring for you put you at risk? Yes, but so does simply being Grayson's sister, since he's involved as well, even if only at a business level. But on the other hand, they have their fingers in everything – local government, law enforcement, community projects. That gives you protection. Like I said, few people would go up against the Donati family, not only because of their reputation, but because of the power they hold in this city. This latest fiasco with the rival company, I dare to bet that they didn't truly know who the Donati were. They'd sure be wishing they'd done their research," she said with a smirk before shaking her head. "The Donati name opens doors as well, and their charity work makes people willing to look the other way."

The charity articles I'd found online suddenly made more sense – the new children's hospital wing, the community centers, the scholarships. "I don't understand. Do they do the charity work so people will look the other way? Why do all that good if you're..."

"If you're monsters?" Sofia finished gently. "I don't think it's as a bribe, not always. Sometimes people who live in the shadows need something to keep them human. They need bridges to the light, reminders that they're more than the blood on their hands." She touched the flower petals in the vase. "When everyone sees you as a monster, you need something to prove – maybe to yourself most of all – that you're still capable of doing good."

The words hit too close to home, making me think of Leo's gentle hands, the way he'd held me through nightmares despite the violence those same hands had dealt.

"Do you think Leo..." I chewed my cheek, thinking of his split knuckles, his gentle touch. "Do you think he's still trying to hold onto his humanity?"

Sofia's expression softened. "Maybe."

I frowned, finally taking a sip of my coffee that I'd been holding for so long. Was I Leo's attempt to cling to humanity? His tie to the good side of who he was?

"You know what we need?" Sofia stood suddenly. "Drinks. Something to make us feel human again, like the old days. Forget all of this for a while."

A surprised laugh escaped me. "What, our college years?"

"Why not?" She grinned, some of her usual sparkle returning. "Whatever helps make this knowledge easier to handle. We can pretend we're those same naive girls who thought final exams were the worst of our problems."

"You weren't naive," I pointed out, but found myself smiling anyway. "But drinks sound good."

I sure could use something to make all of this easier, to dull the blow that had been dealt.

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