Page 203 of Rosetti Family New York
The Rosetti mansion rises like an ice giant on the Upper East Side. Tall fences wrap around it like chains. Security cameras glint in the gray light. Jesus. And I thought I was in over my head before.
Rafe pulls up to a gatehouse where men in black lurk. He doesn't even speak, just nods, and they let us through. The gravel drive crunches under the tires, and I press into his back again. This isn't just some mafia thug's house. It's a full-blown fortress.
He comes to a stop and cuts the engine.
"Is this where you live?" I ask.
"Problem?" He waits for me to hop off the bike, then swings his leg over too.
"I thought you were just really good at your job. Now I find out you're Tony Stark?"
Rafe raises one dark eyebrow, but a smile pulls at his mouth. "I don't build the weapons," he says.
My hands tremble as I look up. The house looms, cold and majestic. Marble steps lead up to double doors large enough to fit a parade float through.
Before we can reach them, the doors swing open. A man stands there, taller than Rafe, with the same dark hair but colder eyes. His suit is impeccable, his posture rigid.
"Domenico," Rafe says with a slight nod.
Domenico's gaze slides over me, assessing, calculating. "What the hell is this?" he asks, his voice like steel. "You brought a civilian to our home? With the Callahans breathing down our necks about the fighting ring?"
Rafe steps forward, half-shielding me with his body. "She needed somewhere safe."
"And what about our safety?" Domenico counters, not budging from the doorway. His eyes narrow as he looks at me again. "Do you even know who she is? Who she might know? Who she might talk to?"
"She's Sloane Carter," Rafe says. "And she's not a threat."
"Carter?" A shadow passes over Domenico's face. "Any relation to Jack Carter? The ex-cop?"
My stomach drops. I lift my chin, meeting his gaze. "He's my father."
Domenico's laugh is short and bitter. "Perfect. You've brought a cop's daughter into our home." He turns back to Rafe. "Have you lost your mind?"
"He's retired," I interject. "And he doesn't know I'm here."
"Like that matters," Domenico says. He turns to Rafe. "This isn't a halfway house for strays. Get her out."
Rafe steps forward, his voice dropping low. "The Callahans are after her. She's connected to that girl they killed a few weeks ago."
That catches Domenico's attention. His eyes flick back to me, reassessing.
"Is that true?" he asks me directly.
I nod. "Maddy Torres was my best friend. The girl they killed. I've been looking into it."
"And now you know too much," Domenico finishes. He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Fantastic."
Another figure appears behind Domenico. A woman with elegant features and sharp eyes that miss nothing. "What's going on?" she asks, her accent lilting.
"Rafe brought home a stray," Domenico tells her. "With a cop for a father."
The woman studies me with the cool detachment of a scientist examining a specimen. "Hand over your phone," she says, extending her palm. "Now."
I hesitate, clutching my phone tighter. "What? Why?"
"Because you're not stepping foot in this house until we know you haven't been tracking your location or recording anything," she explains, her tone making it clear this isn't negotiable.
Rafe looks at me. "It's temporary," he says quietly.
