The Don's Dark Obsession

CHAPTER FOUR

DANTE'S POV

Marcus was bleeding from his nose when I walked into my office. Luca had him pinned against the wall, professional and efficient as always. My head of security knew how to handle problems.

"Mr. Russo," Marcus stammered. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just talking….."

"You were harassing my property," I said, walking to my desk. "That's a problem."

"I wasn't harassing her. I just asked some questions. Made conversation."

Luca hit him again. The sound of knuckles on flesh was satisfying.

"Let me explain something to you, Marcus." I sat down and poured myself a drink. "Sofia Marino is here because I allow it. She works for me. She exists in this house at my discretion. That makes her mine. And when you imply that I brought her here for anything other than collecting a debt, you're questioning my judgment. You're suggesting I'm weak enough to let personal interest interfere with business."

"No, sir. I would never….."

"You already did." I took a sip of scotch. "You also made her uncomfortable, which means she's distracted. Distracted workers make mistakes. Mistakes cost me time and money. So really, Marcus, you've cost me money today."

Marcus went pale. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"You're right. It won't." I looked at Luca. "He's done. Pay him out and get him off the property within the hour."

"Mr. Russo, please. I need this job. I've been loyal….."

"Loyal?" I laughed. "Loyal people don't run their mouths in the staff dining room. Loyal people don't make my life harder. You're not loyal. You're just another employee who forgot his place." I waved my hand dismissively. "Get him out of here."

Luca dragged Marcus out while he begged. I listened to his pleading fade down the hallway and felt nothing. I'd meant what I said, Sofia was here to work off a debt. That's all. But I couldn't have my staff thinking otherwise. Couldn't have them seeing weakness.

And I especially couldn't have them making her afraid.

The thought irritated me. Why did I care if she was afraid? Fear was useful. Keep people in line.

But something about the way Sofia had looked when she'd asked about Marcus's comments bothered me. Not scared exactly. Resigned. Like she'd expected him to say those things. Like she'd heard worse before.

My phone buzzed. Isabella. Again. I'd been ignoring her calls all day.

I answered. "Mother."

"Don't 'mother' me. What is this I hear about Antonio Marino's daughter living in your house?"

"News travels fast."

"I have eyes everywhere, you know that. What are you thinking, Dante? Bringing a civilian into our home?"

"It's my home. And she's not a civilian. She's collateral for a debt."

"A two-hundred-thousand-dollar debt that you could've settled a dozen different ways. You didn't need to bring her there."

I stood and walked to the window. "Are you questioning how I run my business?"

"I'm questioning why you're suddenly interested in playing games with poor girls who don't belong in our world."

"It's not a game. Her father offered her as payment. I accepted."

"And what exactly is she paying?" Isabella's voice turned sharp. "What are you having her do, Dante?"

"She's organizing my library. Filing documents. Standard work."

There was a pause. Then Isabella laughed, cold and mocking. "You brought a girl to your house to file papers? You're lying to me or you're lying to yourself. Which is it?"

"I'm not lying about anything."

"Then you're fooling yourself. I know you, Dante. I raised you. You don't do anything without a reason. And bringing that girl into your personal space? That's not about money. That's about curiosity."

"You're wrong."

"Am I? Then send her away. Forgive the debt and be done with it. If she means nothing, it should be easy."

I didn't answer. I should agree. Should send Sofia back to her pathetic apartment and write off the loss. Two hundred thousand was nothing to me. I'd lost more in bad investments.

But I didn't want to let her go. Not yet.

"That's what I thought," Isabella said. "Be careful, Dante. Girls like her are dangerous. They look weak and helpless, and men start thinking they can save them. Then you're compromised. Then your enemies see an opening."

"I'm not trying to save anyone."

"Good. Because the moment you start caring about someone, you give them power over you. And power is the only thing that matters in our world. Remember that."

She hung up without saying goodbye. That was Isabella, always making her point and leaving before I could argue.

I went back to my desk and tried to focus on actual business. Supply chain issues. Territory disputes. A shipment that had gone missing. Real problems that needed my attention.

But my mind kept drifting to the library downstairs where Sofia was filing papers with paper-cut hands.

*******************

At eight o'clock, I went to check her progress. The library was empty. The files were neatly organized, significantly more done than I'd expected. She'd worked through dinner without being told to.

I found Mrs. Chen in the kitchen. "Where's Sofia?"

"She asked permission to go to her room. Said she wasn't hungry."

"Did you let her skip dinner?"

"She said she wasn't feeling well. I didn't think it was my place to force her."

I walked to the east wing and knocked on Sofia's door. No answer. I opened it anyway, my house, my rules.

She was sitting on the floor with her back against the bed, hugging her knees. Her phone was on the floor beside her. She looked up when I entered, and I saw real fear in her eyes for the first time.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"You're sitting on the floor in the dark. You're not fine."

She didn't answer. I walked over and picked up her phone. Two text messages from an unknown number. I read them and felt anger spike through me.

"Who sent these?"

"I don't know."

"Someone in this house has your number. Someone is threatening you. I need names."

"I don't know who it is!" Her voice cracked. "I don't know anyone here. I've been here one day and someone already wants me gone and I don't even understand why."

I pulled out my own phone and forwarded the messages to Luca with instructions to trace the number. Then I looked at Sofia, still curled up on the floor like she was trying to make herself disappear.

"Stand up," I said.

She didn't move.

"I said stand up."

Slowly, she got to her feet. She wouldn't look at me.

"Look at me, Sofia."

She raised her eyes. They were wet but she wasn't crying. Just holding it back with everything she had.

"I meant what I said earlier. You're here to work. Nothing else. Anyone who suggests otherwise, anyone who threatens you, you tell me. Immediately. Is that clear?"

"Why do you care?" The question came out broken. "You said I'm just property. You said I'm here until you decide to let me go. Why does it matter if someone scares me?"

"Because scared workers make mistakes. And I don't tolerate mistakes."

"Right. Business. Of course."

The bitterness in her voice surprised me. "You have something to say?"

"No, Mr. Russo."

"Say it anyway."

She laughed, sharp and humorless. "You want me to say what I'm thinking? Fine. You took me from my home because my father's a piece of s**t. You brought me here and told me I'm property. You have me working in a house full of criminals organizing files about crimes. Someone is threatening me and I have nowhere to go and no one to help me. And you stand there pretending you care about my safety when really you just care about productivity. So forgive me if I don't feel grateful for your protection."

I should've been angry. Should've reminded her who she was talking to. But instead, I felt something close to respect. She was terrified and trapped and still finding the courage to tell me the truth.

"Better," I said.

She blinked. "What?"

"That. What you just said. That's better than the quiet submission. I can work with anger. I can't work with someone who's already given up."

"I haven't given up. I'm just realistic about my situation."

"Your situation is that you live in my house under my protection. Which means no one threatens you without answering to me. Is that realistic enough?"

She stared at me like she was trying to figure out if I was serious. "You fired Marcus."

"I did."

"Because he said things about me."

"Because he questioned my judgment and made you uncomfortable."

"But you don't care if I'm uncomfortable. You said—"

"I said a lot of things. I also said you're mine until the debt is paid. That means no one touches you, threatens you, or makes your life harder without my permission. Clear?"

"Why?" she whispered. "Why do you care?"

"I don't. I care about order. I care about control. You're part of my household now, which means you're under my protection whether you want it or not. That's how things work here."

My phone buzzed. Text from Luca: " Number traced to Elena Vitale. Want me to handle it?”

Elena. Of course. My business associate who thought she had claimed to me just because we'd slept together a few times. She must've heard about Sofia and decided to play games.

I typed back: “I'll handle it myself.”

"Get some sleep," I told Sofia. "Tomorrow you continue with the library. I expect the same quality work."

"Yes, Mr. Russo."

I walked to the door, then stopped. "The person who sent those messages won't bother you again. You have my word."

"Your word doesn't mean much to me," she said quietly.

I turned back. She was still standing there, small and defiant in the middle of that expensive room she didn't want.

"Then let me prove it means something." I pulled out my phone and held it up so she could see. "The person who threatened you is someone I do business with. She thought she could intimidate you to make a point to me. She was wrong. I'm going to make sure she understands that."

"You don't have to…."

"I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it because no one challenges me in my own house. But the result is the same. You're safe here. Understand?"

She nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Good. Lock your door tonight."

"Victor said the doors don't lock."

I walked over to the door and showed her the small lock near the handle. "They do. You just have to know where to look. Lock it. Don't open it for anyone but Mrs. Chen in the morning."

I left before she could ask more questions. I had a phone call to make.

Elena answered on the first ring. "Dante. I've been waiting for your call."

"You texted Sofia Marino tonight."

Pause. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me, Elena. I had the number traced. You sent threatening messages to a girl who's under my protection."

"Protection? She's a debt payment. Since when do you protect….."

"Since now. Touch her again, threaten her again, even look at her wrong, and we're done. Our business arrangement. Our personal arrangement. Everything. Are we clear?"

"You're choosing her over me? Some waitress with debt-collector father?"

"I'm choosing to run my household without interference. Stay away from her, Elena. This is your only warning."

I hung up before she could respond. My phone immediately rang again. I ignored it.

Back in my office, I poured another drink and stood at the window. .

Isabella was right about one thing. I was curious about her. About why she didn't break. About what it would take to make her fight instead of submit..

I drained my glass and told myself I believed it.