His Chosen Mafia Queen

Chapter 10

Sophia’s pov

I barely got any sleep last night, and I want nothing

more than to call out of work, but it’s Monday, and I

have to make sure everything is ready for the week.

With a groan, I slip on a ring that has a small blade

in it and slip it on my finger, then place my small can

of mace in my pocket, then double-check my bag to

make sure I have my small taser in there. Without

Valentino by my side, I made sure to have other

forms of protection when I started college in a new

city all of those years ago. They have become my

sense of security, and I never let anyone know I

carry them. One time, I had to mace a guy at a bar

because he tried to get handsy with me. After that

day, I took self-defense lessons after classes. I

guess that’s why I’m not as scared as I should be

with the threat or whoever it is that’s after me.

Once I grab my phone off the charger and alert

comes up.

***Text feed***Unknown number - Hi, good morning, can we talk?

Me - wrong number!

Unknown number - Come on, Sophia, I need to talk

to you.

Me - Wrong number!

Unknown number - We really need to talk about

everything.

I don’t respond and slip my phone in my pocket…I

have no idea whose texting me; only a handful of

people have my number.

Unknown number - Please don’t shut me out.

I dismiss the text on my watch. and put on my

hoodie because it’s supposed to rain, and I grab my

big umbrella with the pointy end, then I laugh to

myself because I pictured myself using my umbrella

like a weapon as they do in the movie Kingsman.

Unknown number - Sophia?I open my apartment door and lock it behind me.

Then walk to the elevator and press the button.

Unknown - please respond, I need to know you’re

safe.

Dang, this person is persistent, but I’m not taking

any chances and silenced the notifications, then

entered the elevator. Once I get to the parking lot, I

look around and nod to the security guard who’s at

his post. I guess that’s one of V’s men. Once I get in

my trusty small hatchback car, I drive to my shop.

Now pulling into the parking lot, I’m glad I brought

my umbrella and hoodie with me because it’s

raining so heavily I can barely see anything clearly.

Once I unplug my phone from the cable, I see more

messages from that unknown number.

Unknown number - Sophia?

Unknown number - Talk to me

Unknown number - Are you okay?

Unknown number - why aren’t you answering?Unknown number - damn it, Sophia, answer me, I’m

getting worried

Unknown number - Come on, Soph, please be

okay.

Unknown number - f**k!

Wait, they called me Soph, only V calls me Soph,

but if it was him, he would have told me it was. I

can’t think of anyone who would text someone they

never texted before and not state who they are,

even scammers give fake names.

Fuck it’s almost 9, I have to hurry up and prepare

everything before everyone shows up for class and

discounted beauty services. After throwing my

phone in my bag, I grab my umbrella and exit the

car, then speed walk to the business door while

being careful not to bust my ass. Once I get to the

door, I slip my key in and unlock it right before I feel

a strong hand on my shoulder and heavy breathing.

Without hesitation, I swing around with my fist,

following in speed and intensity until I hear a grunt

as my fist collides with bone.“Ah f**k” the guy states while rubbing his jaw,

looking downward.

“Don’t make me cut you,” respond menacingly.

“Soph, chill, it’s me,” he responds while slowly

removing his hood and looking at me.

“V, what the hell, why would you sneak up on me

like that. I could have hurt you,” I respond while

pushing his shoulder backwards.

“I was worried, so I came looking for you first to

make sure you’re okay.”

“Why would you be worried, besides the obvious

reason?”

“What do you mean? I texted you, and you stopped

replying.”

“Wait, that was you!.. You know all of this could

have been avoided if you told me it was you…like

who does that…who texts someone and doesn’t

state why they are?”

“I…I thought you had my number in your phone.”“How would I have it if you never gave me your

number?”

“Um, Carrrrmmmeennn maybe.”

“Why would Carmen give me your number if I never

asked her for it, and I didn’t know you were alive

and knew Carmen until yesterday?”

“I don’t know, can I come in so I can check the

damage and dry off?” He asks while gesturing

towards the door.

“Maybe it’ll be better if you just head home…I don’t

have the time to talk about what happened

yesterday…I have to get my ship ready for the day.”

“I won’t get in the way, and I’ll prefer going inside

over going back to my car and waiting there until

your shift is done.”

“Ugh, fine, V, you can come inside, but you better

not get in my way.”

“I promise I won’t,” he replies while putting his

hands up in a I surrender motion, then walks into

the store behind me while saying, “Besides, I don’twant to get punched by you again, that s**t hurt,”

he states while laughing.

“I’ll do it again,” I threaten while locking the door…”

Come take a seat in my office while I put this week’s

schedule together”. As we pass a rack with clean,

dry towels, I hand one to Valentino before entering

my office.

“I don’t have manly clothes here, but if you want,

you can use one of the company logo shirts…

they’re in that bottom drawer,” I say while pointing

at the file cabinet while writing on my desk calendar.

“Thank you,” he replies before standing up.

It’s so hard to concentrate on this week’s schedule

because he decides to take off his hoodie and his

shirt, then turns to place them on the back of the

chair he was sitting on…I hope I averted my eyes

fast enough, but the slight smirk on his face as he

turned back to the cabinet made me think I got

caught red-handed…thankfully, he didn’t say

anything about it. Once his back is turned to me, I

take advantage and look at his chiseled back and

notice a scar…I wonder how he got that scar andhow long it’s been there. He turns around and clears

his throat, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Like what you see, Soph?”

“I wasn’t looking at you…I…um…I was

daydreaming.”

“Oh, yeah? Daydreaming about my body, right?”

“You would like it if I was wouldn’t you, Valentino?”

“Ouch, so formal with my name…and the answer to

that question would be no, I wouldn’t like it, I would

love it if you daydreamed about my body in your

free time…actually, I would really love it, especially if

it’s when you’re alone and need some comforting.”

I can feel my face heat up with a blush and try my

best to hide it while drinking some water.

“I’m sorry, Sophia, I let that slip, and it was a bit out

of line.”

“You’re fine…I mean, it’s fine.”

As soon as the words come out, I clear my throat

and head to the stylist stations to make sure theyare fully stocked. Valentino follows me with a smile

on his face, and I’m not surprised that he caught

that slip-up.

“Do you need help with anything?”

I stop in shock as soon as I hear his question. “Did I

just hear the big bad mafia king offer to help little ol’

me with manual labor?”

He chuckles: “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you

and nothing about you is little…I don’t mind getting

my hands dirty for you…it wouldn’t be the first or

last time either,” he states while sitting in one of the

booth chairs next to me.

“What do you mean, it wouldn’t be the first time?”

“So you know I’ve always made sure you were okay

from the sidelines, so let’s just say some people

who hurt you in any way were taught a lesson as to

why they shouldn’t have acted the way they did,

and all of them passed the lessons… I may be the

mafia king, but I don’t like getting my hands dirty

except when it comes to people who f**k with you,

me, my father, Owen, or Carmen, though those

three could take care of people themselves.”“That explains a lot when it comes to guys, but I

don’t need you to get your hands dirty in that way

for me…I can handle myself.”

“I know you can, I felt it firsthand,” he responds

while looking at his jaw in the mirror, and I can’t help

but laugh.

“I missed being able to talk to you, Soph.”

“So do I V…I’m not sure I can trust you to not leave

me flat again.”

“I’m sorry, Sophia, you’re stuck with me now,

whether you like it or not.”

“Wait, I have to stop you right there. V I’m not okay

with you making plans for me and you having

people following me around without my knowledge.

If you’re coming back into my life, it has to be on my

terms.”

“Okay, I understand. What are your terms?”

“I prefer to just have you watching over me instead

of people I don’t know…If you do have to have your

people following me around, I want to know about

it, and it wouldn’t hurt if I knew who they were. I’mCarmen, and Owen watching my back would be my

second choice, because it would feel as if we’re just

hanging out. Most importantly, I don’t want lies. I

want to know everything that has to do with me,

even if it’s something dark. If you break my

boundaries, we’re done; there will be no other

chances.”

“I understand,” he replies with a smile.

“Why are you smiling?”

“You want to spend your time with me…I thought

you would have hated me, but I’m glad you don’t.”

“Who said I don’t hate you, Valentino?” I respond

before flinging a scrunchie at him, then walking

away to open the door for my students and

customers.

“Hey! Please tell me you’re not serious,” he states

as he approaches me with a weary expression on

his face.

I unlock the door, allowing my students, staff, and

customers in before he reaches me, which causes

him to stop in his tracks. I’m surprised by hisresponse to everyone looking at him with curiosity. I

expected him to run back into the office or stand

there looking stern and serious, but he smiled and

responded to those who greeted him good morning.

After the initial morning rush, everything calmed

down a bit, which allowed my staff and students to

refocus their attention on V, who is sitting on a chair

looking through a magazine.

“So…whose the hottie?” asks Javi while nudging

me with his elbow.

“What hottie?” I ask in response while looking

everywhere except Valentino.

“Girl, you damn well know who I’m talking about.”

I shrug my shoulders in response, and I could see

Valentino’s lip twitch in a smirk before going back to

pretending he’s not listening.

“Oh, forget it, I’ll find out for myself,” he states with

a hand swiping gesture. “Hey hottie, what’s your

name?” Javi asks from across the room.V straightens up in his chair and looks in our

direction: “Are you talking to me?” He asks while

holding back a smile.

“You know it,” replies Javi, then smiles while they

play with strands of hair on a wig.

V places the magazine on the table in front of him

and then stretches his arms, causing his shirt to hug

his muscles with his movement. Then he walks over

towards us, looks Javi in the eyes and states in a

low, serious voice, I’m danger. He then grabs my

hand and walks me towards my office while leaving

Javi there fanning himself and the ladies looking,

checking him out while making appreciative

comments for the eye candy.

Once we enter my office, V closes the door and

locks it while giving me a look that pins me in place.

“Why did you act like you didn’t know they were

talking about me?”

“I…I…It’s not work appropriate to go along with

them.”

“So you’re saying you do think I’m hot?” He states

while getting closer to me.“Well, look at you, V…you could be distracting.”

He smirks and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear:

“Is that a bad thing, Soph?”

“When I’m trying to work, and we still have things to

get over, yeah, it is,” I reply while moving away and

sitting behind my desk in an attempt to not give in

to temptation and do something I might regret.

“I’m sorry, Soph, it’s hard to reel myself in around

you, but I’m going to try, while still going to be here

to protect you.”

He sits in the chair across from me and stares at me

for several minutes without saying anything, and it’s

giving me anxiety: “Just say it already,” I demand.

“Say what?”

“I don’t know…whatever you’re thinking about.”

He smiles with uncertainty: “Do you hate me?”

I let out a small sigh: “I don’t hate you…I should

hate you, but I don’t.”He lets out a sigh of relief.

“Can we talk about what I told you…this f****d up

life and when you’re ready…my feelings for you as

well?”

“There’s nothing left to say about it…You’re the

mafia king, we both had feelings for each other that

we stupidly did nothing about…you had to leave me

flat for your family which I understand so I can’t hold

it against you; even though I want to stay mad

about it…you watched me from the sidelines like a

creeper and took care of jerks that messed with me

(he smiles at that last part; clearly proud of

himself)…what else?…oh yeah, my life is in danger

because I know you…Am I missing anything?”

“No…but can we rewind to that a bit?”

“To what part?”

He smirks while moving closer to my desk: “to the

part of your confession.”

My cheeks redden:” confession? I don’t know what

concession you’re talking about.”He smiles: “We both know I heard you. The question

is, why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“Touché”

We sit there in silence, looking at each other for

what feels like an eternity until he speaks.

“So what now?”

“What do you mean?…you obviously have to find

out who's after me.”

His expression turns serious: “I have been working

on that since before I told you about it. You are my

top priority, and I won’t let anyone hurt you.

“Good! It’s not the time to worry about us; our focus

has to be on catching the bastard.”

“Damn”

“What are you damning about V?”“You just look hotter when you’re all tough and

bossy…I have to admit, I’m a fan…you have to be

tough now that you’re involved in this life.”

“I’ve been tough since the day you left. I had no

choice.”

“I’m sorry, Soph.”

“Let’s make a deal, no more talk of our past, and

let’s try to focus on here and now…speaking of here

and now, I have a business to run, so I can’t stay in

here with you for the rest of the day…are you

coming or staying?”

He laughs before replying, “I’ll follow you

anywhere,” while getting up, then follows me out of

my office.