Owned By The Don

CHAPTER 3 - Breakfast in The Lion’s Den

Okay so let me tell you about last night's dinner because I skipped past it and it deserves its own paragraph.

Lorenzo's mother, Signora Adriana De Luca looked at me across the dinner table like I had personally offended three generations of her family. Which technically I had, I suppose, since I'm the accountant who accidentally exposed their global mafia network to a news reporter.

"So you are the girl," she said

"Yes ma'am, I'm Sofia."

"I know who you are." She picked up her wine glass. "You are the woman who has ruined my son's carefully built life with your nosiness."

I opened my mouth.

"And before you say anything," she continued, "understand that I have spent thirty years building this family's reputation in New York. Thirty years before you were even born and you have managed to threaten it in one evening."

I tried to be respectful and innocent

"You're absolutely right, Signora De Luca," I said, with the most sincere expression I have ever produced in my life. "I made a terrible mistake and I am deeply sorry for any disruption this has caused your family."

She stared at me like she was waiting for the catch but there was none then after she started the name-calling thing

Anyways it's a new day to survive.

I water my plant first thing every morning. It is a routine I observe every single day for 2 months now.

I notice that there are no plants or flowers in the living so I add life to it by keeping my little beauty there.

Then I get dressed, remind myself of Lucy's strategy, take one deep breath, and walk into breakfast.

They are both already there.

Lorenzo at the head of the table and Adriana to his right, the seating arrangement of people who have been doing this for years and I am the new girl that does not yet have an assigned position.

"Good morning," I say, to both of them, with a smile that I have fully committed to.

Lorenzo looks up. "Morning."

Adriana looks up, says nothing and picks up her espresso so I sit down across from Lorenzo, pour myself coffee, and reach for the bread.

Three minutes of silence or maybe four. I am starting to think maybe this will be fine actually, maybe last night was the worst of it and we can all just eat peacefully and…

"You brought a plant," Adriana says.

"I did."

"Into my son's home."

"It needed water, plants don't thrive when you abandon them." I smile "I'm sure you understand."

Lorenzo's eyes move between us.

"A financial analyst," Adriana continues, setting down her cup. "That is what you are, you're not a businesswoman or someone who understands the weight of a name like De Luca. An accountant who reads other people's numbers for a living."

Okay so we are doing this at seven in the morning, totally fine.

"You're right," I say pleasantly. "I read numbers and I'm very good at it. Good enough that your son kept me employed for three years and trusted me with the accounts that matter." I reach for the butter "Which is more than most people can say."

"Lorenzo." She turns to her son. "Are you hearing this?"

Lorenzo is looking at me. Not at his mother. At me with an expression I cannot fully read it is not quite amusement and not quite approval but it is somewhere in that neighbourhood.

"Mamma," he says.

"She is sitting at your table speaking to me as though"

"Mamma."

That is all he says and somehow it is enough, maybe I should try if I want to sound witty.

After a while he stands up to leave and I follow him promptly, I had not told him about his mother's insults last night but since he has witnessed it…well let's say theres no harm in trying

We're outside close to the garage as my small petite figure picks up pace to meet his long strides.

“Why are you following me Sofia?”

“I umm, I have something to tell you, can I go ahead” I request and he nods

“Okay, whoops, it's about your mom, I don't think I can take the way she speaks to me”

“So what should I do if you can't take them, I should send her away or send you away?”

Gosh why are Alpha male species always like this.

“That wasn't what I meant, but I can't just sit at home watching TV all day or reading a boring book while she looks at me from the corners of her eyes” I wail, maybe he'll change something around but I don't know how

“Is that your way of saying you want to leave my house”

“No, maybe I could come to work or something like that”

“I hear you, we'll talk about it when I return, I'm late already” he says and works towards the garage.

“You look hot in that suit by the way, have a great day Lorenzo” I bid him farewell with a bit of flattery.

Flattery might work, you never can tell

Nico, Lorenzo's guard finds me in the east corridor trying to figure out how many rooms this house actually has.

The answer, it turns out, is fourteen rooms for one man and his mother and now apparently me.

He falls into step beside me. "How was breakfast?"

"Educational."

"She called you something in Italian last night at dinner but I won't translate it."

"Probably for the best."

"For what it's worth," he says, "she hated the last three women Lorenzo brought around too and none of them lasted a week."

I look at him. "How long do you think I'll last? Technically I don't even need to last because we don't have a choice"

Nico considers this seriously. "You brought a plant and you argued back at breakfast without raising your voice." He nods. "You might actually survive her."

When it's afternoon I feel like I'm in a reality TV show or something and to my relief, Marcus calls.

Marcus is a Lawyer I'd met a month ago at a corporate event, we started talking afterwards but nothing serious so far

He is from the world where I was invisible and ordinary and none of this had happened yet

I pick up on the third ring.

"Sofia." His voice is warm and careful and exactly like I remembered. "I've been trying to reach you since yesterday, are you okay?"

"I'm okay," I say. "Things have been complicated."

"I saw Lucy's story and then the retraction but I couldn't reach you and…" He stops. "Where are you? You're not at your apartment."

"I'm staying somewhere safe."

"Sofia, if you're in trouble…"

"Marcus, I promise you I'm okay."

A pause. "I called your office but they said you're still employed but working remotely until further notice." another pause "Did something happen at De Luca?"

"Something happened," I say. "I can't explain it right now. But I'm safe and I still have my job and I will tell you everything when I can."

"Can I see you?"

"Not right now."

"Sofia…"

"Marcus." I soften my voice. "Thank you for calling genuinely and honestly it means a lot. I will reach out when things settle."

He is quiet for a moment. "Okay, but I'm here whatever you need."

"I know, Goodbye Marcus and thanks for checking up on me"

I ended the call sitting with the phone in my hand for a moment,Marcus Webb is a good man. Charming and consistent, the kind of man who calls twice and means it when he says he is there. The kind of man I actually look at and see a good future with.

But he is also completely unprepared for the world I am currently living in.

Lorenzo comes back earlier than I expected.

I hear him before I see him as the particular energy of the house shifting, the staff straightening, the slight change in atmosphere that says the person this building belongs to has returned to it.

He appears in the doorway of my wing, jacket off and sleeves rolled up.

The first time I have seen him without the full armour of his working appearance and I obviously he looks even better without it.

"How was your mother this afternoon

" Did you know she timed how long it took to make your previous girlfriends cry?"

"Rosa told you"

"Rosa told me I am the highest so far Fifty-three minutes apparently"

"She won't apologise," he says. "She doesn't believe she has anything to apologise for."

"I'm not asking her to." I close my laptop. "I'm just letting you know that I'm aware of the game and I know how to play it. So if you're worried about managing the situation between us, don't. I have it.

"You have it," he repeats.

"I have it."

He looks at me for one more second. Then he says: "Dinner is at seven and don't be late."