“I’m not trying to overstep, but I’m always going to back you up, and I could have sworn you said you just need space right now.”
He looks at her, and the damn fool starts speaking French, asking her, “Do you think having a boyfriend is a smart move right now with your father’s condition? Are you willing to throw everything away, Sofie? For a man who will have no teeth or money by the time his career ends at the ripe old age of thirty, and you’ll be stuck for the rest of your life paying child support for his illegitimate children?”
Her back straightens, and she responds in French, “He’s an elite professional athlete, one of the best the league has seen in decades. I don’t project he’ll retire until he’s in his late thirties, and since he loves the game, I would assume he’d still work in the industry. As far as children, to the best of his knowledge, he has none. And excuse me for being naive, but if it ever turned into more than two friends hanging out watching a game, I’dhope to trust my instincts about his feelings. And Matteo, it really hurts my feelings that you, of all people, would come at me like that. I have always trusted you implicitly, and this, this makes me question my instincts. Right now, neither of us nor the company will benefit from that.”
“You’re acting foolishly.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” She motions to the door. “I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”
“Sofie, this is not how…”
I cut him offin French, “Elle t'a dit de partir.”She told you to leave. I move in front of her when he doesn’t move. “Tu veux que je te montre comment ouvrir la porte ?”Do you want me to show you how to open the door?
He stammers as he makes his exit.
I turn and look at her, “Ça va ?”Are you okay?
She smiles briefly, and her lower lip begins doing the quivering thing. “You speak French?”
“Un peu.”A little.
Her eyes get misty, and I take her hand and walk her over to the couch. “Before I forget,” I reach into the bag and hand her a book.
“A first-edition hardcover ofA Tree Grows in Brooklyn?” She asks.
“You weren’t going to get it,” she looks up at me. “You read the first page twice and hugged it before putting it back.”
Her throat bobs as she swallows hard, “Thank you.”
I pull out another copy and hand it to her, “In case it was a gift idea.”A tear falls.“For Claudia?”Another. “Fuck.”
Chapter 16
Security
Aleks
Tsarina told me everything,well, everything except what her father’s health issue was, and I didn’t push; I listened.
When she fell asleep, the game was just ending. I didn’t pay attention, no notes taken physically or mentally, but I did catch their win. As she dozed off, on my chest, I sent a text to Costello, securing the room for the week, asking that anyone, no matter the number of zeroes behind their name, steps in here and heads to that room, they are either thrown through the glass from ten stories up, or escorted out.
Costello:
Done.
Me:
Security you trust with your family?
He sent a contact immediately, and I asked the contact to call me tomorrow after eleven AM. I got a thumbs-up response.
I then got a text from his wife.
Drew:
Tell me she’s a keeper.
When I don’t respond, I get another from Costello.
