Chapter 5 - COFFEE AND ICE
They moved continuously through the quiet, paneled side hallway that led toward the grand foyer of the clubhouse entrance. High arched windows lined the right wall, throwing long diagonal beams of amber sunlight across the polished hardwood floor, highlighting dust motes floating serenely in the quiet air.
Sophia lifted her head slightly from Lorenzo’s shoulder. Her small nose twitched as she pressed her cheek against the smooth, worn collar of his black leather vest.
She took a tiny, deep breath, sniffing the leather, and then looked up at Lorenzo’s sharp profile with wide, innocent brown eyes.
"You smell like coffee," Sophia whispered softly, her small voice breaking the heavy silence of the corridor.
For the first time in three weeks—through all the violent rivalries, internal betrayals, and high-stakes operations that consumed his life—the corner of Lorenzo’s hard mouth twitched upward. A tiny, incredibly rare trace of a genuine smile touched his dark features, softening the sharp lines around his eyes for a fleeting microsecond.
"That's because I drink too much of it, sweetheart," Lorenzo replied softly, looking down at her with genuine warmth.
He adjusted his hold on her, ensuring her pale cream-pink dress was smooth and that her small head was protected against his collarbone.
As they reached the end of the long corridor, the grand mahogany double doors leading into the main clubhouse reception room appeared before them.
Lorenzo’s faint smile vanished as quickly as it had arrived. His jaw locked once again into a mask of pure, unadulterated ice. His gray eyes turned cold, calculated, and deadly.
May you like
He stopped two feet short of the heavy brass door handles, letting Pino step ahead to scent the threshold.
"Hold on tight to your rabbit, Sophia," Lorenzo instructed in a quiet, icy whisper that chilled the warm air of the hallway. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's go talk to the big men."
