Chapter 2 - THE FIVE MINUTE REQUEST
The five security guards surrounding Dominic held their breath. They were used to hardened mobsters, federal agents, and rival bosses breaking into a cold sweat when Dominic Valenti spoke in that quiet, lethal tone.
Sophie Bennett didn't flinch. She didn't look at the massive guards hovering around her. She didn't even drop her eyes.
Instead, the three-year-old girl lowered her battered stuffed rabbit to one hand, tilted her head all the way back, and raised both tiny arms straight up toward the terrifying syndicate boss in a universal, unmistakable request.
"Can you hug me for five minutes?" Sophie asked, her sweet, clear voice ringing through the quiet corridor.
Every single guard in the hallway froze in absolute, jaw-dropping shock.
The senior guard on Dominic's right—a scarred, six-foot-four enforcer named Marco—blinked in sheer disbelief, his hand dropping away from his shoulder holster as he stared down at the child. Never in fifteen years of service had anyone approached Dominic Valenti without permission, let alone demanded affection.
Dominic remained motionless, his posture straight, his hand resting near his polished belt buckle. His razor-sharp features twitched with a rare flicker of genuine confusion. He looked at her tiny raised arms, then down into her wide, trusting brown eyes.
"Why?" Dominic asked, his tone flat, cautious, and completely unaccustomed to such an interaction.
Sophie shuffled her little red boots on the smooth marble, squeezing her stuffed rabbit closer against her hip.
"Because I never had a papa hug," Sophie said simply.
A suffocating, absolute silence fell over the grand corridor. The crackle of the fireplace from the adjoining living room was the only sound echoing through the vast space.
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Sophie studied Dominic’s hard, serious face, taking in his sharp jawline, his dark wavy hair, and the dark ink tracing up his neck.
"And you look like you need one too," Sophie added innocently.
