He didn’t even swear this time.
Instead, I heard some whispers and footsteps.
The bathroom light turned on.
Washing the blood from his hands most likely.
Not that he would ever be clean.
That was the cruel trick of the mafia.
Give a bloody man soap, and all it does is encourage him to get dirty again.
Because guys who killed, guys like Dante, missed the way the red looked against their skin, the power it gave them when they realized they were the one that caused it.
The shower stopped.
I watched the crack of light and the shadow of Dante as he moved within it and wondered if he thought about the face of the guy he shot, wondered if he cared.
Because what made him any different?
What made these Italians any better than the Russians?
Other than the fact that they clearly loved their wives.
And each other.
I punched my pillow and let sleep overcome me.
I didn’t realize I’d even fallen asleep until I jerked awake with my clothes still on from the night before, laying across the bed with my light on, and the ceiling fan slowly whipping around in lazy circles.
My neck felt bruised like I’d slept on top of my arm or something. My stomach growled.
Now I wish I had eaten all the pie Dante had.
Actually, I wish I would have eaten the ice cream too and ordered a side of fries.
I slowly peeled off last night’s clothes, put on a pair of black sleep shorts and a white tank, then opened the door and poked my head out.
The hall was dark.
Silent.
Nixon’s house was big, not as monstrous as Sergio’s, but a close second. And to make matters a little… disconcerting; there were cameras in every single corner so it wasn’t like I was sneaking anywhere.
I just didn’t want to feel like I had to sneak anymore. Like I was a stranger in a house not a home.
I made my way down to the gourmet kitchen.
And then opened the door to the pantry and stepped in.
Dante had a massive sweet tooth.
And ever since Christmas he’d been buying extra chocolate chip cookies — the only ones I was allowed to touch if I wanted to take his threats seriously and after last night? Well, I didn’t want to be on the other end of a gun.
I reached into the box just as I eyed the brand new shiny package of Oreos.
Maybe just… one.
I wiped the crumbs from my mouth and started peeling back the plastic, it was louder than a freaking gunshot going off in that pantry.
Finally, I pried the plastic free and reached for the first Oreo.
“Stealing?” Dante’s low voice said behind me, not only scaring me half to death but sending chills down my arms, while simultaneously making me feel the need to knee him in the balls and make a run for it, Oreos in hand.
“I didn’t hear you,” I said, leaving the package of Oreos and returning to my box of chocolate chip.
“That was on purpose.” He reached around me and grabbed the pack of Oreos then slowly pulled one free and bit into it.
I narrowed my eyes.
He grinned and took another bite.
“I should get to bed.” I tried side stepping him.
And each time he blocked my way.
Don’t panic. I licked my lips and met his gaze. “I didn’t eat any.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“So you can’t—” What? Hurt me?
“Food doesn’t make me violent.” He smirked.
“OH? What does it make you then?”
His eyes raked over me before he took another bite. “Possessive.”
I uncrossed my arms and rubbed them.
Dante sucked in a breath. “Shit, El, you really shouldn’t be walking around without a bra.”
Shame washed over me as I crossed my arms again. “I didn’t think any perverts would be up.”
“Oh, so I’m a pervert now?” He smirked.
“Something like that,” I grumbled, suddenly exhausted from the exchange.
“Here.” Dante held out the package of Oreos like an olive branch. “Take one.”
“They’re Oreos you can’t just eat one,” I argued.
“Something we can agree on.” He licked his lips like he could still taste the cookie. “It’s just a few cookies, El.”
“Are you going to punish me later?”
His eyes flashed. “Not in the way you think.”
I had a completely horrible physical reaction, I leaned into him for no reason! The heat from his body was making me irrational. And the way he looked at me like he wished I was the Oreo… I had no business letting him look at me, or returning that same look and yet there we were, in the pantry.
When I didn’t move, he grabbed one and held it to my mouth. I opened and bit.
“Shit.” He blinked and looked away. I took another bite, this time my teeth hit his thumb. He jerked back.
“You deserved that.”
“And here I thought we’d made so much progress. If you want to bite me, El all you need to do is ask.”
“It wasn’t a friendly bite.”
He grinned and leaned in, his lips grazing my ear. “All bites are friendly — if you’re doing it right.”
My hands shook at my side, like they wanted to do something stupid and irreversible, like touch his face.
Or kiss him again.
The memory of his lips burned.
And I knew it was nothing compared to what they actually felt like against my mouth.
I cleared my throat and took a step back. “Thank you for the, Oreo.”
“You didn’t even lick the cream first…” He winked. “I’m so disappointed.”
I glared, my face heating. “Maybe I like the cookie part better.”
“Nobody likes the cookie part better than the cream, El…” He said it with such conviction that I felt my entire body pulse like he’d flipped a switch I didn’t even know existed and blocked any way to flip it the hell back off.
I opened my mouth, ready to say something that would get me out of the situation when he cupped a hand over my face and said against my ear, “Shh, someone’s coming.”
I gulped as he pulled me back against him.
“Seriously Mil?” Chase hissed. “Do you even know what time it is? I’m getting tired of this shit!”
Mil was quiet and then. “You know I was working.”
“You’re always working, ever since you found out you weren’t pregnant you’ve just poured yourself into work,” Chase said in a low voice. “And I get it, I do, but with everything up in the air with the Petrov family, with Dante killing one of the cousins tonight…”
I stiffened.
“You can’t just say you’re going to be there for a family vote and not show up, and then expect me to cover your ass, you’re the boss, act like it.”
Mil swore. “I know, Chase, okay? Don’t you think I get that? I have a crumbling empire on my shoulders, and no money left to fix it with!”
Chase muttered something under his breath and then. “The Abandonatos—”