“Here.” With shaking hands, I gave him the note and tried to reign in my emotions. It was too much, being in his arms, seeing the concern on his face.
He grabbed the note and read; a smile appeared on his face. “You read this?”
“He said not to.”
Dante exhaled. “Good girl.”
“Don’t say good girl, it’s demeaning.” I shoved away from him.
He didn’t let me get far, just grabbed my hand. “Let’s go to our next class.”
We passed Andrei who tilted his head in our direction like I’d passed some huge test.
Once we were out of earshot and on our way to the next building, I whispered. “What did the note say?”
“If she looks afraid instead of jealous — kill her.”
I stopped walking. “Wait, what?”
“Andrei’s girlfriend.” He shrugged. “The girl I was talking to?”
My chest heaved. “It was a set up?”
“Apparently.” Dante drew out the word. “But you passed.”
“I could have gotten killed!”
Dante pushed me against the wall with his body and nipped my ear with his teeth. “You can’t react here, not like that, El. It’s not safe, all right? Freak out in the car or when we get home.” Home. I liked the way it sounded on his lips. “But not here, here you’re Italian royalty all right? You’re with me, in my arms, in my family.” For some reason, my eyes started tearing up. “I won’t let anything happen to you, but that also means you need to be careful how you react, when you react, don’t play the hero.” He backed away.
“Had I read the note,” I finally looked up at him. “Would you have killed me?”
“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate.
I was too shocked to say anything. I wanted to slap him for being such a horrible person while at the same time hug him for being honest. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Let me finish, before you start plotting my death.” He pulled me close again, most likely so nobody could see or hear us as they walked to class. And then his rough cheek rubbed against mine as he murmured low in his throat. “If I didn’t shoot you — they would have shot both of us and most likely tortured you, returned you to the life you fled from. You keep forgetting — they want you dead or returned. So yes, I’d rather kill you than see you with them, then send you back to the pits of Hell with no way to get you back. And I think you’d prefer it that way — because I’ve heard your screams at night, I’ve held your body while you shake trying to get the memory of his hands off of you. I know you. You prefer death. Tell me I’m wrong?”
I was breathing so heavy I thought I was going to pass out. I could only squeeze out, “You’re not.” Before basically collapsing in his arms.
“Inhale, there you go, exhale.” He rubbed my back. “We should get to class, only one more to go, all right?”
I nodded and let him wrap his arm around me as we kept walking.
At least we were talking now.
At least we were touching.
He hadn’t brought up the kiss.
Then again, it’s hard to bring up something so petty — when your life hangs in the balance.
My heart soared with the knowledge of how well he knew me.
While simultaneously breaking with the cold hard fact.
I would never be his.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Dante
I PROMISED MYSELF I wouldn’t think about the kiss they shared. I promised myself I’d focus on my job. I’d focus on blood.
Not El.
But the more I told myself that, the more she came to the forefront of my mind, especially after the stunt Andrei pulled today. I’d never been so thankful for jealousy in my entire life.
I knew why he wanted El either with them or dead.
He was under the assumption Xavier told her things when all he did was use her for sex.
The thought of anyone’s hands on her.
I gritted my teeth just as she walked into the kitchen for dinner, staring down at her phone.
Smiling.
What the hell was that guy sending her? Cat videos? Naked pictures? I’d never been so tempted to ask my brother in law for a favor in my life.
Hack her phone.
But I knew it wouldn’t help.
I’d just torture myself with all the inside jokes all the sweet compliments, and plans for the future.
A future I wasn’t going to be a part of.
“You’re smiling,” Frank pointed out from the head of the table, he lived alone so it wasn’t rare for him to share dinner with us multiple times a week.
What was rare was that Mil was actually sitting down.
She eyed me and then the potatoes in front of her.
All right then.
“Dante,” Nixon grabbed a bottle of wine and set it on the table. “Sergio and Phoenix are on their way over — more training, so only eat what you wouldn’t mind puking up later.”
Nixon. Always encouraging.
“Noted.” I pulled a chair out.
El sat across from me right next to Mil.
Chase flanked my right.
I gulped.
This wasn’t awkward.
Trace was attempting to feed the baby while Nixon helped.
They were distracted.
And in that moment, it all made sense.
How Mil assumed she could fly under the radar in another boss’s home.
He was distracted.
Unarmed.
I didn’t as much as flinch as the reality of my situation washed over me.
Whatever she was doing or not doing.
She was banking on Chase protecting her — and Nixon ignoring her.
I was the wild card.
So, I did what anyone would do in my position.
I fucked with her head.
“Mil,” I poured her a glass of wine. “You look… tired. Doesn’t she look tired Chase?”
Chase tensed next to me. I was loyal to him. But loyal to my blood first, my legacy, my dead father.
And if she was doing anything to jeopardize my revenge on any enemy that tried to take my sister away, take El away, I would end them.
“Lots of late nights, huh Chase?” She winked at Chase.
He went still as a statue then gave her a completely disgusted look.
She paled.
And I knew… she had broken something once so strong between them. It was fragile.
In a world full of lies and destruction.
Sometimes all you have is one person to help you see the light.
But what happens when they succumb to the darkness?
“I wouldn’t know,” Chase finally said, meeting her gaze with a pissed off one of his own.
Trace finally looked over at us as if noticing the tension around the table. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not exactly sure.” I eyed Mil. “But, I’m going to find out. The truth always wins — especially when you’re such a shitty liar.” It was out before I could stop it.
Chase’s chest heaved.
I did the job he didn’t want to.
He would thank me later.
After he tried to beat the shit out of me.
Mil’s eyes narrowed.
And I knew what she was thinking — weighing.
Friend or foe.
I smiled, it wasn’t intended as a friendly smile, but as one that promised pain if she touched anything or anyone I loved.
I would challenge the boss of the De Langes if that was what it came to. And I would win. Because I had nothing to lose.
And she did.
Frank shifted in his seat, his eyes taking everything in. Quietly. He did things quietly. And I knew he was watching the exchange in interest, the very fact that I’d put her in a shitty position in front of two bosses wasn’t lost on him.