“How did Dante get involved?” I asked.
“He was in the park,” Gino said. “Didn’t see him at first. I guess he was there selling weed. That’s what he said, anyway. I don’t know why he came up or why he got involved, you’d have to ask him that. But as soon as that asshole pulled a knife, Dante appeared with Steven at his back, shouting at the dudes to fuck off, even though he was still younger than them. Well, shit got tense, and the knife guy got into Dante’s face. Dante knocked the guy down, took his knife, and Steven pulled a gun. The dudes got on the ground, the two of them took all their money, and we got the fuck out of there.”
Gino grinned huge, ear to ear, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Are you serious? You guys ended up robbing them?”
“Fuck yeah,” he said. “Made another hundred bucks each. They didn’t have to give me anything, but I think Dante felt bad. After that, I started working for him, you know? He cut me into his business and I started selling weed. Little bit at first, but more and more. I never forgot what he did for me, never fucking will. I’ve been with Dante since the start.”
He finished his story and slumped back in his chair. He let out a breath and finished his coffee.
“Should I be afraid of him?” I asked Gino, my voice soft and low.
Gino shrugged. “Probably. If you weren’t stupid, you would be.”
“But I don’t think I am.” I bit my lip and shook my head. “It’s crazy. He… you know what he did to my father. You were there that night.”
“I know,” he said. “And your dad deserved it.” Gino stood up abruptly. “Look, I’m just your guard, all right? Don’t ask me shit about Dante anymore.”
I blinked, surprised. “I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to… I didn’t mean to cross any lines.”
“I don’t want to get involved in his shit. I just do what he tells me to do, all right? So don’t ask me shit about him anymore.”
“Yeah, okay, Gino. I won’t.”
“Good.” He hesitated then shook his head. “Of course you should be afraid of him. You don’t know shit about Dante. Maybe if you got to know him, you could answer your own stupid fucking question.” He turned and walked away from the table. He sat back down on the couch, feet up on the coffee table, and turned the TV on.
I sat there for a long moment trying to figure out what I just did wrong. But he didn’t look back and I knew not to push him too hard. So I got up, cleared his dish and his cup, poured myself more coffee, and headed back to my room. I was tempted to go get into Dante’s bed, breathe his smell from his sheets, but I decided not to push my luck. I retreated into my own bed and curled up beneath the covers, my eyes shut tight.
I kept thinking about Dante’s body against mine, about him stepping up onto the porch with water dripping into his eyes, his shirt splattered with blood and drenched with rain. He kissed me hard and pinned me there like I was his to use and abuse, and I liked it. God, I hated myself just a little bit, but I liked it when he took me like that.
But I was afraid of him, afraid of how I was starting to feel.
It was those words that just wouldn’t go away.
He was going to make me his bride.
That should’ve made me feel sick. Instead, it made my heart beat faster, made me feel lightheaded, made me feel dizzy with lust and need.
I covered my head with a pillow and tried to figure things out.
15
Dante
I spent two nights in the city reassuring my people that things would be fine and getting business done. But two nights away from Aida was too long, and I was itching to see her by the end of the third afternoon. I made Steven take me on a little side trip to center city’s shops before we drove back to Mt. Airy.
He didn’t comment on the big box I’d put in the back seat. Knew better than to push me on that, not with the mood I was in.
“Any word from the Don?” I asked him. “Or any of his soldiers?”
“Nothing,” Steven said. “Far as I can tell, everything’s still on.”
“Good.” I leaned my head back on the seat. “Things look solid around here. I think it’s time we took it to Vlas again.”
“Already?” Steven frowned.
“Can’t let that fucker get himself settled. He thinks he got one over on me.”
“Dante, you broke into his club, knocked his people around, and terrorized his girls.”
“But he wasn’t there,” I growled. “And he left that fucking picture. He thinks he got one on me, and it’s time to let him know why he’s been afraid of me since we were kids.”
Steven sighed, but didn’t argue, and I stared out the window as we weaved through the streets and out to the suburbs again. He dropped me off out in front of my house, I grabbed the box from the back seat, and lingered by the curb. “Send one of the guys with a car,” I said. “And have him drop it off. I’ve got shit to do tonight.”
Steven stared at me. “Shit to do? Like what?”
“Taking Aida out.”
“That’s a dumb fucking idea.” He sighed and rubbed his temples.
“It’s fine. I’m going to Fifty Stories. Our club, right in our territory. It’ll be safe.”
“Doesn’t matter if you’re going to the Don’s fucking living room. Vlas can send guys anywhere, even if
