Filed to story: The Mafia Boss’s Regret (Ava & Dante)
The red curtain had opened and then closed, some laterals, spirals, and stag leaps in between, and the recital was a success. The dance was based on a man who died for love-a modern Romeo & Juliet tale. I played Death.
The performance was slow and dramatic, but it had a beautiful, haunting tone. Why must everything have a happily ever after? Aren’t the most memorable, poignant moments of history tragic? I had always appreciated sad endings. I was a realist, not a romantic.
I talked to Sierra for a little while about her two-year-old son and being a single mom, and then decided Benito was probably growing tired of waiting for me.
“I’ll see you later, Sierra. Tomorrow at the party, if you’re coming.”
“Yes, I’m coming! My mom’s watching Nathan. Please tell me your hot cousin is coming.”
I groaned with a playful roll of my eyes. “He’ll be there.”
“Great. See you then.” She winked.
I threw on an off-the-shoulder top and grabbed my bag before heading to the front. I’d just made it out the stage doors when an arm draped around my shoulder.
“I know I said last offer, but I forgot I haven’t suggested Chinese yet.”
I shook my head with a smile, but truthfully, there wasn’t a chance I was walking all the way to the car with Tyler’s arm around me. I loved Benito, but I could never forget he worked for my papà. It was his own father, my uncle Manuel, who was responsible for the death that haunted me. Benito had done nothing but watch, and I held no belief he wouldn’t let it happen again.
Just as we reached the front hall and I was about to slide Tyler’s arm off my shoulders, my heart stilled and so did my feet.
Dante stood near the doors, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. With his black suit lit by sparkling lighting, he could pass as a handsome gentleman. One only needed to glance up and see the dark look in his eyes to know it was only smoke. What worried me the most was that his stare, edged with venom, was aimed at Tyler.
My stomach twisted, and I shrugged Tyler’s arm off. He seemed to notice Dante’s presence at that moment.
“Family?” he asked hesitantly.
“Um… yeah.” It was sort of true, I guessed. I wasn’t going to explain all the details with Dante’s burning gaze in this direction. He must believe that since he was marrying into my family it was now his obligation to deal with any men who came my way.
Frustration crept up my back. I had plenty of male cousins and uncles and a temperamental brother-the last thing I needed was another man butting into my life. I imagined everything Dante did, he did it with his all, because not even Benito would wear that expression over a man having his arm around me.
“So… I’m guessing Chinese is a no?”
“Just go, Tyler.”
“All right.” He took a step back, probably put off by my tone. “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Ava.”
The worry tightening in my chest released when he left, still alive. I swore all the men in my life were psychotic. It was at moments like this when I hated it. I’d only wanted out at one point in the past. When it felt like I was nothing but a beautiful girl trapped in a world of forced smiles, with a grim future in the distance. The parties, the dancing, the fake laughs-it all exploded, until I stood alone for the first time in a city I’d never truly experienced.
It didn’t take long to realize I didn’t belong, that I was already stained by the world I was raised in. That a man with a clean conscience and clean hands would never fit me just right. I’d destroyed a decent man’s life, and while he’d touched me in places I’d never been touched before, I’d wished he did it a little rougher. I’d wished he was tainted by the darkness, as the men I was used to were.
Everyone knew you didn’t fall in love with a man in my world, like the one who stood before me now. Not unless you wanted your heart shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. No, I’d never fall in love. Truly, I’d never expected to. You didn’t mourn something you’d always known you couldn’t have.
At least this man wasn’t mine. He was too distracting, too fascinating… I’d never make it out alive.
I adjusted the strap on my shoulder and walked toward him, my heart beating to every step I took. I stopped a few feet from him. With that look in his eyes, I wouldn’t put myself in this man’s reach for anything.
“Your papà know you’re kissing men on stage?”
I faltered, my clammy hand tightening on my bag. Dante must have been here long enough to catch the end of the show. Where in the world was Benito? This man was going to kill me by the look of it.
My feet shifted. “I didn’t kiss anyone.”
Technically, it was a lie, but I was going to talk myself out of this. Because after Dante had overheard Tyler ask me out, and the fact that it was Tyler who I’d kissed-well, this might seem worse than it was. To the men in my family’s ears, it would sound like I’d gotten naked with the man. I told you-psychotic. Apparently, Moretti men were the same.
Dante pushed off the wall and walked within a foot of me. “Yeah? Why don’t you explain what it was you were doing then?”
My cheeks grew hot. “I was Death. I was… sucking his life away.”
Maybe that was the wrong way to explain it, because his expression grew even darker. I thought “sucking” might have done it. Ugh. His stare crept under my skin, flustering me.
“It was completely platonic,” I said.
His gaze sparked. “You put your lips on another man’s and suck, it’s never platonic.”
He made it sound so dirty when it had really been a dry, unmoving kiss. Anger simmered in my veins. Who was he to tell me who I could kiss-Mr. I’ll Sleep with My Stepmom and Other Men’s Girlfriends?
Frustration rose in my throat, mangling any possible comeback, so I only brushed past him. He grabbed my duffel bag off my shoulder as I passed. His gaze was still heated, but he followed me out the doors.
The mist fell steady, and I blinked it off my eyelashes as I searched for his car. It sat at the curb, all black and shiny. I wasn’t getting in it; I’d wait for Benito. I stood on the sidewalk while Dante tossed my bag in the backseat.
He shut the door and turned to look at me. “You gonna stand there all night or get in the car?”
“Where’s Benito?”
He opened the passenger side door. “He’s got some business with your papà.”
From past experience, that meant something bad was happening in New York tonight. I was surprised Papà had sent Dante to chauffeur me, considering his lack of trust with me and men. But I was also a little uneasy he felt he needed Dante to take me home.
I’d always felt safe and it was probably nothing, but if there was a reason Papà needed to worry about my safety I was glad he’d sent Dante. The man had a million enemies and he had stayed alive this long.
Though, the idea of being locked in a car with him made my stomach flutter with nerves. I imagined I’d feel similar right before jumping out of a plane. I didn’t know why he created such visceral reactions in me, but when he said, “Car. Now, Ava,” I’d never disliked anything more.
I wanted to make him say please, but as my gaze coasted to his, the dark storm that looked back at me changed my mind real quick. I walked past him and got in his stupid car.
My frustration mixed with turmoil. What would he do with the information about Tyler? I didn’t think Papà would care so much about a stage kiss, but with his arm around me, asking me out… my stomach turned. That could sound bad.
I was resenting Dante Moretti so much right now that I tried to ignore the warm, masculine scent filling the car. Sandalwood, clean skin, and a certain danger that made my pulse drift between my legs. I tried to ignore the way it invaded my senses and made the corners of my mind fuzzy. It hit me like a shot of liquor, and I distracted myself with buckling my seatbelt.
When he sat in the driver’s seat and shut the door, the car felt infinitely smaller. Quiet enough I could hear my heartbeat and warm enough the heater had to be on. Was it his body putting out that much heat?
Mist hit the windshield, running down the glass and blurring the outside world. I was alone with him in such a small space. The fact resounded in my mind, playing havoc on my nervous system.
Without a word to me, Dante typed out a text. Probably to my papà. I could only imagine it read something like: Package picked up safely.
My fingernails dug into my palms.