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But I’m not brave.
I’m anything but brave.
Instead, I take the glass and hold it to my lips, smelling the strong scent of alcohol, knowing it’s going to burn. But maybe that’s what I need.
Let it all damn well burn.
I take a long sip, almost gagging as I swallow. The entire time, Dante watches me with this fire in his eyes that makes me weak in the knees. Silence passes between us as I choke the liquid down and wince as he smirks.
“Oh god, that’s strong,” I whisper, coughing into my fist, feeling like such a lightweight.
His perfect lips curl up into a smile. “It’s hard liquor, Mia. Something tells me you’re not exactly used to that.”
I bite my lip and admittedly nod my head. I rarely drink and never drink bourbon. I’ve led a somewhat sheltered life, my sister being very protective of me and ensuring I stayed on the straight and narrow.
“I’m not used to many things, Dante.”
His eyes dart down to my chest for a moment, and I realize my robe has come undone. I swallow hard but don’t fix it. He hesitates, and I want to scream at him to touch me.Please fucking touch me. Touch me right here, right now, in this very kitchen. Make me forget everything. Make me call your name…
Touch me!
He does just that, but not in the way I want. He pulls my robe together, so I’m not exposed and fastens it with the belt around my waist.
“I’m sorry you got roped into all of this.” His voice is clipped, and when his eyes reach mine again, I see pain flash across them. “This world isn’t for you.”
“Maybe it is,” I whisper.
He frowns. “You don’t even know what you’re saying, what you’re suggesting.’
“It’s not your fault,” I go on like he hasn’t spoken. “I’m in this world now whether I like it or not. But you didn’t kidnap me, and you sure as hell didn’t cause what happened tonight.”
“Still, none of it should ever have happened in the first place, not a threat against our women. The Triads had to be taken out because they crossed a protocol that stems back many years. Women and children are off limits.”
I let his words sink in.
He’s a good man. He’s good to the very core, even if he is mafia.
I contemplate this for a moment. “I’ll admit it freaked me out, a lot. Stirring up…what happened when I was...” I feel the tears brimming, and I refuse to let them fall. Not here, not with him like this.
He nods, swallowing hard as he makes no effort to move away.
We’re so fucking close.
I don’t want to appear weak in front of him or that I can’t handle myself. I never want him to think I’m some helpless, injured little bird that needs rescuing. I know a fierce eagle is inside me, ready to soar. She just hasn’t quite gotten her wings fully mended just yet. It will come. I feel it brewing.
He nods. “I hate that. I’m sorry. Threats come and go against us all the time. We’re the mob. It’s the life we lead. I know that’s hard to grasp because your sister is with Angelo, though I want you to know I will never let anything happen to you, Mia.” He glances up at me as my eyes widen. “Do you hear me? I will never let anyone ever hurt you again.”
Why is he saying these things?
When I examine the evidence quickly in my mind, I shudder.
First, an extortion attempt with my sister being used to kill Angelo Medici, head of the Boston Mafia. At the same time, I’m kidnapped from work, locked up, and held as bait for weeks before a dramatic rescue with my fellow captive, Katiya Petrov, who belongs to the Russian Mafia. My sister has since fallen in love with the man she was supposed to kill, and now they have just wiped out the entire Rhode Island Triads while we were all locked in the panic room at Fortress.
It’s a lot to take in.
Yet, somehow I find myself nodding. “I know that.”
“I would never let anything happen to you,” he reiterates. “Ever.”
