Page 74 of Dante

The doorbell rings.

“That must be the realtor with the papers,” Dante says, gesturing for Luca to get the door.

A moment later, the young, cocky looking realtor follows Luca into the room.

“You must be the new Mrs. Ricci,” he says, sitting beside me.

“Yes,” I reply.

As Dante reviews documents, the realtor chats me up. He’s so witty that I find myself laughing.

When Dante finishes, the realtor rises and takes my hand. “Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Ricci.” Then he shakes Dante’s hand and gathers the papers before exiting.

Dante turns to discuss a few things with his brothers before he finally stands. “Gina, time to go.”

Back in the car, silence stretches.

It’s an odd silence.

We should be continuing our celebration of the restaurant acquisition, but something feels off.

Dante surprises me by staring straight ahead when he’d usually be scrolling through his phone.

I reach over, my fingers stretching toward his thigh, seeking connection.

But his hand intercepts mine, pushing it away with a firmness that makes my stomach drop.

“We need to talk,” he says, voice clipped. “At the apartment.”

CHAPTER 28

GINA

What the heck is going on?

I can barely keep up as Dante practically drags me through the marble lobby of our building, his fingers digging into my wrist.

“Why are you angry?” I ask, stumbling after him in my heels as he jabs the elevator button.

Once inside, he doesn’t answer. He just glares at the numbers lighting up.

When we finally reach the penthouse, I hope to see Ciro’s smiling face waiting to greet us. I’d feel more comfortable knowing someone else is in the apartment now that Dante’s in the blackest of moods.

But no such luck.

As I remove my coat, one look at the dim lights tells me we’re completely alone.

I feel a flash of fear, though I’m not sure it’s warranted.

Maybe this is nothing. Dante radiates danger as a matter of course.

It was one of the many characteristics that first drew me to him. Yet today I worry I’ll experience his darker side more personally.

“Follow me,” Dante says, yanking me by the hand.

He pulls me down the hallway. I try to calm my racing nerves by telling myself he’s taking me to my room. But we pass it.

We pass Mary’s room as well.