Page 58 of Roses are Royal

Yes. Yes, I do, Dante.

“There is a bodega on the corner a few blocks away. I figured we could just grab a sandwich and head to Angelo’s. Did you drive here from his place? We can also just take a cab too.” I’m fishing for information, but I feel like that is a normal question to ask.

“Uh, no. My car is still at Angelo’s. We’ll have to take a cab.”

“Then how did you get to my place this morning?” This is something I’ve been wanting to know but didn’t want to ask for fear of his answer.

“I walked there. Last night. Shortly after you left Angelo’s…I, uh, followed you.”

Perfect. Just the answer I didn’t want to hear. I didn’t even notice him following last night when I was walking home. I am going to need to do a better job of being aware of my surroundings moving forward.

“Oh.” That’s all I can muster at this point. I don’t want to accidentally say something that might tip him off that I have more plans for today other than going to Angelo’s.

“Oh? That’s all you have to say? I figured you’d be upset or, I don’t know, something. You are handling all of this very well, Belladonna. I knew you were strong, but you are impressing me.”

I’m not going to correct his use of the nickname he has for me. I need him to trust me now more than ever.

“I just figured it’s easier to accept the information as it comes. We’re in this situation together now, right?” I need to know he is on my side, but it doesn’t hurt to dig the knife a little deeper so it burns even more when I pull it out.

“You are the only thing that matters to me in this life, Belladonna. Nothing else matters but you.”

“What about your house? I’m sure everything is gone now or damaged at the very least.”

“Like I said, you are the only thing that matters. Plus, I built that house for you. We can always rebuild if you’d like.”

Well shit. That is not what I expected his response to be, and his words are trying to claw themselves into my desperate heart, starved of love its entire life. And what does he mean he built it for me? Is that why it looked like all my private sketches? He must’ve seen them when he was watching me. And what? Thought he’d just casually build a custom dream home for someone he didn’t know? And why do I secretly love it? I definitely need to get my head checked after all this is over.

74

ROSE

Ditching Dante was easier than expected. He must really trust me if he thought I had to use the restroom in a bodega corner store instead of my own place that we literally just left. Not to mention, there isn’t even a restroom for customers in that place.

Now I just have to make it out of the city and back to Dante’s house and see what’s left of it and if there are any clues to what happened to Luc. I was able to use Wi-Fi to rent a car using an app and a fake email address on the burner phone I snagged, so Dante shouldn’t be able to track me.

As I get closer to town, I decide to stop in at the diner for a quick bite to eat since I never did get my bagel sandwich. Plus, Shirley might have heard something from the locals or maybe even saw Luc somehow.

I’m barely through the front door when Shirley comes barreling toward me from behind the counter, arms immediately wrapping me up in a hug I didn’t know I needed.

“Oh my goodness, Rose! Thank god you’re okay! I was so worried about you! I heard from some of the locals in town that the new house that was just built burned down last night. They said there weren’t any survivors! The fire department didn’t find anyone, and everything was destroyed by the time they got there. I feared the worst! I thought I lost you! Just when I found you!”

Well, this was not the welcome I was expecting from Shirley, but it’s exactly what I needed. I don’t think I’ve ever had someone like her in my life, someone almost like a mother figure, who has cared enough to worry that I might have been harmed. This is different from Dante’s overprotectiveness. It feels like something foreign; it feels like love, like family. Does Shirley love me? I’m not sure, but at this moment, I know I love Shirley, and I want to keep her in my life.

Hugging Shirley back, I try not to wince at the pressure she puts on my sore shoulder and put her mind at ease while only slightly bending the truth. “I was actually staying in the city last night. I was just coming up to check on Dante. I haven’t heard from him. Any chance he has been in here today?” Lies, but she can’t know I was at the house last night.

“Do you mean that delicious man dressed in all black leaning against that car outside? He hasn’t taken his eyes off you through the window since you walked through the door.”

Jerking out of Shirley’s hold, I spin around to see who she is talking about and lock eyes with my shadow, Dante. Perfect.

“Oh, well, yes. That is exactly who I mean.” Shit.

“Let me grab you an iced coffee for the road. I’m sure you and he have a lot to discuss, considering you were working on his house. I’m so sorry all of your hard work was lost. I’m sure it was beautiful.”

“That’d be great. Thanks, Shirley.” The crazy part is, I haven’t even thought about all the work that is likely in ashes. It didn’t seem so important since I knew Dante and I were safe. My only concern was…is Luc.

With my coffee in hand, it gives me the courage to go face Dante, who hasn’t moved from his casual post against my rental car.

“How did you find me?”