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Chapter Twenty-Nine
-Noemi-
“IDON’T WANT YOU TOgo.” I didn’t whine when I said it that time. My voice was firm, but he still ignored me.
He kept his eyes on the road. Cold, unmoving Dante was back, and there wasn’t anything I could say to reach the man who had told me just that morning that he loved me.
With a loud “harrumph,” I crossed my arms over my chest and sat back in the seat of Dante’s Lincoln.
“You’ll be in good hands,” he said as if he were reading a menu. “Nothing will happen to you while I’m away.”
“I’m not worried about myself. I’m worried about you. I don’t think you should do this alone.”
He let out an irritated sigh. “I work alone,bambina. I always have. This topic is not open for discussion.”
“But you’re not alone anymore,” I whispered.
Dante was going off to confront Bailey, and my heart couldn’t take it. We’d come so far in so short a time, and now I faced losing him.
“When it comes to my work, I’m always alone,” he said, not taking his eyes off the road.
I wanted to scream, yell, grab the wheel - do anything to make him listen to me. A cold chill spread through my body. He was so confident in his abilities that he couldn’t see that I was terrified.
I didn’t say anything else until we arrived at Dante’s townhome.
“We’ll stay tonight. Then tomorrow, I’ll take you home.” He opened the front door and ushered me into the black and beige living area that echoed his personality.
“Home?” I gnawed on my lower lip, anxious at the thought. Someone let themselves into my house. How was I going to be safe there?
“Not your home,” he explained. “Unless you need some more clothes or something. I’m taking you to the only place I know you’ll be safe.”
My heart warmed a little. “Your home?”
Dante nodded. “I know it’s secure. There’s surveillance and an alarm system. And you’ll have Lilly and Ma for company.” He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll still worry, but I know Gabriel will take care of you.”
His honesty softened me. I was angry with him, mostly out of fear for his safety. This was a premonition of what our life would be like. Every time he went away, which was often, I would worry about whether he would come home to me.
“Would you? Worry about me?” I asked, selfishly needing to hear the words again.
Two arms snaked around my middle, and I softened just a little more.
“Of course, I’m going to worry about you. Why would you think that I wouldn’t? I’m only doing any of this because of you.”
His breath tickled my ear as he leaned down. “I love you, remember?
I sighed and leaned against his chest. With my ear plastered to his shirt, I listened to the steady beat of his heart. Mine was racing with fear, but his set a calm rhythm I willed myself to match.
“I love you, too. And that’s why I’m so scared.”
Dante threaded his hands through my hair, letting the strands filter through his fingers repeatedly. “I understand.”
I wanted to tell him that he didn’t. He couldn’t possibly understand how I felt. I had no control over any of this. He at least had a response for Bailey’s greedy behavior while I was supposed to sit back and wait for him to fix things.
Before we left New York, Dante and Willis locked themselves in Willis’ office. I didn’t hear what was discussed and when I had asked, Dante replied in typical fashion that it was none of my business. I argued against that point and lost. Not because my argument wasn’t sound. I mean, Bailey was using my life to blackmail Willis so it certainly was my business, but I lost because once Dante Calegari made up his mind about something, nothing I could say would change it.
“I know you’re scared, baby girl,” he said to the top of my head where his cheek rested. “To be honest, so am I.”
Shocked, I tilted my head to look up at him. He hadn’t lied. I could read him. I saw the fear, and the love, in those dark eyes, suddenly a whirlpool of emotion.
