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I left the room, checked in on Gavin, who was out cold, then bid everyone a farewell. I left the apartment, headed down the stairwell to my floor, and yawned endlessly as I walked down the hallway. I checked my phone, saw the late hour and the multiple missed phone calls and text messages from Ina, and groaned as I shoved it back into my pocket. I had a date with her, and I missed it.
Bollocks.
I paused outside my apartment and looked at her door. I considered knocking and waking her up to apologise, but I thought against it. She was likely to be pissed, and I was too tired to deal with it. That storm could wait until tomorrow. I went into my apartment, took a shower, which was hard since I was being mindful not to wet my stitches, then I fell onto my bed, naked, wet, and wishing the day would just fucking end.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Ina
* * *
Present day …
* * *
When Dante finished speaking, my heart was beating so loud that I could hear it.
“I swear.” Dante took my hands in his. “That’s the whole truth, baby.”
His explanation wasn’t even in the same realm as what I thought was going on. I was stunned speechless by what he had told me, and I could do little more than stare at him as his thumb stroked the back of my hand.
“I’d never cheat on you, Ina. Never.” His eyes were locked on mine. “No other woman could ever come close to you, sweetheart. I swear to God.”
My stomach twisted in knots because it dawned on me that I had accused him of being with another woman and betraying me. I was so ashamed that I felt my eyes water.
“I’m so sorry, Dante.”
“For what?”
“For accusin’ ye of cheatin’,” I said, shamefaced. “Are ye okay? Are Kalin and Gavin okay? Oh, God, their baby, is he—”
“Country, breathe.” He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Everyone is fine. Gav’s a bit busted up, but he’s gonna be okay. Kalin and Indie are grand. They’re both stayin’ in Gavin’s apartment while he recovers. That’s where I was all mornin’, there takin’ care of them.”
“Thank God,” I said, exhaling a breath. “I’m just so sorry. I never in a million years thought that gangsters were the reason ye didn’t stop by. I assumed ye cheated on me because that was what Finn did, and I shouldn’t compare ye to him because you’re fifty times the man he is.”
Part of my brain was still trying to process everything Dante had just told me. Gangsters, Russians, the Irish mob. It was a lot to absorb, a hell of a lot. It made me realise just how little I knew about Dante’s family. It made me wonder if I would ever truly know them at all.
“I thought that I came from a crazy family with an abusive father and a cheatin’ arsehole ex-boyfriend.” I gave him a wry smile. “I think ye have me beat.”
Dante snorted. “You’re takin’ this better than I thought.”
“To be honest,” I said sheepishly. “I think I’m in shock because I can’t process a lot of what ye just told me very well.”
“I’m here if ye have questions,” he assured me. “But please, understand I can’t talk a whole lot about Brandy Daley. I won’t put you at risk by knowin’ about that man.”
I understood that and nodded firmly.
“I won’t ask about him. I just want to know about you. Let me see your back.”
Dante hesitated. “It’s not pretty.”
“Ye needed a bit of roughin’ up,” I commented, trying to make light of the heavy situation. “Ye were too perfect before.”
Dante leaned his face close to mine and brushed his nose over my cheek.
“I missed ye, country.”
“How much?”
“Too much.”
I smiled. “T-shirt off.”
“Yes, dear.”
I giggled at his teasing tone, then quickly helped him remove his T-shirt when the action made him wince. When he was shirtless, I didn’t allow my eyes to linger on the soft matte of dark hair on his chest or his ridiculously toned abdominal muscles. I rounded on him and allowed my eyes to roam over his marred back.
“Oh, Dante,” I whispered. “It must hurt somethin’ fierce, honey.”
It hurt me just to look at the dozens of scratches, welts, and the nasty jagged wound stitched shut on his left shoulder. I reached over and gently traced around the red lines, wishing I could take them all away. I knew I couldn’t do that, but I could do something to help Dante feel better. I placed a kiss over each scratch and a gentle one under his stitched wound.
“Christ, Ina,” Dante groaned. “You’re killin’ me, specs.”
I pulled away and moved back in front of him. His hands clamped down on my waist as he pulled me closer. I rested my hands lightly on his shoulders. I ran one hand up to his hair and gently scratched his head. I watched, with a grin, as his eyes fluttered shut.
