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“...If I promise no gunfights this time, will you dine with me tonight?” he asked with his deep voice that gave her chills. “After we are done treating your injury.”
Eden glanced at her arm. The bleeding had stopped, but it was still probably looking rather ugly under her red-tainted fingers.
“You mean even staged ones?”
“Nothing but maybe a pair of knives.”
“...Fine,” she mumbled.
Just then, Loir suddenly popped his head out from under the desk.
“I’ll have a Margherita with extra anchovies, artichoke, and pineapples, please!”
CHAPTER NINE
With this second invitation, Dante was probably trying to make up for the disastrous first.
Eden was a bit confused, staring at the outrageous piece of clothing in front of her with her arms crossed. This wasn’t a dress but an overpriced piece of fabric. She could tell just from all the strass crystals on it. It was an old shade of pink and incredibly well-balanced between sexy and innocent. Even without putting it on, Eden knew this would be the perfect size for her. She sighed. Did she have to wear that? A part of her had wanted to keep her dirty clothes. Unfortunately, they were stained with blood and she smelled like trash after that walk outside. Not only that, but while she had given in to the strong appeal of a nice hot shower, fancy soap, and fragrant shampoo, once again, her clothes had vanished. She didn’t regret that hot shower. Hot and clean water raining on her was such a luxury to Eden, and this time, she had taken it in a very, very fancy bathroom. Eden’s eyes circled the room once again.
A suite. This time, he had given her a suite, which was much bigger than the previous room she had slept in. It was the real thing, with a view, marble floors, wooden walls, a king-size bed with silk bed sheets, and a private bathroom. This place alone was three times bigger than Eden’s apartment. Her dogs could run around and chase each other as much as they wanted without anything in their way.
Still, Eden didn’t like this display of how wealthy he was. She didn’t like people flaunting their money in her face and she didn’t like standing alone in there either. She had been told dinner would be served half an hour later, and since then, she had been staying in her room. No one had come in and the door wasn’t locked. Eden sighed and brushed her blonde hair out of her face. There was no use in staying in the room in her underwear. Even that was fancy and new, a black ensemble that certainly would have suited a rich lady from the Core. Not a poor girl from the Suburbs.
A bit annoyed, she grabbed the dress to put on. The sexy silk slid down her curves so fluidly, yet Eden was shocked at the weight. Those strasses... they couldn’t be real diamonds or jewels, right? Eden had worn a dress full of strass before, but none had ever felt that heavy. She sighed and shook her head, trying to push her thoughts to the back of her mind.
A few steps away from her was a full-length mirror, and Eden approached it. Her reflection sent an image that wasn’t so new to her: Eden wearing a dress, Eden pretending to be a rich woman. To her, this felt wrong. How her curves were enhanced, how she was suddenly prettier. The way her blonde honey curls feel now that they were clean and shiny, her skin clear of any dirt, even her face. So relaxed. No frowning, no sullen expression. Had she softened up a little to the Italian now? She should have been a bit mad at herself, but Eden didn’t care much anymore. She was getting tired of running away from him. This tiger was playing with her like a cat with its mouse. She just wanted to know his goals, and if she could survive being around him.
Eden found the pair of heels they had picked for her. Once again, they were shiny and looked expensive. She frowned and threw them to her pups to chew. She should have brought their toys up here. Maybe that was why Rolf had offered to keep them? Eden sighed. Somehow, she knew she couldn’t fully hate someone who liked her pets. No bad man likes animals, they said. Eden loved animals, but she didn’t like men much... Aside from the shoes, she didn’t care for the makeup or jewelry either. She didn’t want to become some kind of trophy yet. That dress was nothing but a piece of clothing, and it wouldn’t be enough to sway her heart.
Eden decided to stop caring. She had served men before. She had sold her body for their pleasure, she had poured them drinks until they were nothing but drunkards, and no man until now had managed to make her think any better of the other gender. In her mind, men just couldn’t be trusted. They either patronized her or used her. Eden had decided long ago she could only survive on her own.
Feeling a bit better after reminding herself of all this, she got down on her knees, pulled the skirt up, and began playing with the pups, not wanting to think until it was time for dinner. Seeing Beer and Bullet so excited and happy to play, completely not caring about her events, made her regret she hadn’t been born as an animal too. Eden wished she was a bird, so she could fly away. Away from Chicago’s Suburbs and their violence. Away from people’s manipulative and selfish ways. Away from the filthy air, the rough asphalt, and the muddy waters. Just a bird, ready to go anywhere she wanted.
The door opened, and to her surprise, Rolf appeared. Both the pups immediately ran to him, excited. The man didn’t walk in, though. Obviously restraining himself from focusing on the pups, he simply nodded politely her way.
“He is waiting for you.”
Eden stood up and walked to the door without a word. Rolf simply stepped aside to let her out. She hesitated about leaving the pups with him, or inside the room, but somehow, their presence had become extremely necessary to her. They were like two little comfort buddies, ready to cheer her up anytime. Eden only hoped she wouldn’t need them too soon…
She followed Rolf inside the elevator and they went up. So they were staying inside this time. That was fine with her. She wasn’t ready for another fight anytime soon. The door opened up into a smaller room than she had imagined. Eden still had the devastated restaurant in mind from before, but this was obviously a normal dining room. Moreover, even more surprisingly, Dante was behind a kitchen counter, with his sleeves rolled up, and a large kitchen knife in hand. Eden had to blink a couple of times. Was he seriously... cooking?
“...Have a nice dinner,” whispered Rolf, closing the door behind her.
Eden just had time to see his second-in-command disappear, and realized that this time, she was truly alone with Dante. She felt a little knot appearing in her throat. What was he planning this time? This place was his headquarters, surely he wouldn’t have a bomb explode or something, right?
“Good evening,” he suddenly said, not lifting his head from whatever he was cutting.
She could hear the knife cutting through the veggies at an expert speed on the chopping board, making her a little curious. He wasn’t putting on an act, then? Eden approached cautiously. For once, Beer and Bullet were behaving and simply following her with their little noses up.
“...The shoes were not the right size?”
Eden froze, but then, she realized he had probably been expecting to hear her heels on the marble floor... She snorted.
“More like not the right price tag...”
“Mh... I’ll tell them to take it out next time.”
She knew he was just joking around. He knew exactly what she had meant, he probably just didn’t care…
