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She sobs against my neck, holding me so tightly as though I’m just going to throw her away or something.As though I don’t want her.
“Shhhhh,” I whisper against her hair.When she finally calms, I pull away from her, turn away, and go upstairs into the main house, praying she won’t follow.
4
MINA
Another week passes with Brian avoiding me and me feeling like at any moment he’s going to end things, since he obviously can’t stand to be in the same room as me.
I’m finishing my burrito in the cafeteria when I feel the energy shift.I look up to find Brian blazing a path toward me, fury in his gaze.
“Come with me,” he says when he reaches my table.
I’ve barely stood when he grabs my hand and half drags me past the lunch crowd.I know there are people in this room that fear for me right now and what Brian might do to me, but all I can think about is the electricity shooting through my body at his warm hand in mine.And besides, it’s the first time he’s touched me like this of his own volition in weeks.It’s the most aggressive, dominant purely Brian energy I’ve gotten, and I don’t care where it leads, I’m just glad it’s back.It’s so much better than self-recrimination Brian.That Brian gives me the ick.And I’ve been living in hell with that Brian for longer than I can stand.
As soon as we’re in our dungeon room, he lets go of my hand and turns to face me.“We have to kill Dante.”
“Dante Valentino?”
“How many other Dantes do you know?”
I breathe in his crackling angry energy.Killing isn’t romance, but it’s also not total avoidance.I’ll take it.
I choose not to inform Brian that I actually went to high school with two guys named Dante.I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate it right now when he’s buzzing with so much purpose.
He pulls a manilla folder out of the inside of his leather jacket, and starts putting things up on the murder wall with the clear thumbtacks already in place.The wall has been sadly blank since the Dmitri job ended.
“Why are we killing Dante?”I mean, not that I care, but I’m curious about this new and exciting intensity in Brian.
“That motherfucker let you go off with Gregor, and heknewit wasn’t me.”
I feel the rage emanating off him.It’s like if he doesn’t kill something right now he’ll combust.God, if only he’d direct some of that passion at me.
I never mentioned Dante or our conversation from Halloween night.I wasn’t keeping it from Brian or anything.I’d forgotten about it altogether until just now.So it never occurred to me that Dante knew Gregor was leading me off somewhere or that he was pretending to be talking to Brian so I’d let my guard down enough to be led away from the main party.
“How do you know that?”I ask.
He just turns and looks at me, his black eyes fathomless pits of evil, the clear urge for retribution simmering in their depths.I don’t care what it says about me, I love this side of him.With Brian, vengeance feels like a delicacy—an indulgence I don’t have to feel guilty for indulging in.
“Well, he was bragging about it for one thing and didn’t know I was nearby overhearing it.Also, he’s pretty angry about Halloween.Apparently he considered Gregor a close friend—not just someone who did jobs for him.And so now, we have to kill him before he puts a hit out on… well, me, mostly.I don’t think he’s personally gunning for you.Gregor just had a sick vendetta which I don’t believe Dante shares, but we can’t be too careful.I fucking knew I should have just gone ahead and killed Valentino instead of sending him a message.He’s not the kind of guy who takes messages very well.He’s got too big of an ego.”
I can’t decide if I should try to calm Brian down or just let him burn off this anger.It’s a good sign that he’s letting me see his darker edges again.He’s been handling me like glass, holding back, giving me all the Jekyll and none of the Hyde.
“Do you know when you want to do it?”I ask.
“Before Christmas.Dante is usually pretty quiet around this time of year.He’s got a big Italian family, and they do a big Italian Christmas.I’ve never known him to work in December, but if he’s harboring this grudge, you can bet he plans to take me out immediately after the new year, and I don’t intend to give him the opportunity to make that happen.The question is… does anybody have the balls to take the contract once he sets it in motion?”
“Let’s not find out,” I say.
“My thinking exactly.”
5
BRIAN
“Motherfucker!”I shout, causing gasps from several mothers and one disgruntled dad.
The boy that was sitting on my lap starts to cry, and Mina quickly removes him and takes him back to his mother.
