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“Thanks, Dante.”
Feeling like I’ve just experienced every emotion a man can in the space of a few minutes, I walk back down the hallway, sit on the couch, fighting the urge to go in there and claim her, fighting the urge to ride out to Tony Marino’s hotel and have a quiet, intimate discussion with him.
CHAPTER 12
Mia
The bedroom has a small en suite. I splash water on my face and run my hands through my hair. My eyes get swollen and red when I cry, and my cheeks get this puffy look. I hate it. I think it makes me look weak. I splash more water, then tie my hair into a tight bun.
Returning to the bedroom, I sit on the bed, wriggling slightly because of all the steaminess. I can still feel the heat, how quick it was. It was like I was drunk before I knew it. For a second, I thought I’d just be able to sink into the moment. He was so warm, so solid, so protective. He felt like he was shaped to my body.
Then, well, whatever, I guess life gets like that sometimes. People can’t always control exactly what they think and feel and…
No, no. I won’t start crying again. I take a breath and grab the phone. It’s a habit. If I hadmyphone, I’d probably be scrollingsocial media in a dazed trance, which is weirdly nice sometimes—a brain switch-off. For now, all I have is Dante’s number.
You could’ve gotten me some art supplies or something,I tell him.
I got clothes. I left them outside your room.
I guess I’ll use T-shirts as paintbrushes or something.
Are you always this sarcastic?
A tiny smile touches my lips.I feel like there are two versions of us, Dante. One when we’re together in person and one when we text.
Which do you prefer?
I like both for different reasons. I guess it’s easier to keep emotion out of it when we’re texting.
If you need to be emotional, be emotional, Mia.
I shake my head, which is nuts because we’re just texting. Yet it’s like he’s sitting in front of me, his calm eyes pinned on me, his body so warm.I don’t need to be emotional. I just need to know when this is going to end.
We’re going to ransom you to the Family and pretend it’s coming from another group,he tells me.That way, nobody will be able to trace it to me. If I publicly make a move on Leonardo Marino’s brother, I won’t be around to help my ma.
Dad always finds a way to squirm through life, using his brother’s connections to play the big shot. A prickle of sick fear touches me just texting about Dad. It makes me sick how it’s still there, teasing, taunting.
What happens after?
What, when you’re home?
Yeah.
I don’t know,he texts.Life will go on like before.
Life will go on with Dad still here. I wonder if he’ll find another dashing, handsome man for me to marry.
You’re your own woman, Mia.
I’m a Family chess piece,I tell him.Let’s say the Irish became powerful, and Elio wanted to make some alliances. He might offer me to one of their lieutenants.
There’s no way. Not here. I’ve never seen it, and I’d never let it happen to you.
Another smile tugs at my lips, bigger this time. A small, crazy voice whispers inside that I shouldn’t have let him go before. On the couch, I should’ve grabbed him, kissed him even harder, moaned, and ground against him. I should’ve given into all the heat making me so wet and warm and tingly.
Instead, there was that, the past, the pain. I’m so sick of it.
You’d just kidnap me again, huh?
