AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * *
“Why are we here?” I ask as he sets me down on the hardwood floors.
“You said your favorite vacation as a kid was here. Close enough to drive to, far enough to hide away.”
“So those days in the club, you pestering me with questions—were you always planning this? Planning to buy me a house in Lake George and whatnot?”
He smiles, and it’s funny how much more at ease he looks here, away from it all.
“No. I actually started those meetings to make sure you weren’t trying to tear my family down.” I snort out a laugh, and he follows suit, pulling me close and pressing his face into my neck as he does.
“You’re a shitty detective then,” I say, running my fingers through his longish hair.
“I’m a great detective. I knew that first day why you were there. But I’m also a wise man in that I found the woman I wanted and needed to convince her to spend time with me.”
“So you bought my time and grilled me while I wore lingerie?” He licks the skin of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine, before lifting his head and looking at me.
“The lingerie was a perk.”
“I’m sure.” I roll my eyes.
“Marco suggested I give you the option of wearing street clothes.”
“That’s because Marco’s a decent man.”
“Marco is the best man. I obviously vetoed that option.”
“Obviously.” He smiles, and it’s like being this far from home has made him ten years younger. The smile is boyish and sweet and makes me wonder what he’d be like without all the pressure and drama.
“We’re here because I want to be normal for two days. You gave me your trust, gave me everything,” he says, looking into my eyes. “I want to give you a taste of how beautiful our life will be,” he says, answering my previous question.
“Are you ever going to tell me what’s going to happen when we get back into the real world?” He holds my hands in his like a plea, kissing my ring finger before brushing his nose against mine.
“Delilah. You want to rule, and I’m going to make you a queen. You want to burn this thing down to the ground, I’ll find the kindling. I have a plan, baby. I have a plan to get you everything you want, to get us everything we want. To get Paulie out of the way, to deal with my father, to make you more than a political pawn. But in order to do that, I need to keep you safe. I want to tell you, baby. Want to tell you everything. But there’s more to it. And it’s not safe for you to know it all now.”
“Dante—"
“My mother was killed because she knew too much.”
I stop.
I stop breathing.
I stop moving.
“It’s not like the movies, Delilah. Not like in the shows where the women are protected and safe. Where they live life blissfully unaware. My mother knew everything. She knew who my father was in business with, his enemies, and his co-conspirators. My father loved her like crazy, despite his flaws. He lost his mind when she died. But she died because she knew too fucking much and he didn’t do a thing to keep her safe.”
“Who is going to know what I do and don’t know, Dante?”
“My mom would have liked you. You’re a lot like her, Delilah. You have passion, and you’re eager. You want the world to be good and want to help people even if you’re in danger when you do it. If you know my plan, you’ll get in the way.”
“I’d only want to get in the way if the plan was fucking dangerous, Dante. If you were in danger.”
“Every plan is dangerous. In what universe is changing the mind of every man that supports my father, that supports Paulie, that supported Tony going to be safe and easy?”
“I can help.”
“I know. You will. We just need time.” I stare at him, and he sighs, pressing his lips to mine.
