AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’d confessed my darkest secret to her, and still she was standing here, refusing to do anything but be by my side.
I’d known I loved her the night she gave birth to my son. But fuck, I hadn’t known I couldn’t live without her. She was more than the woman I loved, she was the other half of my heart, and there was no way it could beat without her around.
CHAPTER 13
NAVY
It was the first time since I’d been back at school in two weeks that I’d driven myself here. I’d been both nervous and excited last night when Dante checked my car over in preparation, but once I’d hopped into my car this morning and turned my engine on, a sense of freedom had flown through me.
As soon as I’d turned sixteen and I’d gotten my driver’s license, I’d been driving myself to and from school.
I wouldn’t lie and say that I didn’t miss Dante dropping me off and picking me up. But I couldn’t do that forever. I couldn’t be chauffeured around like a queen.
What I hadn’t taken into consideration though was having to stay after school to catch up with some missed work. I’d never struggled to stay up to date and hand assignments in one time, but then, I’d never had a baby at home who took up almost all of my free time. Homework got pushed to the side, and now I was having to pay the price.
It was already 4 p.m., and even though I’d texted Ma to tell her I’d be late, guilt still consumed me at leaving Dario for longer than I’d promised. I was trying to get through the work as quickly as possible, but the quicker I tried to be, the more mistakes I was making along the way.
Hauling in a breath, I wrote the last sentence, read over it, then stood to hand it in. My English teacher was waiting patiently with a gentle smile as I handed it to her. She’d bent the rules for me today, and although I appreciated it more than she would ever know, all I wanted was to get out of this building.
“Thanks,” I murmured, pulling my bag higher on my shoulder as I speed walked out of the classroom and down the hallway.
I was fishing for my car keys in my backpack as I shoved the main doors open and headed toward my car. So I wasn’t paying attention, something Dante had tried to push into my brain at every opportunity he’d gotten. He’d opened up to me more since last week when he’d come home with blood on his clothes and his knuckles ripped to shreds.
Any other person would have run a thousand miles if they saw that, and part of me wanted to, but deep down, I couldn’t. I couldn’t leave him, not when he’d looked so broken as he told me about the fights his dad had made him win.
He’d opened up the conversation and I’d accepted what he was telling me without any judgement—at least, not for him. His father though…how could any man put their child through that? How could a man bet on his own son and put his life at risk?
He was fourteen, going to battle with men twice his age, size, and height, yet he was still winning. His father created the monster, but only Dante could control it now.
“Navy.”
I squealed, my keys flying out of my hands and hitting the ground with a clang. My heart pounded in my chest, my pulse thrumming so loudly I could hear it in my ears.
“Dad?”
Swallowing, I took a step back, my gaze flitting to the keys that were now between us. He was ten feet away from me, leaning against my car like he owned it. And I supposed he did, but it only just occurred to me as his hand flattened on my side mirror.
“I see he’s finally giving you some freedom.” He raised his brow, not moving any other part of his body.
I shook my head, feeling the fire start to burn inside me. It was roaring to life, threatening anything in its path. I hadn’t heard his voice since the day he hit me, since the day he made me sign the paperwork to give Dario away. My teeth clenched at the memory. “I don’t need him to give me freedom. I have it all by myself.”
“Do you?” He laughed, the sound sinister. “Seems to me that he’s been keeping you locked up inside that mansion so no one can get to you.” He pushed off the car, his shoes crunching the stones on the ground as he walked to my keys. “It’s only a matter of time now.”
He was baiting me, deep down I knew that, but I couldn’t help myself as I tilted my head, and asked, “What’s a matter of time?”
He reached down for my keys, breaking my stare. “Until you’re used goods.” He plucked the keys off the ground, wrapping his fingers around them as he stood back up. “You don’t really think he’ll let you stay much longer, do you?” My face paled at his words. The thought of not being with Dante filled me with dread. He noticed, jumping on it. “As soon as you’re done feeding thatbaby,he’ll get rid of you.”
“No, he won’t.” I was shaking my head, trying to deny what he was saying, but a pang shot through my stomach. We’d shared things…things that no one else knew about. He wouldn’t do that. That wasn’t who he was.
The monster.
He’d kept the monster a secret from me. Kept a part of him hidden away. I wasn’t stupid enough to think I knew Dante inside out, but I thought I had a better idea than most. Right?
“He will,” Dad gritted out, closing the distance between us. “He’ll get rid of you. He’ll kick you to the curb or…” He grinned and I hated it. Hated seeing that look on the face of the man I’d grown up with. “He’ll kill you. It’s what they do.”
I gulped, remembering the blood on Dante’s clothes, the ones that he’d burned in the backyard the day after. He’d gotten rid of all the evidence without blinking.
“You’re wrong,” I snapped, reaching for my keys as he held them out to me.
