If You Were Ours

Chapter Twenty Four - Dane

Dane ~

The week dragged on at an unbearably slow pace and I felt myself trying to find an excuse to go see Kinsley. Sure we called and texted often, but being with her was different. I needed to feel her skin and smell her sweet scent.

It didn't help that I was completely swamped at work trying to work the numbers to coordinate and conceal a large payout to three of the families. I couldn't be bad at what I did, and I couldn't slack off or take a vacation. If I wasn't working the families weren't getting paid - my parents weren't getting paid. It was a huge responsibility, but I was fucking good at it.

Tyson had his hands full as well, trying to identify Angelo's men that kept trying to sneak into the club in order to gain access to members of the family or cash that they knew was being filtered through the Sapphire side of the club.

It was tiring, but it was nothing new - just business as usual. It's what we did.

I barely had enough time to eat and sleep, much less time to chit chat with Kinsley during the week, but I tried to, when I could, just to bring a little light to my darkness. She had been working in her studio most of the week, going out with friends in the evenings and sending me pictures of her escapades.

My nerves fired constantly when Kinsley wasn't with us not only because Angelo and his men were aware that she was ours, but also that the more we showed her off and publicly claimed her, the more our enemies would start to target her. Tyson had replaced her door and assigned one of his guys to subtly trail her when she wasn't with us, which calmed my nerves slightly, but I'd still rather her within arms reach.

I stood in the opera house foyer next to my mother and all of her closest friends and family members. All of the families were in attendance out of respect for my mother who loved the opera and made quite the production out of it. We were surrounded by the top mafia bosses, all whom I'd seen earlier in the week to discuss distribution of a large payout. I received subtle nods and raised glasses everywhere I went which was no surprise considering I had full control over everyone's pocket books.

"What's got you so on edge this evening?"

My mother turned and ran the back of her hand down my cheek as she spoke with concern in her eyes.

"Is it this girl you've decided to finally let me meet?" She said with a smirk.

"You could say that." I said, taking her hand in mine.

"Ma, before she gets here, I want to explain something to you before you see it with your own eyes and misunderstand."

My mother stiffened at my words and held her breath, expecting me to say something terrible which was actually a good thing. Maybe it would soften the blow of what I was actually going to tell her.

"Tyson and I..." I started, but my mother waved her hand in front of my face as she interrupted me.

"Let me guess. Tyson is jealous. It's understandable Dane. This Kinsley girl is the first woman you've ever had a true relationship with, to my knowledge, and I'm sure it will take a little getting used to on Tyson's part, but he'll come around darling. He loves you."

"That's just it, Ma, he's not jealous because...well because she's dating both of us."

"Both of you?" My mother scoffed in disbelief, but my facial expression hadn't changed.

"What do you mean she's dating both of you?" 

It's pretty self explanatory, Ma, but I'll break it down for you since you're still having trouble processing.