In Your Clutches

Part 29: An Unaffordable Weakness

ASHER

The hostess lead us to a secluded table in the darkest corner of the restaurant, just as I asked. I had asked the owner to keep that corner decorated with some flowers and fairy lights to make Amelia happy. I had kept her hand wrapped up in my own, pulling her close to my side. I'd got two guns strapped to the inside of my jacket, and a knife at each ankle. I might have been overly prepared, but if something did happen, I wanted to know that I could protect us.

Amelia was beaming, smiling from ear to ear. Looking at the place, and then at me. She chose a simple yet elegant dress for dinner, and I found myself unable to keep my eyes off of her.

"Does this match up with your idea of a date?"

"Yes! It's perfect." Her eyes gleamed with joy, and I found my own lips tipping up at the sides.

The waitress didn't come since I'd already pre-ordered the dishes.

"I really did not expect you to actually do it." Amelia giggled, and the sound zinged straight to my spine.

"You think that low of me, wife?"

"No, it's not about thinking low of you. It's just... something I didn't think you would do. This is a first."

"Well, I did, and there's a first time for everything. I thought you'd be happy." I grimaced.

Her brown orbs enlarged as she grasped my forearm, "No, of course, I am happy. This is amazing." She smiled and peered down at the tablecloth as if she was too ashamed to look at me.

"Okay, then." I gave her a small smile, and the waitress walked in with the bottle of wine.

She poured us two glasses and left the bottle sitting in a bath of ice on the table.

"To new beginnings," I toasted, staring into Amelia's coffee brown eyes.

Our glasses clinked together, and my gaze was drawn to her full pink lips as they touched the rim of the wine glass. I wanted to taste them, bite them, mark her, so everyone knew she was mine. The possessiveness I felt towards her was something I doubted would ever fade. My need to lock her up and keep her away from everyone outweighed all logical thinking.

Every part of me said to lock her in the cage and throw the key away, but in doing so, I would take the very things I liked so much about her and squeezed the life right out of them. When it came to Amelia, I knew I would do anything to keep her by my side.

"This is nice, normal. I wish we could do this more often," she whispered, taking another sip of her wine.

"We may, but it isn't safe."

"Dad wouldn't allow me, too. I don't remember the last time I went out for dinner."

The difference between Dante and me was that I didn't pretend or hide what I did from Amelia. She knew that I was a killer, a criminal that had done horrible things. Her father spent his entire life sheltering her, but never once told her what he'd done or the contract he'd made which involved his daughter.

The waitress interrupted us, bringing our food to the table, stopping her from responding to what I'd said. Then again, maybe the waitress appearing wasn't such a bad thing. I didn't want to ruin our date any further with talks of her father.

"Let's eat. We can talk about this later." I forced myself to smile. Amelia nodded, and we dug into our Italian Seafood Stew.

"Is this... shrimp... and... uhm... squid?" She asked, picking up the food with her fork.

"Yeah? I figured you liked seafood so I ordered it. We can change it if you don't." I rubbed the back of my neck.

Why was I doing that?