Marked by Crime Rivalry Book2 [✓]

Chapter 3 - A New Chapter

Teresa had been up and about in the morning, breakfast was made, awaiting on the table for her. She hadn't wanted to sulk in bed, continue to relive yesterday's conversation, argument—whatever it was.
She was able to think a lot during her crying and if she knew one thing, it was she didn't want this to end.

She wouldn't let it.

Her eyes found the ring on her finger. Yesterday she took it off in thought this was the end until she regained some sense. They'll never be over because both were stubborn assholes madly in love. She remembered what Luciano said, and she was able to repeat it in her head until she understood him. Until she listened to him. A part of her knew he was going through so much and only making hasty decisions but then it was still a small part of her that thought he was right. He was.

They needed a break.

Even just physical sex wasn't helping. They were playing themselves to think it could only be physical. It took a lot of tears to realize that mistake. She's sure Luciano to realize that. If he didn't? She'll make him realize this is only a boulder and they'll move it together. She couldn't start anything with another man, start over, she wouldn't dare to.

After dwelling in her mind as she ate, she got up to throw her food away when she was startled to hear a "Good morning"

She jumped, turned fast, and then the plate fell from her hands.

She hadn't even heard the smashing of the broken pieces as the cause of its dropping stood in her eyesight.

Sweet, baby Jesus.

She sucked in a breath and instinctively, she wet her lips. Abs, hard fucking abs. Three rows of contoured undiluted cages of muscle.

Her eyes roamed, impossible to stop them. This was a body only a man working in the gym for hours and days could accomplish. She never quite saw a real man's abs as muscular and formed as his. Sure she saw men in photography but that was editing, Dante didn't need it. It was tempting to run her nails down them, graze him and feel them. Would they feel as hard as they looked? It was intriguing, yet not arousing. 

For her. 

She smiled as she saw the tattoo over his right peck. The name Malaya is written over it with flowers. It was adorable, a word that couldn't describe this man. Over the left of his peck was an intricate, dark, and intimidating to the eye but not hers. It was a Raven. At first glance, one might think it was a crow but somehow she knew better. The raven was standing upon a stick, its beak wide open, darkness surrounding it.

The beak was coated in red as were their claws. Blood.
His wings were slightly spread out as if it was leaving and not settling onto the stick they were perched on.

His eyes, ferocity into them. How the Raven's mouth was wide open as if it was releasing a sound, a calling. As her eyes roamed, she realized the wings weren't just wings but a skull face etched into them so well it was one image and not two.

Why did she find it... Mesmerizing and not scary?
Why was she more curious than anything?

The tattoo spread across his bicep, another tattoo seeping into it but not quite, making them seem like one but not. There was half a lion, half a cub, and designer flowers surrounding it, but the flowers were wilting, dying. She sighed.

It was depressing.

"Why the Raven?" She breathed out. 

All this time she stared him down, he did the same intensely, waiting, wondering about her response, her reaction, her judgment maybe? However, as she asked that, Dante stared at her anew and he grinned as her hand touched his bicep. He was never asked before about his tattoos. Women saw them, they loved them, pretty shallow to them, something to look at but it wasn't for him.