Marked by Crime Rivalry Book2 [✓]

P54

DANTE ended up taking Teresa to his own home that he's hardly been to since being in Italy.

They were sitting on the couch in his living room while she was patting down his small scratches and scars with a warm towel. "Luciano's going to be pissed" He huffed and winced as she rose to lightly dab his forehead where dried blood resides.

He didn't even remember smashing onto the first floor once the bomb blew. He just remembered grabbing her once it did. "Your phone?" He asked. She left it in her room and his phone got lost once they smashed the wood. He groaned as she pressed the ice to his jaw where they punched him unconscious. It was a cowardly move. He was already down from the fall.

Gripping her hand, she smiled as did he until he remembered why she was even on the second floor.
His hand slid up to grab her from the side of her face to grip firmly but she wasn't harmed. "What did I tell you?" He snapped.
She grabbed his hand in protest, but he didn't release her. "Dante I was scared. I didn't know if you were—"

"It doesn't matter" He interrupted her. "I told you to stay in the god damn..." He trailed as her eyes welled up at the thought that he was hurt. That he could've needed her and she was hiding away in a closet. It was nice and warm to his heart that she cared, that she worried for him, but she would've never hit that floor with him if she didn't defy him.

"Damnit Teresa" He sighed as she averted her eyes but he turned her face to look at him. "I'm not letting you off with tears. What the fuck was you thinking provoking them like that?"

His thumb brushed against her bruise. He remembered hearing her faint yell. Remembering winking open and seeing her kicking. It was stupid. She sniffled as she wiped her face but he pulled her hands down to stop her. "I...I was trying to get them to pull over. Maybe I could have a chance to..." Her eyes closed as she lowered her hand onto his that began to caress her face. He was gentle and tender to her and she leaned into it as he whispered, "Does it hurt?"

She snickered. She's been punched before. She shook her head as she began to brush her thumb over his hand. "I'm just happy that we're safe. That you're okay. What about guards?" He shook his head at the mention of the two guards that stood outside. They were killed.

She sniffled and he pulled her to his lap disregarding every single thought that she shouldn't do it. He didn't care right now. He just wanted to give comfort, to receive it and even though she was attempting to be gentle with her hand on his chest, he didn't care for it as she wrapped her arms around his neck to lay on his shoulder.

"You will always be okay in my hands and I'm not trying to make you feel better by saying it. I mean it. I got us out didn't I?" He turned his head to look at her and she nodded.

He felt her fingers begin to grip his neck hairs and smirked knowing she wanted to take his hair out of the bun. "How did you know I wasn't in the car?"He asked.

He was even surprised she knew so. She indirectly gave up his element of surprise but he smirked at the thought that not really. He still had it. She huffed as she shook her head. "I didn't. I just needed them to turn and check. I didn't know there was another one in the car"

But he did.

She lifted her head with curious eyes. "How did you get out of those cuffs?"

He chuckled. That was his secret.

A small smile tugged her lips knowing he wouldn't tell her so she just stared into his eyes. They were dark before, vengeful even. Luciano's eyes were dark once, but not like Dante's. Dante was dark with a vengeance to kill and to protect. Luciano's was a vengeance to kill what betrayed him.