Dante Valentino
Bringing her here proved to be a mistake too soon. She was fumbling with her fingers while everyone talked in Italian.
Leyla was there, but she had been accepted by some women in the mafia, women who looked at Blue as if she was filth.
When I had asked her to join me, I hadn't cared about how she'd feel. Now, just after a few days, I wanted to stab some eyes out.
"Happy birthday, Dante." Leyla and I shared an awkward hug. After what happened, there was always unexplainable tension between us. She was family, as my brothers were, but I knew she didn't trust me.
Leyla looked at Blue and smiled. "You look beautiful, Lily."
"Thank you, Leyla." She didn't return the compliment.
I frowned. Something had gone down between them.
Giovanni and Fabiano approached. Giovanni leaned in. "Do you want to announce the engagement tonight?"
I shook my head at once. No way in hell. Not when Blue was by my side. Giovanni looked confused but nodded and turned his eyes towards Blue.
"Hello, Lily," he said.
"Hi, Giovanni."
He gave her a shark smile. Fabiano quietly observed.
Lily shifted close to me. I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Watch it," I murmured.
Fabiano's eyebrows raised in question, but he nodded anyway. "Would you like a drink, Lily?"
Blue shook her head instantly. "No, thank you."
He nodded and then glanced at me As if asking what else he could say. I shook my head. He was hopeless.
"We should leave," I said.
"It hasn't even been an hour," Giovanni said, taking the drink from Leyla's hands and sipping it. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Suffer a little more, Dante."
"I showed up," I said. "That should be enough for a month, no?"
. . .
Lily Jenkins
I stepped out of the cubicle, taking in deep breaths to prepare myself to get out of the washroom.
A woman was touching up her lipstick.
I washed my hands, taking my time.
"You're brave."
I sighed. This was exactly what I needed. A putdown in the washroom by a bitch.
"I know," I said.
I walked by her but she grabbed my arm.
"Run while you can," she said. "Dante's protection comes with a price."
"What price?"
She smiled. "He is the perfect gentleman, isn't he?" Her blue eyes washed over my face, rage brimming in them. Her fingernails dug into my skin. "That will change the second he is done with you, you know that, right?"
"If you don't let go of my arm right this second I will break your fucking hand," I hissed.
Surprise flashed in her eyes. "Watch your fu-"
Another cubicle opened and Leyla stepped outside calmly. The woman's eyes widened and she let go of my arm which was undoubtedly bleeding now.
Leyla looked at the woman. "Get out."
"I didn't-"
"I will not repeat myself."
The woman walked out.
Leyla gently took my hand, looking at the cuts. "Did she have claws or something?" She muttered.
I chuckled. "She did look at me like a vengeful animal."
She smiled. "I want to apologize for what I said in the car. It was not my place to say what I said."
"You're the future wife of Giovanni and Fabiano. I just didn't expect you to put down their brother."
She sighed, looking down at her hands. "I care for Dante deeply," she said. "I just don't want to see you hurt, and my emotions made me overstep. I hope you will be able to forgive me."
"Your intentions were kind, Leyla. I forgive you."
She smiled again. "Thank you, Lily."
Someone knocked on the door. "Blue?"
"I'm coming, Dante," I said, walking out.
He looked relieved to see me but his eyes went to my arm and then Leyla stepped out.
His eyes flashed. "What the fuck, Leyla?" He demanded.
"What-"
"Save it," he muttered. He gently pulled me to him. "We're leaving."
"Dante-"
But he was walking too fast.
"She didn't hurt me, Dante," I said to him as we weaved through the crowd, some turned their heads to look at us. Some looked at my arm and I knew from the smug looks on their faces that they thought Dante had done it.
"Who did, then?" He demanded as we stepped out. The paparazzi were gone now.
"It was some woman who said that your 'protection comes with a price'"
He passed and then turned to me. "Detailed description."
"Blue eyes. Blond. As tall as me. She was wearing a pink dress."
His frown deepened. "She may be one of the previous submissives."
"Submissives?" I had known he was kinky, but still, it caught me off guard.
He nodded and something ugly twisted in my gut. Submissive. He had been with her. Touched her. Choked her.
"Can we go back now?" I asked. "I need to tend to what your submissive did."
"Ex-submissive."
I didn't react to that. I just wanted to go to bed and forget I came here.
. . .
°-°
