Dinner on Friday

43. Dante

A GAME OF LOYALTY

Weeks passed, and I couldn't talk to my wife. Mathias had my phone tapped, and he had men watching our house. He would randomly show me pictures with the date on them, and sometimes, I would catch a glimpse of Carla.

I never got to see a full-on face shot, but from her profile alone, I could tell she'd lost some weight as her jawline was more defined and her cheeks hollow. Her hair was short now, the curls thick, healthy, and lustrous. Although I preferred her large puff, she looked gorgeous.

In the last picture, shown to me yesterday, she was wearing a blue sundress that contrasted lovingly with her dark skin. I quickly studied her rounded shoulders and how her skin glowed in the sun as she wheelchaired herself to our Porsche jeep. The muscles in her arms were more prominent than ever.

There was something so sexy about her, so alluring. Maybe it was the way she held her head high, her button nose pointed in the air, looking down at everyone, even from a wheelchair. Or perhaps it was just her resilience. Her atlethesism. Her deep love for her friends and her courage to attend two funerals back to back.

Whatever it was, I knew that I would kill anyone in my path to get to her. I wanted to give her everything and would do anything to see that innocent light in her eyes again. Carla was so easy to love, even from a distance, but loving her in person was exhilarating.

But first, I had to find a way to break free from Mathias' grip. The future of our marriage depended on it.

As I got ready to attend the party that Mathias was throwing to introduce me to our underbosses as the new clan boss, a part of me wished that Carla was going with me.

I tried to imagine her in this world with me, but I couldn't. The one time I caught her smoking weed, she had lied to me about it. My family ran a cannabis business for generations, and my nose was adept at picking up particular strains of weed and any additives added.

Being part of the clan required a certain finesse in all things mischievous and naughty, and that included the ability to lie without giving away your tell. It meant walking the fine line between good and evil, and when necessary, going fully dark.

Being back here made me realize how much the clan was a part of me. How easily taking control came to me. That I wasn't afraid to get my hands dirty... To lie. To kill. To bluff my way out of dangerous situations.

The black suit Mathias had fitted for me fit my body like a piece of puzzle. Making my way downstairs, I joined Annabella as she descended, draping her arm over mine.

"You look beautiful, Anna, " I said, keeping an eye on the steps ahead of us as she turned to stare at me.

At the bottom of the stairway, I stopped to look at her. Her long dark hair fell in waves down her back in a half-up, half-down hairstyle. The older she got, the more she resembled our mother.

"Mathias never threw a party for me when I took over the clan," she said, disdain tinting her tone. "I'm sick and tired of men underestimating me. And dad? He sits around and does nothing."

"Maybe you need to stop looking to our father to rescue you. Real boss bitches handle their shit, and by that, I don't mean alone. Know your weaknesses and delegate. Have a man in place to get things done that you're not willing to do by yourself."