Maid to Run

Chapter Thirty Nine

I lifted my head up off the pillow slowly and turned to face him.

"What are you talking about?" I tried to act casual about it, maybe he was bluffing to see what I would say.

"You don't need to pretend, Leila. I know what happened to your parents. That's another reason why I want you to stay with me, gattino." he spoke softly, as if he felt bad for me.

I shook my head at him in confusion "Wha-how, what...how do you know?" I frowned.

"I get background details on all my employees." he said, almost too quickly.

"Isn't that an invasion of my privacy? Plus I don't need your pity." I snapped, upset that he had found this out. I liked my private life private.

"I'm not pitying you Leila, I'm trying to understand you." Dante sighed.

I let out a breathy laugh "Fine. Let me understand you too then, so it's fair." I challenged.

"You know about me." Dante simply replied.

"Oh please," I rolled my eyes "Dante, there is more to you than meets the eye. I know it."

I wasn't just doing this to draw attention away from what he was saying about my parents, but I genuinely meant it.

"No there isn't-" he began.

I sighed and questioned whether I should say the next things that were about to come out my mouth. I did it anyway. "Well, I know that you put up a tough, intimidating exterior to hide how you truly feel, because you fear that if you show any sign of weakness people will try to bring you down. But the truth is, weakness is strength - my father would say. God challenges us with fears or things or people that make us feel weak, because without these we'd never learn. We'd never feel because we'd be too conceited to care. I know that you fear something. I don't know what it is, but it's okay." I finished, letting out a small comforting smile.

Dante looked at me for a moment, with what I thought was a sad and defeated look on his face. He knew I was right, even if he did try to deny it.

"That's not true." was all he said, and with that I knew that I was definitely right in what I had said.

I shrugged at him instead of giving him a reply.

"And I think you are a sad, lonely girl who comes across as shy and nervous but all you want to do is say what you think, although you don't in fear of being judged...or hurt." Dante said, shocking me.

I hadn't realized how observant he was, and he was right. All that he said was true, but I didn't want to admit it. I suppose we were alike in that way, we both didn't like admitting the truth within ourselves...

Dante's POV

Everything she said about me was true, and everything I said about her was true. We were both in denial, though.

I did hide how I felt, and I was good at it - until I met her. I didn't want to admit that either.

I felt bad for yelling at her about her new found attitude, but I was just dare I say...scared. Scared she would show her true hatred towards me. I didn't want her to hate me. Anyone but her. She was too pure to hate, and for her to hate me would be a punch in the gut.

I was mean to her to prevent myself from showing her how I felt, I didn't want her to know she was affecting my thought process. Before her all I thought about was killing, leading and sex. Lots of sex.

These past few months have changed me though, although the change might not be recognisable to others, including Leila, I've noticed it in myself.

The day that Leila walked in on me fûcking that whöre, I felt almost...ashamed - something I'd never felt - and I felt like I'd let her down.