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“How would he even know?” I snort.

“Evi, I realize our reputation proceeds us, but my men and I donotrape women. Despite what you may think.”

“So you’ve said, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“I do not allow my men to have sex outside of a strict set of rules.”

“You have sex rules?” I can barely keep my face straight. To thinkthe mafiahas rules about sex of all things. So, Luci may have actually been telling the truth then about them not sleeping with women they don’t love.

But then, what does that actually mean?

“Not strictly speaking, but I don’t allow them to make impulse decisions with women they do not intend to keep.”

I can hardly believe what I’m hearing. This has to be a joke, right?

“Are you saying they’re not allowed to have sex outside of marriage?”

Dante chuckles softly at this.

“No, not to that extreme, though I encourage it.”

Okay, he’s got to be joking.

They’rethe mafia, the literally mafiafor crying out loud. They could literally have any woman they wanted with the snap of a finger.

Just play along, Evelyn.

“Fine, say I believe you, what does this have to do with Valentine and our current situation.”

“My father knows my men and I live by a different set of rules. The sooner he can get to you, the less likely we are to have touched you, and the more likely you are to remain untouched.”

I guess I should have known that the father of a man like Dante would be at least as awful as his son … if not worse. But I have to make it back to the city, at least there I’ll have a better chance of being rescued.

“But I’m not untouched.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Dante says. “He only cares if Seven, Luci, or I have touched you. As long as we haven’t, simply knowing that we want to and can’t will be enough for him to keep you around for as long as he desires to lord it over us. As long as you try to do as we’ve told you.”

My face burns as I realize he’s just admitted to wanting to sleep with me. I mean, I guess that should be obvious given the fact that I’ve seen the way his body reacts to me.

My eyes suddenly widen as I look up at him.

“But we’ve … and Luci and I.”

“No, you don’t have to worry about that, but it’s why I can’t allow things to go further.”

I still don’t get how Valentine would know if we slept together or not, but I decide to leave it alone.

After all, there are other things I’d like to know before Dante decides he’s done explaining things to me.

“If Seven is supposed to be training me how to survive if Valentine or his men get violent, and Luci is supposed to be teaching me how to behave so as not to draw unwanted attention … then what are you supposed to be teaching me exactly?”

“I guess I deserve that,” Dante says as if I’ve just insulted him. “I’m supposed to be reinforcing your obedience.”

“Why?”

“Valentine has the same ability as I do toforcepeople to do what he wants.”

“So?”


Tags: Alice Wilde Romance