The two men return to the room and say nothing. The tension in the room is palpable. I take it something bad happened and they aren’t going to discuss it in front of me.
“Did either of you find my original birth certificate, with the names of my birth parents?” I ask, looking for one shred of evidence that what they are telling me is true.
“Oh, yes.” Dante pulls out his phone and retrieves a file he downloaded. He clicks open and the document springs to life on the screen. I look closely and read the lines for parents. It says my father isD’enotti. There is no name.
“Why does it say of unknown parentage? Shouldn’t there be a name there?”
“Yes.” Dante closes the phone and places it face down on the table.
“Well, who is it? You do know, don’t you?”
He’s quiet.
“Who is it? I demand you tell me.” As I stand, the guards step closer.
“Not now. It’s too dangerous.”
“Too dangerous? I’ve been kidnapped. I find out my parents lied to me and that the people that gave me up for adoption want to be anonymous. How can this possibly be anymore fucked-up or dangerous?”
“Trust me, it is. Flavio will show you to your room. We’ll have a guard outside your door tonight and the grounds are covered with them, so you’re safe.”
What the fuck! Safe? It sounds to me like an overused and misused adjective to patronize me rather than tell me I’m screwed. How can I trust Dante? How can I trust anyone ever again?
I want to go home, but I have less than zero idea where I am, and even if I knew, it would still be difficult. These rural areas don’t have buses and I wouldn’t be safe getting in a stranger’s car. I don’t want to risk it.
I’m led up the most gorgeous winding staircase to my room. I look up to find the high ceilings are covered with frescos of angels and demons. It’s a sight to behold and reminds me of the Sistine Chapel. I bet most of his goons don’t even appreciate all the art and design in this old house.
Judging from the walls that show no nicks in the paint, this place has been redone recently. It must have taken an army of skilled craftsmen to paint the ceiling, lay the stonework for the arched doorways, and install the ornate crown molding and columns in the marble foyer. Dante clearly has money.
My feet are tired as I walk barefoot across the spotless tile floor. Either he has a maid visit every day or he’s never home.
At the top of the stairs, I’m shown to a room with a canopy bed that is so high I’ll need a pole vault to get in. It reminds me of a cloud, all white and covered with pillows for sleeping and three throw pillows for decoration.
The only flash of color in the room is a pale blue shirt at the foot of the bed. It’s a man’s shirt. I guess I won’t have to sleep in my dress after all.
The bed looks too pretty to use, but I’m too wiped out to care as I pull back the fluffy duvet. Tomorrow will be here soon enough, and I’m sure it will bring a whole new set of surprises.
11
Dante
Ican’t sleep and lie awake replaying the events of the day, then hearing the phone conversation in my head. I’m not happy I lost a few men and I bet it’s a message from Conti, the prick. I want to end him for what he’s started. The man has no ethics and no boundaries when it comes to what’s off-limits.
I’m no babe in the woods. I realize that in organized crime there are no rules anymore and, in that respect, I’m more like my father than I would like to admit. I criticized him for doing the same thing I’m doing now, and we lost ground in the south to Conti because of it. I will not lose one more inch of my turf.
Maybe the real reason I toss and turn in my empty bed is my decision to kidnap Juliet. She’s more than just a hostage—she’s the daughter of our largest rival and that makes her an asset. Even if Conti doesn’t care about her, once her name gets out, there will be a feeding frenzy between all the syndicated crime factions who have a beef with Conti. So, he has more to gain by keeping his love child under wraps.
But how can I protect her? The best way to do that would be to have her marry a member of my family. Then she would be a common element shared by two of the most famous and powerful warring mafia clans. That could work, but it could also backfire. If the Contis renege on their word, she will be directly in the crosshairs. She might get hurt.
I turn onto one side, then the other, then I roll onto my back. Nope, still can’t sleep. I stare at the ceiling and feel my cock harden under the silk sheets. I look down at what reminds me of a lone tent in the middle of an empty desert, kinda like my life.
Fuck me.
I’m in the middle of kidnapping some asshole’s bastard and this is what my fucking cock wants? What am I thinking? I know not to mix business with pleasure. If the guys get wind that I have feelings for her, even just the hots for her, it gives them leverage, and that I cannot afford. Besides, there’s my rule to never fall in love. A woman, a wife, a family is always a weakness in this business. I’m counting on Juliet being Conti’s weakness, so it wouldn’t be smart to turn around and make her my own Achilles heel.
I get up, throw on some boxers, and walk to Juliet’s room. The guard nods and I twist the antique knob and crack the door open. She’s sleeping peacefully in my dress shirt and it warms my cold heart.
Who am I kidding? How can I marry her off to one of my brothers when I want her myself? I get hard every time I’m near her. I get a whiff of her lilac scent, faint but fragrant. I close the door, satisfied she’s safe.