“I’m sorry, I don’t know you.” He advances on me, and I watch as his face changes for a moment. Something sinister passes across it.
“I’m your boyfriend,” he says, and Dante is off the wall and on him instantly.
“No, you’re not. I’m her fiancé,” he barks as he lifts the man up. The guy’s legs dangle as he kicks around. I watch as one of his hands leaves Dante’s arm and goes to his back. Dante drops the man and has a gun in his hand before he hits the floor. Kara cries out and cringes back, but I watch fascinated by what I’m seeing. It doesn’t scare me. Dante would kill for me. “Pull your hand out from behind you slowly. Two fingers.”
“Cody, what are you talking about?” Kara whimpers, and I turn to look at her.
“I don’t,” Cody stutters, and it’s then I remember his name. A flash of him with a drink and Kara passing out fills my mind. I look at Dante because he was there too. “You’re not her fiancé.”
“You’re not her boyfriend. You said we were soul mates,” Kara cries. She has tears streaming down her face. “You said you were only being friendly with McKenna, that you weren’t into her like that.” Her words do something and another memory flashes through my mind of Cody flirting with me.
“You aren’t my boyfriend and never have been. I wasn’t into you. I kept turning you down.”
“See. You remember,” Cody says. He pulls a gun from his back and hands it to Dante, who hands it to a guard who came in the room when the commotion began. Dante puts his gun back, and I watch as he smooths out his shirt so you can barely see that it’s back there.
“She only remembers feelings and will sometimes remember things about people. She has amnesia,” Dante grumbles as he moves to the side of my bed. He takes my hand, and I don’t deny him. I want him close. I need him here. He protects me.
“I remember you now that Kara said your name. You drugged her that night in the club. You were trying to drug me.” I share, and the gasp that comes from Kara tells me she didn’t know.
“I did no such thing.” Cody denies my accusation.
“You did. I had the glass tested.” Dante doesn’t look at him, he’s focused on me. “I didn’t know you knew. When I saw him approaching in the hallway just now, I tried to stop him, but she”—his eyes flick to Kara—“said you were friends.”
“I figured it out when she acted so drunk shortly after drinking it. I had no proof and I wasn’t entirely sure until now.”
“What do you want me to do with him?” Dante asks, and I know he’s asking me if I want him killed. This is the part of Dante he hasn’t told me about. I can see it in every line of his body. He’s a killer, but I’m not afraid of him.
“Let him go. He won’t come after us again. Correct?” I look over at Cody.
“I’m out of here. Can I have my gun?”
“No. Why are you carrying?” Dante finally turns away from me to address Cody.
Cody shrugs and scoffs. “You’re carrying. I need to protect these girls from men like you.”
The door opens again, and this time it’s the doctor. “Um, excuse me, I need to speak to my patient.” Both Cody and Kara make their way out of the room.
“Cody, you won’t be coming back in here. My fiancée needs her rest and your lies will not stand here.”
Cody starts to argue, but Kara holds up her hand. “Cody, you need to leave. I thought you were coming here to help me check on her.” She then turns to Dante. “I will be speaking to McKenna by myself in a moment. There is something going on here.” She waves her hand between the two of us and then walks out of the room.
“On that note, I’d like to say that Capo Lupo and I have spoken about Ms. Johansen’s safety. I agree with him that this isn’t the appropriate place for her security measures. I’ll do home visits, but she would be safer out of town or at one of your places,Consigliere. I’d like to run a blood test before you leave though.”
“My safety? What aren’t you telling me?” I turn to look up at Dante.
“I don’t know what my father is hiding, but I’ll find out. You are safe as long as I’m with you.” Dante squeezes my hand gently and I nod softly at him. “Thank you, Doctor. Please tell my father he can come back in,” he orders as he sits at my hip. His hand comes to my face and he carefully cups it. “Bambola,I swear I’ll keep you safe. I swear it.” He leans forward and his lips softly brush mine. Once, twice, before he can take it further a third time, a throat clears.
* * *
Dante
I swearmy father has the worst timing. I pull away from McKenna’s lips and look at him. He has a new light in his eyes instead of the anger from before.
Kara slips in behind him and makes her way to the bed. “We need to talk, Keni.” She pointedly looks at me, and I have a feeling I know what she’s going to say.
“Give us a moment.” McKenna pushes her off and focuses on my father. “I don’t know why you are angry with me, but I don’t remember very much from before I woke up in this room. I remember that Kara is a friend and we worked together. I don’t remember where or when, but I know that much. I didn’t know who Cody was until his name was mentioned, and I only remember feelings. Maybe Dante can tell you more about me, but I’m not faking any of this.” She waves her hand down her body.
My father actually drops his head. His longish almost black hair falls over his forehead. When he looks up, his eyes are filled with sorrow.