She bites her lip as she smiles, then shrugs. “Anyway. We better go back before they send out a search party or Dante accuses you of making me snort lines in the bathroom.”
I laugh out loud because she’s probably right. We both head towards the bathroom door.
“I think he has about 2.5 comments left before my brother blows his top.”
I’ve noticed Ren tense at every stupid comment Dante throws at me. I see his frustration mounting and even though I’m doing everything I can to make his life hard, something stops me from leaning into the tension between them.
Maybe it’s the pictures of them as kids. Maybe the fact that their love for each other is clear and I don’t want to be the reason to come between that. Especially when hopefully tonight I might be out on my own.
“Well, it’s unnecessary. I’m not bothered by them,” I say, because truly I’m not.
“Like you said Ren thinks it’s his job to protect everybody.”
“I think Dante is obviously working through some issues.” I open the door and smirk at her. “Hey, maybe he’s just upset I’m taking away his boyfriend?”
“You may have hit the nail on the head with that one,” she says through a chuckle.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m a tough cookie. Big boys don’t make me cry.”
“A moment passes where she looks at me with a small smile on her face. “I’m glad I met you, Lilly.”
“Me too, Amari.” My heart swells, then the sinking feeling in my gut hits, tonight could be the last time I see her. “If ever something happens, and I disappear like in an UFO or something; Know that I really hope you have a very happy life with lots of love.”
Although she’s smiling, tears well in her eyes, and her grin turns pained. She may be sheltered, but she’s not stupid. Her sad smile lets me know she gets it, but doesn’t say anything.
As we approach the table through the busy restaurant, Ren looks up from the man he was talking to earlier. Once our eyes meet, he looks back down at him, says something and not even a second later, the man stands and leaves.
Business obviously. It’s funny, he keeps its so separate from his home life. I have no idea how he does it. Dad couldn’t be bothered, and Sergei, he liked me to know how powerful he was. Especially what he is capable of.
We take our seats, and there is still so much food on the table. It’s not a surprise since I’ve done it on purpose. There’s definitely a good amount of leftovers I can take with me. If the getaway plan doesn’t work, then I’m hoping Ren might let us take a detour on the way home so I can see a friend.
“I forgot,” Ren says looking at me with a very adorable smile on his face. “We’re hosting family dinner on Sunday.”
“We?” I point to him and back to me. “As in you and me?”
“That would be ‘us’, yes. Nothing big just us, my dad, these knuckleheads and probably a few close relatives.”
Right, I sip my wine, digesting that nugget, hoping the alcohol helps with the process. It might not be that overwhelming.
If I’m still around, of course.
“How much is a few close relatives?” I ask.
“I don’t know, I never really counted. Maybe thirty?”
I spit my wine back in its glass. “Thirty!” How the hell is that a few?
“What’s a matter sweet cheeks?” Dante says, drawing attention from everyone at the table. “Your scum dad couldn’t find thirty people that would want to sit down at his table when you were growing up?”
Well, looks like someone is stepping up their game. That one takes a second for me to recover. He laughs to himself probably thinking his joke was actually funny.
But Ren doesn’t, he sits glaring at him, twirling a steak knife in his hand. Even Tommy gives him a warning look, shaking his head. Amari’s mouth is wide open, poor girl.
Dante is still looking at me, waiting for an answer.
“I don’t know, go ask him. We’re kinda not talking right now.” I take another bite of my Prosciutto pizza, hoping he gets the vibe of the table and drops it.
“Yeah, I noticed he couldn’t wait to palm you off to the next poor unsuspecting schmuk.”