"Because you're part of the Mafia. You kill people, for fuck's sake. Raising my daughter in this world is the last thing I ever wanted."
He doesn't look offended.
He just takes another sip of wine and considers my words.
"I understand that."
"Do you?"
Instead of the angry outburst I expected, he’s calm and rational.
"Yes. I know what my world looks like from the outside. I know it's violent and dangerous. I know it's not the life most people would choose for their children."
"Then why do you want Sofia to be part of it?"
I lean forward and listen intently.
This is the man from years ago, the one who over drinks and soft music made me feel alive and treasured.
I've not seen him in as many years, and since I came here, he's not been anything but a brute.
I like this side of Dante.
"Because she already is part of it. My enemies know about her. The only way to keep her safe is to keep her close."
I drink more wine and let the warmth spread through my chest and soften the edges of my fear. "How long do we have to stay here?"
Resigning myself to his truths is hard, but he knows more about this world than I do.
I can’t fathom leaving his protection and going home, only to have something worse happen.
Alive and caged is good compared to free and dead.
"Until I eliminate the threat."
He rises and refills my glass without asking, and I get the sense that he's wanting to dive deeper with me, but I still feel walled in.
I might not be ready to run at the first sight of hope anymore, but I'm still not comfortable here.
We don’t know each other.
I slept with him because I was drunk and thrilled to be free of Antonelli Gerard's debts and prying eyes, and Dante was such a charming man.
But a one-night stand does not a relationship make.
"Why did you save me that night?" I ask him for the second time since coming here.
I didn't care for his first answer at all. "Six years ago in Trastevere. Why did you stop Mr. Gerard?"
Dante leans back in his chair.
His eyes don't leave mine. "Because the instant I saw you, I was hooked."
My breath catches. "What?"
"I walked onto the floor and saw Antonelli with his hands on you. I saw the fear in your eyes. And I knew I couldn't walk away. I had to get you out of there." He leans forward and his voice drops lower. "You were beautiful and terrified and trying so hard to be brave. I wanted to know everything about you. I wanted to take you somewhere safe and hear your story. I wanted to make you feel protected."
My heart pounds against my ribs. "You didn't even know me."
