“Sorry to interrupt,” Antonio smiled politely. “I was hoping to have a quick chat with Lily.”
Couldn’t it wait?
Antonio didn’t wait for me to respond as he moved away, expecting me to follow.
I glanced at Dean with uncertainty but followed Antonio to the edge of the room. Where a large stone sculpture of an angel served as the base of the staircase banister that curved up to the rooftop above.
Dean trailed us with a loose follow, stopping to hover nearby within earshot. Surveying the room with his hands in his pockets.
Antonio didn’t waste time getting to the point. But was leaning heavily on his cane as he did, swaying just a little. “I want you downstairs for all fights from now on.”
“Oh, okay...why?”
Antonio smiled and placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. From the corner of my eye, I saw Dean’s shift to face us.
“Because I was impressed with what you did for Dean and would prefer you be on hand for the next time one of my fighters goes down unconscious. You could bring ‘em back.”
“Resuscitating someone isn’t an easy thing to do all the time,” I smiled nervously.
“Let's hope it won’t be all the time.” His drunken smile didn’t reach his eyes as his grip on my shoulder tightened. “It’s not really up for discussion.”
“Of course. Sorry.”
“Just think of it as a way of putting those good skills to work, hm?” The alcohol on his breath fanned across my face. “What do you say?”
I nodded, smiling as politely as I could while his thumb pressed into the dip above my collarbone. My shoulder curved forward to reduce the pain.
“I prefer my agreements confirmed in words, my dear.” His cunning smile didn't let up, and neither did the grip. “Speak up–”
“I think she gets it,” Dean interjected from where he stood. His hands remained in his pockets as he added, with a hint of sharpness in his voice. “Boss.”
Antonio chuckled, releasing the grip on my shoulder.
I took a step back in Dean’s direction before he met me halfway. His arm brushed against mine as he watched Antonio carefully.
“Very well,” Antonio grinned, swaying once more as he straightened. “Enjoy the rest of your night.”
And then he was heading back through the crowd, greeting people along the way.
I rubbed my shoulder.
Dean breathed in, filling his chest and letting it go before he brought his gaze down to me. His smile was faint, but his face relaxed. “Let’s get some air.”
We went to the rooftop where the night sky stretched far and wide above the city. The lights of Manhattan below couldn’t compare to the twinkling of the stars far above. But looking over the city from this height was still breathtaking anyway.
I walked over to the glass railing at the edge of the roof, shaking off the little run-in with Antonio. It was something future me could worry about because all I wanted was to appreciate the view. And how the rest of the evening had panned out.
I took a breath and gripped the metal frame atop the glass. An updraft skirting up the side of the building lifted the hair from my face and tickled my cheeks as I glanced down. Smiling, I turned to my left, expecting Dean to be there but the space was empty.
He wasn’t on my right either.
I turned around and found him leaning against the wooden back of a patio lounge. Arms crossed, he kept an eye on the door as if expecting someone to follow us up here.
“This view is amazing.” It was my attempt to get him to forget about what happened inside.
He looked down at his shoes instead. “It is.”
“I imagine you’ve probably seen it quite a few times though?”
