Page 58

Danillo stops mid-stride when his gaze lands on me and Lev. Fury fills his face. He’s never been one to hide his emotions. It’s not in him to restrain himself.

A waiter seats Danillo and Stasia way across from us, but it’s like they could be right here in my face.

Lev follows my gaze when he notices I’m distracted. When he spots Danillo, he chuckles. “Well, this is shaping up to be a great night,” he states.

I cut him a hard glance. Only he would think that.

While he’s sitting over there basking in his power, I may as well be in hell. I’m in a room with the two men I loathe most. My husband and my ex-fiancé.

I focus on finishing my meal, but suddenly, the food that has always been divine tastes sour in my mouth. Every bite of the delicious meal I’ve loved all my life has that weird aftertaste I can’t shake.

Eventually, I finish it. Lev finishes up as well and pours more wine.

Feeling Danillo’s stare on me, I risk looking his way again. Sure enough, his eyes are on me. And the scathing look he gives me cuts me to the core. I look away feeling sick.

“I’m just gonna go to the bathroom,” I say to Lev.

He nods, barely paying me any attention, and looks over at Danillo, his eyes narrowed with the promise of death.

While the two men engage in a stare-off, I head to the ladies’. Once inside, I rush to the sink at the end, turn on the cold tap, and splash cold water on my face.

I’m on fire, burning up all over. The cold water only soothes me a little, but I keep going.

I pat my cheeks and allow the water to run down to my neck, not worrying that my dress is getting wet. Then I stay there for a moment and breathe deeply.

The door swings open, disturbing the silence. I look up to see Danillo striding in like a bull.

“You,” he spits.

My breath lodges in my throat. God, what is he doing in here?

“What do you want?” I stutter.

Of course, any challenge always infuriates him. Rule number one in the Bellandi family is that the women never talk back.

He rushes at me. I try to move out of the way, but he’s too fast, too big. He grabs me by my shoulders and shoves me hard against the wall. I’m shaking from the blow and feel like my soul may leave my body.

Me being married to one of the most dangerous men in New York—one who shot him—is totally lost on Danillo. He cares more about his wounded pride than anything.

“You little bitch, what are you doing here? It’s bad enough you married that motherfucker. But did you have to bring him here to embarrass me?”

“Let go of me,” I gasp.

He shoves a hand to my neck and pushes me deeper into the wall. I yelp.

“Don’t you think for one second I’ve given up on you. You’re mine, Gabrielle. I will find a way to get you back.”

The promise sends a chill through me. I don’t doubt his words.

“Remember every time you spread your legs for that bastard you—” He doesn’t get to finish. Something knocks him into the wall.

Not something. Someone. My husband.

I don’t know where Lev came from so quickly, but I’ve never been so glad to see him.

“How fucking dare you touch my wife!” he shouts in Danillo’s face. “Motherfucker, you have a death wish, don’t you?”

He shoves him hard into the wall, the same way he did me, but Lev grabs him around the neck with both hands. Next to Lev, Danillo looks like a twig, though he’s only a few inches shorter. He just doesn’t have the muscle.