by Henry, Jane
And spanks my ass, I added mentally. He'd lose his mind all right .
I obeyed, my hands trembling, as she brought me out to the ballroom. Something had shifted in the air, then, but I didn’t know what yet. Dante was still dancing with one girl after another, but he shook his head as his father said something to him. And before I knew what was happening Agatha stood with her two daughters in front of us. Dante looked aghast at the two of them. I could imagine the man standing next to Dante—the one with the wicked, calculating eyes, but Dante’s strong jaw and brow—could only be his father. He shook his head, pointed a finger at Agatha, and her face grew scarlet .
I held on to Adele’s hand as I continued to walk. I could see him standing in a sea of faces surrounded by beautiful women who were much more beautiful than I was, and I hated it. At the same time, my breath caught in my throat. What was happening? Agatha was growing more agitated, gesturing now, as Dante’s father shook his head. Dante pointed to somebody, snapped his fingers, and before I knew it another woman was in his arms, another woman in the arms of the man that belonged to me. The next thing I know they were dancing. I couldn’t bear to watch .
I needed to leave. I needed to get out of there. And then a noise stopped me. The room grew quiet as all eyes turned back to Dante, dancing, and his father facing off with Agatha, who wouldn’t leave .
His voice rose so I could hear him clearly now. “You have no business here. I never invited you and you should not be here—you or your daughters .”
I glanced aside at Adele who stood agape .
“I remember now,” she whispered to me, her eyes meeting mine with a question in them, but I had no idea what it was about. “She’s the woman. The one my husband had an affair with .”
No.
I couldn’t even process this as I shook my head, for now Dante’s father had grown livid, gaining the attention of everyone there .
“Did you really think that I would allow you to dance with my son?” he said, a vein pulsing in his neck, his face beet red. The place had grown quiet, as everyone, including me, Adele, and even Dante stared. Agatha first grew pale and then her eyes seemed to pop out of her head, her fists by her side .
“You'd scorn me in front of a ballroom full of people?” she hissed .
"I don't know why you think that I would allow you anywhere near my son,” said his father. "I told you never to set foot near my family. Everything I gave you was so that you’d stay away. Leave. Now ."
Dante released the woman he danced with and stepped toward his father. I didn’t hear what he said, but I heard his father’s response .
"Stay out of this," his father barked, turning toward Dante, and effectively turning his back to Agatha. He snapped his fingers at a line of men dressed in suits, and pointed to Agatha. “Take her away, and her daughters, too, and see they never come back .”
Agatha would not go quietly. Women screamed as she lunged at Dante’s father, grabbing a nearby champagne flute and throwing it fully at his face, glass and all, the flute smashing up against him and mercifully not breaking until it hit the floor. I screamed. Adele screamed. But the men near Dante’s father were already moving. They must've been his bodyguards, the men who would protect him, the army that was sent to defend the king .
As they drew weapons, several things happened at once. Dante turned to me , running straight toward me, as Adele pulled me to the floor. And as I fell down, his large arms held me, dragging me to safety, and I heard Agatha's shriek .
“You've kept me away from your precious wife all these years. She could never know you had a mistress . You bought everything you gave me so she wouldn't know. And now you would deny me the one thing I want? Then fuck you! Take your money, everything that you've given me, and go to hell ."
I couldn't see much from my position but feet scrambling. I heard more shouts, and then Dante’s full body was atop mine as shots rang out. He pushed me down so hard my head hit the floor and his voice hissed low, "Stay still, Gabriella. Don't move until I tell you ."
I could only nod, as more shots rang out, screams escalated in volume, and utter chaos reigned above me. I stayed there until he finally whispered, “You need to get out of here. You're going with people who work for me. They will take care of you." He turned to a man with skin as dark as night .
“Take her to the secured room." I didn't want to go without him. I didn't want to go anywhere . What had happened? Was everyone okay? I turned to look at Dante but he only shook his head and then strong hands held me, half dragging me to an exit. A large man with a shaved head brought me to a room so small it looked like a sort of cell. I wondered what happened in this room, what sort of things they did? Was this where they would take people to interrogate them? Did they torture people to extract information from them ?
Who was Dante, really? And how would things ever be the same between us ?
I stayed in the room for what felt like hours but probably was no more than thirty minutes before the door opened and a very tired-looking Dante entered. He scrubbed a hand across his forehead, and his eyes shut momentarily before they met mine. When he looked at me he drew in a breath and sighed. "Gabriella, are you okay? Baby, did they hurt you ?"
I only shook my head in silence. I didn't know what to say. Finally, in a voice that didn't sound like it belongs to me, I asked, "Dante, is everyone okay ?"
He pulled me to him, his hand on the small of my back, and held me for moment before he spoke. "My mother's in the emergency room. A bullet grazed her in the shooting. She’s the only one that matters ."
The hair on my arm rose. "And what about everybody else? Was anybody else hurt ?"
His gaze pulled away from mine for moment and he swallowed hard. "Yeah, baby," he said somberly. “My dad didn't make it. I don't know what happened. Nobody does, and we won’t know what happened until we see the footage. But it looks like Agatha may have shot him .”
“She shot him?” I gasped. “Oh God, no !”
“He may have accidentally been shot by one of his guards when she grabbed a gun and they fired. But it's hard to tell, Gabriella. My father was a man with many enemies. If anyone here saw the chance to hurt him they would have ."
"Dante," I choked out, placing a hand on his cheek and gently tipping his face so that his eyes met mine. "I am so sorry ."
He laughed mercilessly, a sad, heartbreaking laugh that made me want to cry. "You have no idea. You don't know what this means now. I was next in line, Gabriella. Me .” He shook his head. “I'm the new head of the Villanova family. And now I need to send you home and you need to pretend you never met me ."
My throat felt tight, my skin icy, and I could hardly speak. My voice shook as I tried. “That's… ridiculous," I said. How could I ever forget that I met him? “What does you being the leader have anything to do with us?" He shook his head and released my hand .
"I have something else to tell you," he said, not meeting my eyes. "Agatha is gone. She was shot, and not by accident. Your sisters are being taken to the hospital, but I don't know if their injuries are life-threatening or not. The next few days things are going to be very tricky for us. I need you to lay low. And for God's sake, Gabriella, do what I tell you.” He stood and didn’t look at me as he marched to the door. “And I'm telling you, now it's time to go home ."
I left in a sort of stupor. I didn't know where I was going or who I was with but I knew that my life was about to change. He’d sent me away .
There would be no more midnight meetings, no more trysts. No more moonlight kisses or whispered promises .
When a huge limo pulled up to take me anywhere I wanted to go, I didn’t give them directions to the cramped apartment I’d shared with Agatha and my step sisters. Instead, I gave them the directions to Ruby’s. The man at the door recognized me and didn’t say anything to the men w
ho flanked my sides as he buzzed me up .
“Is everything ok?” the doorman asked. I only shook my head .
No. Nothing's okay. Just take me to Ruby. How could anything be okay? Dante is gone. Agatha betrayed my father, and she’s gone now, too .
And as I walked to Ruby's a sort of despair welled up inside me. Where would I go? What would I do? I didn't know .
I didn't know what would happen when I saw her. But I knew that if I said I needed help Ruby would do the best she could to help me. I was like a daughter to her. And she was so very good to me. I needed someone who understood me .
I walked instinctively, just knowing that at the end of my journey would be someone who would understand, someone who would help me move on to the next stage of my life .
When we got to the door, she asked who was there. “Ruby?” I asked, my voice unnaturally high and tight. “It’s me, Gabriella. Please let me in .”
She opened the door and I fell into her home as if I couldn't hold myself up any longer .
“Oh, Gabriella. What happened? Tell me. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” I fell into her arms and burst into tears. She led me to her couch and held me, patting my back and hushing me .
The very thought of him hurting me. “No! No, he didn’t. Ruby …”
“Where are your shoes? Honey, who hurt you ?”
I didn’t even realize I didn’t have my shoes on. I had to have lost them when they pulled me away .
“Ruby, I don't know what happened,” I sniffed. “Agatha is dead. Dante's father is dead. And Dante is now the new leader of the Villanova crime family .”
Chapter Fifteen
Two weeks later
I sat by my mother's bedside. She had been released from the hospital the week prior, and the past two weeks had been an absolute blur .
We buried my father. And even though my family didn't agree, I paid for the burial service for Agatha. I sent money so we would cut ties entirely. I wondered if Gabriella would show, but she didn’t. I was sort of proud of her. I didn't blame her .
She’d left Ruby’s, but I hadn’t given anyone instructions to track her, though it killed me .
“And now,” I said to my mom, “we put the pieces of the puzzle together .”
“I knew he’d had an affair with that woman—I saw her once, though your father never knew. But I had no idea just how horrible she was. She was married to Reginald Madison, and I always knew that he had somebody else,” she said. “I never dreamed it was that horrid woman. He was the one that betrayed your father .”
“No,” I said .
Her eyes widened, but she said nothing. I shook my head. “I’ve been digging around, asking questions. Reginald Madison never betrayed Dad. Dad agreed to Agatha’s demand to kill Reginald so she could have the restaurant and all the money to herself .”
She looked away .
I looked out the window and wondered what my options were .
“You’ve lost so much, Dante. I think it's time that we make some serious decisions .”
I turned and looked at my mother, someone who had seen the darkest side of things. “I think it's time for you to move on,” she said .
I looked at her. What did she mean ?
“Leave, Dante. I want you to leave, and never come back .”
My throat felt oddly constricted .
“You don’t need to be tied down here anymore. And this isn’t who you are. You don’t revel in the power like they do. You despise it. You’ve been given a gift, son. Find her. And make a new life for yourself .”
All this time I’d thought it was in my family's best interest to carry on the torch, to lead the family, to be the one responsible for everything .
Now my father was gone. Gabriella was gone .
“What will you do without my protection?” I asked. My mother smiled a slow, sad smile. “There are many things you don’t know, Dante. And one of them is that I am not hurting for money. I inherited a good deal from my father that I’ve put aside. You and I will find our ways. And now the opportunity has come.” She smiled. “Give the family power to Emilio. He’ll love it. And then change your name, son. Move away .”
I swallowed hard. “I'm calling a meeting,” I said. “It's time that I had a very serious conversation with my cousin. All this time the only reason why I stayed is because I thought that you needed me. That you needed my protection .”
She shook her head. “I don't need you to protect me. The only thing I need now is knowing that my son was released of the burden he inherited.” She's smiled then, the first real smile. “Dante, we have no obligation to the family anymore. Your cousin will agree to this. He gets all the power.” She shook her head. “That's all he wanted from the very beginning .”
We sat in silence for a few moments before she said, “Where is Gabriella? Have you seen her since the night of the incident ?”
I looked out the window and didn’t answer. Of course I had. I’d watched her from a distance. I knew that she sold what little she had and left, thanks to Ruby’s help, then paid off her bills and moved to California .
“Do it, Dante. Find the girl. Don’t let her get away .”
I took a deep breath, pulled out my cell phone, and tapped the button. Emilio answered on the first ring .
“Call a meeting,” I said. “Call the entire family. I want everyone there .”
W e sat around the long table all of us seated in silence. It used to remind me of a table from Camelot, where the Knights of the Round Table sat, but I knew better now. These were not men who were brave and filled with valor. Though there were times when we saw glimpses of bravery and selflessness, their real motivations were far different .
All eyes looked to me as I cleared my throat and looked around the room. “Thank you all for coming. My father would appreciate this. And I tell you now that I appreciate your loyalty and service to the family.” There was a decided shift in the room as all eyes looked to me. They knew I had something important to say. “With the death of my father and recent events, I feel it's time for me to step down from my role, and I'd like to ask Emilio to take over the responsibilities. So I ask you now, in front of the entire family. Emilio, are you prepared to be the leader ?”
Emilio’s eyes lit as if I had just handed him a winning lottery ticket. “Of course,” he said. “Once more I’d like to offer my condolences to you and your mother. And I think you’ve made the right choice .”
I knew he was full of shit but I let him say it anyway. The rest of the meeting went on in a blur. I swore him in, as was our custom, and vowed that I would never betray the family secrets. He clapped me on the back and wished me well. We both knew what he meant. Go, and never come back .
I left that meeting a free man, the burdens of the family no longer on my shoulders. Now all I had to do was find her. I went back to my room and held the little box in my hand, the box with the custom-made shoe that would only fit her .
I didn't know where she was. I didn't know where I would find her. I didn't even know that if I found her she would take me back. But I had to try .
I took off my shirt and tie and hung them up in my closet. I slid into a worn pair of jeans and a comfortable t-shirt for the first time since my dad passed away. Then I got on my bike and I drove, drove until I got to Ruby's place. When she answered the door, I held up the tiny, glittery shoe. “Help me find her, Ruby .”
Chapter Sixteen
I took off my apron and hung it up on a little hook by the espresso machines. I’d gotten a job as a barista on the West Coast, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. I had a flexible schedule, and a boss that believed in vacation time. I felt as if I've been freed from the slavery I had been imprisoned in, and I did it with the knowledge that my dad would’ve been happy for me. If he knew the truth, he wouldn’t have wanted me to stay behind .
But I wasn’t at peace. There was only one person I looked for every time I opened up the coffee shop. Anytime I heard a motorcycle go by, I wo
uld look wondering if he’d come for me. Had he found me ?
He had a family to take care of, huge responsibilities now that his dad was dead. And I didn’t fit in that line of responsibilities. How could his mother ever look at me knowing that I was the stepdaughter of the woman who’d had an affair with her husband ?
Sighing, I punched out and left for home. My shift was over, and it was time for me to head back to the studio apartment I’d rented north of the city .
I smelled like coffee, and I needed to shower, I was hungry, but it was still so much better than what I’d had before .
I could’ve taken a taxi or a bus or something, even gotten a car of my own, but I didn't want to. I liked walking. It reminded me of how I’d met Dante .
My cell phone rang, and I picked it up without looking at the caller ID. He didn't have my number so it wouldn't be him .
“Hello?”
“Where are you, honey?” It was Ruby checking in as she always did .
“I'm just going for a walk .”
“It's late, Gabriella. You have to be careful. It’s time for you to go home, now. Why don't you get a cab or something ?”
“I don't want to .”
“Stubborn girl. I had a visitor today .”
“Did you?” I said, schooling my features even though she couldn’t see me. “And who might that be ?”
“A gentleman caller. He wanted to know if I knew where you were .”
My heart kicked up a beat and my mouth grew dry. He still cared .
