by Henry, Jane
"Understandable," I interjected .
"And then I guess she grew to tolerate his teasing," she said with a laugh. "Dad was ruthless, she said. She used to tell me the story of the time he tied her shoes together during science class and when she stood, he placed himself right in front of her so she fell straight into his lap ."
I chuckled. "That's sort of brilliant, actually. Tried and true but with a twist.” As I spoke, I wove my fingers through her hair, so soft. She closed her eyes briefly and sighed. Just holding her like this, I wanted more. Her sigh reminded me of her moans in the hotel room. I swallowed hard, trying to focus on what she said. I needed her alone again. Resting my hand on her neck, I encouraged. “Go on .”
She pulled closer to me. "So they married right out of high school. Mom got pregnant with me before she even graduated. Her mother didn't approve of dad, but she was old-fashioned enough to want to see her married. And Mom and Dad didn't care. Looking back now, as an adult, I could see how hard it must've been for them. Dad worked hard, but always made time for us .”
I admired that. A dad who was busy with his work but made time for his family .
"I want to be a dad like that," I said. Something about being around her made me speak things I wouldn't tell other people .
"Well," she said, her voice taking on an edge of the pragmatic, "If you want it badly enough, you will have it ."
She was so fucking naïve. "Go on," I said .
She snuggled in closer. "I love that you want to be a dad like that," she whispered. She didn't know, though. She didn't know that I would never have children, never bring them into a family like mine .
"Tell me more about your parents," I prodded. I needed to hear her speak. I needed to hear what normal, loving families were like .
"Oh, there isn't much more to tell," she said. "Mom liked to cook, so she cooked for us even though dad owned a restaurant. She would bake cookies with me, and we'd sing together. And then one day, she just couldn't sing anymore ."
Her fingers tightened in mine, and her voice took on a sad edge .
"What happened?" I asked .
"She was sick," she whispered, and I felt her tremble a bit then. I almost stopped her. She didn't need to tell me this part .
Or did she ?
"Yeah?" I asked, letting my arms tighten just a bit more around her .
“She had a heart condition. When I was very young, they tried some treatments that weren’t very effective, and I remember thinking she would get better any day, but she didn’t. She gradually grew worse and worse. Then one day when I came home from school, she was gone. Just gone. Dad told me she’d died, and we went out and walked around mom's favorite garden, and picked daisies and put them in a vase. I cried, but not in front of him. He had enough grief of his own ."
I could see her now, my courageous little girl, her chin lifted high as she braved facing what had to have been the most tragic moment of her life. Selfless, even as a child .
"How old were you?" I asked quietly .
"Ten." The words hung in the air. I wanted to go back in time and hug the little girl who lost her mom and put on a brave face for her father .
"Ten," I repeated. "Ten-year-olds should be doing fun things, like riding bikes and playing with their friends ."
Not that I knew .
I was ten when I witnessed my first hit, someone who'd betrayed my father. It hadn't been planned. Even my father likely would have shielded me if he'd known. But I was there when my father's hired man pulled the trigger. I screamed in horror at the splatter of blood on the wall behind the man, the way his eyes went from shocked to vacant, and how my father's men hadn't even flinched. Later that night, my dad found me sleeping curled up next to my mom, dragged me into my own room, and told me it was time to be a man .
"He'll need to see," he explained to my mother the next day. "There's nothing we can do about this. He'll need to see ."
I could still hear the words, still feel my mother sitting next to me on my bed, tucking me in when my father had gone back out .
Gabriella had said something but I hadn't heard her, I'd been so mired in my own memories .
"What's that ?"
"So what was your childhood like?" she asked .
I chose not to respond but merely shrugged. "That's for another day," I told her. "Why don't you tell me how your father met your stepmother. I want to know. How does someone marry a woman like that ?"
She laughed and shook her head. "I'm not sure," she whispered. "I think that it was... something to do with business. But he died soon after they married. She says my father left her destitute and in debt, so I owe it to her to work for the family business, to make up for his debt ."
"That’s ridiculous," I said, my anger rising. I wanted to shake the woman who took advantage of her like this. "You're an adult now, Gabriella. You could leave at any time ."
"But my father said to take care of her," she whispered. "And she told me that he left her in huge debt, that it was only out of the goodness of her heart she provided for me, that she owes me nothing. So… I do it for him, not for her ."
I closed my eyes briefly .
Fucking hell. Of course she did .
"I don't understand why he married her," she said. “If it was for money, I'd rather have been dirt broke." She laughed a little then but it rang hollow. "I mean, I already am. It isn't half bad ."
I wouldn't know .
"Dirt broke?" I asked, and she looked up at me .
“Does that bother you ?”
"Of course not," I said. "I would never judge you for something like that. It just bothers me that you have to struggle at all. I wish that I could fix things for you. So... define dirt poor," I said. "You have food to eat? A place to sleep ?"
She looked away and I shook her a little. "Answer me, Gabriella," I said sternly. "I need to know ."
She finally looked back up at me. "I have everything I need," she said. "Just not much else. They need me to work every day and so I do. I clean our house. I do the laundry. I have always done whatever was necessary to earn my keep.” She paused. “Our time’s almost up, Dante," she whispered regretfully. "I have to go back now. And you barely kissed me ."
Her eyes teased me, and she turned to face me. I grinned at her. I wanted to do a fuck of a lot more than kiss her .
With a tug, I pulled her close, and brought her mouth to mine. If she wanted a kiss, I’d give her a fucking kiss .
Her lips parted and I slipped my tongue in, probing her soft, sweet mouth as I did, and her little whimpers made my cock harden as I held her. This was what I needed, and I could tell from her response she needed it, too, the way her body melted into mine and she held on tighter, as if she needed to get closer. I deepened the kiss, laying her gently down so that I was over her, but not breaking contact, her gentle moan stirring something in me. I needed more. But our time was short, and we were in the middle of nowhere. I heard another twig snap, and the spell was broken. Fully expecting another deer, or some other wild creature, I looked into the woods but saw nothing .
"What was that?" she whispered. "Just... another deer ?"
“I don’t know. But it’s time to go .”
"Okay.” I reached for a lock of her hair and tugged it a little .
She gasped, as I whispered, "Is that how you talk to me, little girl ?"
She closed her eyes briefly, swallowing, before she answered, "Yes, Daddy .”
"That's a good girl,” I said as we stood and made our way back to the parking lot .
Who would my dad have sent after me? Was
it one of his men, or one of my enemies ?
"Is everything ok, Dante ?"
No, of course it wasn't okay, but I wouldn’t tell her that. Were we found out? Not yet, no, and when we had the fucking ball I'd find someone to appease him and then yeah, everything would be fine .
It'd be fucked up and I'd never be happy again, but she'd be safe .
"We're fine, babe," I said. "You ok ?"
"Of course I am," she said. "I'm very happy when I'm with you. I’m not really sure why but I am. I do need to get back now ."
"Let's go," I said. "Gotta get you to bed so you can get to Ruby in the morning ."
She smiled. "Of course. She'd like you, you know ."
She wouldn't, but Gabriella didn't need to know that .
"You think? She's got a thing for guys with tattoos?" I asked wryly .
She laughed outright at that, her head tossing back as she giggled her little head off. I grinned .
"How did you know?" she said. "She's always all about the guys with tattoos. Likes 'em rough and tattooed ."
"And young?" I asked. The woman had to be old enough to be my grandmother .
The woods rang with her peals of laughter once again, and I looked around me sharply .
No movement. No sound .
Though I scanned the trees, there was no evidence of anything at all. Nothing but the light rustling of wind through the leaves, and the faintest sound of an owl hooting .
And then I heard it. Another crack. I stiffened and pulled Gabriella to me, but her foot caught on something as she went tumbling away from me, her hands splayed out in front of her .
"Gabriella!" I yelled, then wished I hadn't. God, if anyone heard me call her name ...
I grabbed her, but it was too late, she'd already gone sprawling onto the concrete. I lifted her in my arms and inspected her scraped hands. "You okay, baby?" I asked. I hated that she’d hurt herself like this and wished I could take the pain away .
"God, I'm such a klutz," she whispered. "Such a klutz! Look, my hands are a mess," she moaned .
"Jesus, baby," I said, taking each hand and kissing each injured palm, not caring that her blood stained my lips, only needing to bring solace. "I'm so sorry I didn't catch you ."
"I'm fine," she said. "Really, I'm fine. Let's just go now ."
I grabbed the little first aid kid I kept with me, cleaned her palms, and bandaged them. When I was done, I kissed her bandaged hands, gave her a quick hug, and pulled her on the bike. Her arms wrapped around my middle, and I kicked the engine to life. I had to get her to safety .
Chapter Eight
T he wind whipped through my hair as we traveled on the highway together. There was no casual banter this time, no screaming into the wind to be heard. I held tight, and he drove fast .
I didn't know exactly what had happened back there, but I knew that something wasn't right. His body stiffened beneath my hands as we drove, but I was so focused on how badly my hands stung that I could think of little else. It hurt like hell. God, I was such a klutz. He didn't seem to mind though .
He'd kissed my hands and bandaged them .
I closed my eyes as we drove, until the lights grew brighter and the sounds louder, and we rolled into the busy, bustling late night downtown on the strip .
He brought his bike to a stop, his booted feet coming to the ground, before he turned to speak to me over his shoulder .
"Your hands, babe," he said. "They okay ?"
I nodded but I was lying. "They're fine ."
One quick nod and he took my hands to his lips again. I melted a bit as he gently lifted me down from the bike, leaned over, wrapped a hand around my neck, and kissed me .
"Tomorrow," he whispered in my ear before releasing me. "Meet me at midnight ."
That was our thing, then .
Meet me at midnight .
"Yeah?"
I nodded, overcome with strange emotions I couldn’t decipher. "Yeah," I said, then I smiled at him. I’d give this much to him. "Yes, Daddy ."
His eyes crinkled around the edges and his lips quirked .
“Where do you live?” he asked, one brow raised as he looked around, but it wouldn’t be possible for him to see that I lived in the most run-down apartment in the neighborhood .
“Over there.” I pointed in the general direction of the higher-end apartments, hoping he wouldn’t hone in on my vagueness. He didn’t .
He leaned into me, and I tugged on his beard, the coarse, blondish brown hair making me shiver. He captured my fingers, kissed them to his lips, and released me. Then he bent down and smacked my ass, hard, before he kicked up his bike and took off. A goodbye spank. I smiled to myself .
When he was gone, I turned to go home, I was just a few paces from where he’d left me, when shadows crept around me. I realized after a short while that I wasn’t alone .
Why were they following me? What did they want ?
I only had a few paces left now, so I walked even faster when one of them spoke .
"What's the rush, honey? Where are you going ?"
I would not engage. No, I would not speak to them. Reaching in my bag, I wrapped my fingers around the cold, hard edges of my keys. Maybe I could use them as a weapon if I had to, stab them with the sharp metal or something if they attacked .
These guys wanted more. I could feel it in my gut .
My keys jangled in my hands as I turned the corner. Our apartment building was so close I could see it now, but I gasped and yelped as one of the strangers following behind me raced in front of me and blocked my path .
"Such a pretty little thing," he drawled. His face was cloaked in darkness, the shadows preventing me from seeing him fully, all I could make out was a tall, gangly form, and greedy little eyes .
"Very pretty little thing," agreed a second man, who stood to the side of the first. He was heavier. Bigger. Scarier .
Perhaps I could disarm them. "Oh, hello, gentleman," I said. "How nice to make your acquaintance. Now would you be good enough to step aside so I can go home now? My brother and father are likely back home from their shifts at the police station. Both cops, you know. And it's time for me to get upstairs. Anything you were looking for ?"
When the creeps in front of me chuckled, a sliver of fear tingled along my spine .
"You lie," the heavier man said, his eyes darker now. "We know who you are. We know where you're going. You don't have a brother, and your father died three years ago ."
Cold, sick, dreadful fear came over me then. Who were they ?
"What do you want?" I dropped all manner of civility .
"Wanna know who you were with," one guy said. "That's all. You were gone a while and we're tracking someone. We want to know who you are and why you're with him .”
"That's none of your business," I said .
Who were they? I wished Dante was with me. They wouldn’t bother me if he was .
"None of our business?" the taller guy said, and they all closed in on me. "Seems when it's four against one, everything's our business, sweetheart. Now tell us, before we have to do something we regret ."
I stood mutely. What would I tell them anyway? His name was Dante. That was all I knew .
One man reached out and grabbed my hair, yanking my head back, at the same time another reached for my purse. I yelled at both of them, furiously angry, stomping my feet and trying to pull away, but neither would budge .
A rumble of a motorcycle froze them in place. "Go!" one shouted, but they were too late, the beam of Dante’s headlights swinging into view. The man let go of my hair tried to run, but Dante swung in front, blocking his e
scape. I fell back, watching in fascination and fear. What would he do ?
He grabbed one guy by the scruff of his shirt, kneed him hard and when the man tried to stand, Dante leveled him with one vicious blow. Then he turned to the man who’d had me by the hair, grabbing the hem of his shirt as the man tried to run .
“You dare to lay your fucking hands on a woman? My woman?” he hissed. He hit him so hard the man’s head snapped back. I didn’t want to watch, but I couldn’t look away, at the terrifying form of Dante, my Dante, defending my honor. The man’s face was bloodied and swollen but still, Dante did not stop until the man collapsed to the ground. “Get your asses out of here and don’t you ever set foot near her again, or I’ll fucking kill you .”
"Are you alright?" he demanded, glancing down at me, his eyes aflame and his brows furrowed, his hand on my neck so tight it almost hurt .
"I-I'm fine," I said, my voice shaking, and the sound seemed to somehow shake him out of his fury. He exhaled hard, and tugged me toward his chest. I burrowed in, needing to feel his strength .
"Thank God," he said, then he released me and tossed his head back, his hands fisted by his side. "I fucking hate this. Hate this!" he hissed, his beautiful brown eyes tortured .
"You hate what?" I whispered, trembling now that he'd saved me. I was unharmed, but still shaken up by it all. I reached for his shoulder, but he shook me off .
"I hate that you aren't safe.” He paced, running a hand through his hair. "I hate that I can't even drop you off without wondering if you are gonna get hurt ."
"What do you mean?" I said, apprehension prickling my spine. “Those were just random guys who wanted to get a rise out of me. Pick on the innocent-looking girl." I shrugged. "Happens all the time ."
He sobered then, his eyes narrowing on me. “Does it ?"
Oh, Jesus. "I'm... well... it happened before. Though… they said they wanted to know who I was with,” I finished weakly .
He shook his head and swore. "And where the hell are you?" he barked. "This isn't where you said you lived. This is ridiculous, Gabriella ."