by Bella J.
Lucio glanced in his rearview mirror. “It’s nice to meet you, Layla. I’m sorry about the…you know.” He gestured with his fingers around his face reminding me that I was still covered in blood. A chill ran down my spine, and I had to suppress the bout of nausea that crept up my throat.
I turned my attention to my best friend crying in the front seat. “Kate, are you okay?”
“No,” she whimpered. “No, I’m not okay. I’m definitely not fucking okay.” She turned in her seat to look at me. “I just saw a man get shot right before I was hauled out of my own damn house. I can’t do this anymore, Layla. I just can’t.” She shook her head. “If I had known how deep this shit went, I never would have agreed to any of this. Goddammit! I should have taken both of you straight to the police station the day you showed up at my fucking doorstep!”
Dante glanced from Kate to me. “Both of you?”
I kept staring at my sister, silently begging her not to say anything more, but she ignored my plea. “I’m not doing this anymore, Layla. Either you tell him, or I do.”
“Kate, don’t.”
Lucio sped up. “Since this sounds like a serious convo, I suggest you continue once we get home. Dante, we have three tails on our asses.”
Lucio barely finished his sentence when a car smashed into the rear of our car, causing Kate and me to yelp as we jerked forward. Lucio and Dante let out a string of f-bombs.
Dante spun around to look out the back window. “Fuck! Goddamn Mancusos. They’re trying to force us off the road.”
Fear and panic tightened like barbed wire around my lungs. “Dante, you need to let me go. Stop and let me out.”
“Not a chance.”
“Dante, please. I’m begging you.”
His gaze cut my way, the intensity in his dark irises conveying the message that there was no way in hell he was letting me go, no matter how much I begged.
I sank back in my seat, instinctively wrapping my hand around my elbow—the elbow where the vein was starting to itch with need.
I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on my breathing. I needed to calm down. I needed to regain control. There was too much at stake for me to lose my shit now.
The car swerved to the right, then to the left. Dante pulled out his phone.
“Antonio, we have a situation. I need help getting tails off our asses.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “I swear to God, seriously, Antonio. Jesus. Can we bicker about this like old goddamn ladies after we manage to handle this situation? Yes. Track my phone, and you’ll know where we’re moving.” Dante hung up. “Fuck!”
“Big bro giving you a hard time?” Lucio glanced in his rearview mirror.
“Something like that.” Dante sighed. Obviously, things hadn’t changed between him and his brother. I remembered how they used to fight all the time—and I knew it was mostly because of me. Antonio was definitely not chairman of the Layla fan group, that was for sure. Dante never knew, but I once overheard a conversation between them. Antonio told Dante I was making him weak, causing him to choose between me and his family. I never truly understood why Antonio thought that way, but after I found out who his family were—what they were—I understood. For families like theirs, loyalty was everything. They lived for loyalty. Killed for loyalty. That was why Antonio never liked me. He knew being with me would make Dante leave, and we planned to…until the day our fate was sealed with one moment. One revelation. One secret.
“I can’t be here with you,” I said softly. “You have to let me go back.”
“Go back to Matteo? There’s a better chance I’d let hell freeze over.”
I closed my eyes and lightly shook my head. “You don’t understand.”
Lucio swerved the car to the left. “Big bro might be pissed off at you, Dante, but the man sent us what we need just in time.”
Both Dante and I glanced out the back window. Two Audis came from either side of the road, turning in behind us and blocking our tails from following.
Lucio laughed victoriously. “That’s right, motherfuckers! Yeah!”
It was clear that Lucio loved the adrenaline, the chase. There was a smile pulling at the corners of Dante’s mouth as well, showing me that he loved it too.
This was him. Who he was. A Valenti.
No matter how much he had loved me in the past, how deeply he cared for me, he wouldn’t have been happy if I had taken him from his family. The danger of living this kind of life exhilarated him. He craved the adrenaline rush, lived for the power. And why wouldn’t he? He was born into a very wealthy, powerful family. It was all he knew. He was raised to be this dominant, powerful, and intimidating man who sat beside me now. It was because of this I decided to leave.
We drove in silence, Lucio still racing down the streets even though we had lost the vehicles that followed us. Dante and I didn’t speak a word, but I was achingly aware of him sitting so close to me. My body recognized him, feeling the familiar crackle of electricity between us. It never failed. From the first day I saw him, I felt it. It was too damn powerful to ignore.
“I hate being the new kid.” I pulled my hair up in a ponytail, then glanced down at the faded denim jeans and white sweater I was wearing. I looked like a poor girl whose mother died in a tragic car accident, and her father sat with his ass in prison because he couldn’t keep his hands off other people’s money.
Oh, that’s right. I am that girl.
Kate handed me my backpack. “I know it’s hard, but this is good, Layla. We needed a new start, away from New York and all the memories. I promise you, this will all work out. Just give it time.” She pulled me in for a hug.
A part of me felt sorry for Kate. She took it upon herself to take care of us—of me. Being five years older, she knew I only had her to rely on. I always hated that she was so much older than I was, but it turned out to be a blessing. If she was any younger, I would have been shipped off to some other family member who really didn’t give a shit about me…or Kate.
Even though it sucked being new in town, going to a new school, the least I could have done was try to fit in. To make it seem like it was easier for me than it really was…for Kate’s sake.
I gave her a peck on the cheek. “Okay, then. It’s time for me to go pimp myself and make new friends.” Kate laughed, and I smiled. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I shoved one of the unpacked boxes out of the way and against the wall as I walked out the front door. We’d only moved in two days ago, and both Kate and I were lazy unpackers.
As I stepped outside, I glanced up and down the road. It wasn’t exactly one of the richest neighborhoods, but at least it wasn’t one of the worst.
I placed the earphones in my ears and pressed play on my phone. It was a way to make the other kids think I didn’t give a shit—that I was too preoccupied with listening to the latest top forty hits to even realize I knew no one.
I pulled my backpack over my shoulders, took a deep breath, and mentally told myself this day would be a piece of cake, and I’d have a ton of friends before the end of the week. Yes, it sucked being new. But at least no one knew the baggage which was now my past. No one knew about Richard Moore, the man whose genes I shared, sitting with his ass in jail. And if I had my way, no one would ever know. According to me, my dad was dead. He died the second he got cuffed and placed in the back of a squad car on the night of my fourteenth birthday.
Deep in thought, I walked along the sidewalk listening to my favorite U2 hit. I hoped I’d one day be lucky enough to meet someone I wouldn’t be able to live with, or without.
Just as I turned the corner, I was shoved hard from behind, the earphones yanked from my ears as someone grabbed my phone.
“Hey!” I braced myself against the building wall, the asshole running down the sidewalk.
Screeching tires raced down the street. A slick, black Audi made a sharp turn to the right, pulling up on the curb, hitting on the brakes. The timing
was fucking perfect as the snatch and grabber ran right into the car just as the driver opened his door.
Poor asshole got slammed right in the face, falling backward, flat on his ass.
Adrenaline rushed through my veins, the shock causing my shallow breathing. But it was only when the driver got out of the car that I inhaled sharply.
Ink black hair touched his leather jacket collar, while broad shoulders cast a shadow over the guy who still lay on the ground.
“Jesus, Gio. Can you do anything other than snatch and grab?”
“Fuck you, Valenti.”
The driver looked up and straight at me. My heart stopped.
“Are you okay?”
I swallowed hard. “I think so.”
He pulled Gio, AKA the snatch and grabber, up by his collar. “Give the pretty girl back her phone.”
I walked closer, suddenly painfully aware I had chosen to wear my most worn-out jeans and my mother’s oldest, most favorite sweater. Now I kind of wished I had put a little more into my grooming efforts for the day.
Gio smiled at me, and I had to stop myself from staring at the gap between his two front teeth. Thank God for the braces I had three years ago, or there might have been a good chance my smile would have ended up looking like that. Creepy as shit.
“Oh, come on, Gio.” The driver slammed Gio’s front against the side of the Audi. “Don’t make me ask you again.” He glanced at me over his shoulder. “I’m Dante, by the way.”
I gave him a shy smile. “I’m Layla.”
“Nice to meet you, Layla.” Gio struggled against Dante’s hold. “Stop trying, Gio. I’ve kicked your ass too many times in the past for you to actually think you have the balls to take me on.” He twisted Gio’s arm behind his back, causing him to squirm. “So I suggest you give the pretty lady her phone back, or you’ll end up with your balls lodged in your throat.”
“Okay, fine,” Gio conceded. “It’s an old, fucked-up model, anyway. Take the fucking thing.”
Dante took the phone from him…then slammed his face against the car.
“Motherfucker!” Gio grabbed his bleeding nose, and Dante leaned closer.
“That’s for using filthy language in front of such a pretty girl.”
With a hard jerk, Dante shoved Gio down on the sidewalk, and we watched as he ran away like a dog with his tail between his legs.
“Asshole,” I muttered under my breath.
“Yeah. Gio is a regular troublemaker on these streets.” Dante handed me my phone, the tattoo on the top of his hand catching my attention. Black, intricate lines formed a tribal outline of a wolf’s face.
“Thank—” But my words caught in my throat the second I looked up and into those mesmerizing dark orbs of seduction. I caught my breath. There was something in his eyes—something that captivated me, making it impossible to look away. I had no idea what it was, but I felt something. Something so strong it had the power to turn everything inside me to ash. My stomach flipped, my heart racing and beating wildly inside my chest. And the second our fingers brushed against each other as I took the phone from him, I felt my cheeks burn. Dear God, I was blushing. I was blushing like a little hormonal girl.
I pulled back. “Thank you…you know, for what you did.”
“My pleasure. I’ve always wanted to help a damsel in distress.” The smile that tugged at the edges of his lips, a dimple appearing just above it, was sexy as sin—which was why I knew I had to leave. Men like him spelled nothing but trouble.
“Thanks again.” I brushed past him, hyperaware of his gaze following me.
“Can I give you a ride?”
I didn’t stop walking. “No, thanks. I’m good.”
“School is a few more blocks from here. I can give you a ride.”
Luckily, I wasn’t some naïve, small town girl. I came from New York, so I knew all about sinfully gorgeous guys and their smooth mouths with nothing but sordid intentions. Plus, Kate gave me the whole “don’t talk to strangers” talk just last night. So it was all nice and fresh in my head.
I glanced over my shoulder. “I’m fine. Really. But thanks.”
My feet couldn’t carry me fast enough as I speed-walked down the street. I heard the slam of a car door. For some weird reason, I felt disappointment when I heard the start of his engine behind me. Mentally, I cursed the fact I was such a goddamn responsible person.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed a black car slowly drive alongside me, and the window rolled down. “You sure you don’t want a ride?”
I smiled. He sure was persistent. “I’m fine.”
He narrowed his eyes at me, checking the road every few seconds. “Is it that whole ‘don’t trust strangers’ thing?”
“Yes.” I chuckled. “It’s the whole ‘don’t trust strangers’ thing,”
“Fine. Then ask me anything.”
Confused, I looked at him. “What?”
He looked out in front of him, then back at me, one hand leisurely on the steering wheel. “Ask me anything you want to know so I won’t be a stranger anymore.”
I cocked a brow. “A few questions won’t change anything within a few minutes. You’d still be a stranger.”
A smug grin spread across his face. “Tell me I’d at least be a cute stranger?”
I snickered then continued walking.
“Oh, come on. What does a guy have to do to give you an innocent ride to school?”
I stopped and turned to face him, and he pulled to a stop at the side of the road. I leaned down and looked at him. “Something tells me nothing about you is innocent.”
He shrugged. “You’ll only know that once you get to know me. Once I’m not a stranger to you anymore.” He winked, a cocky smile on his face.
I pursed my lips and glanced down the street before turning back to him. “Thanks again for helping me.” I straightened.
“Is that it? That’s all I get? I risked my life getting you your phone back.”
I laughed. “It sure looked like you risked your life while you slammed Gio against your car.”
I turned the corner and heard the roar of his engine next to me.
“Same time tomorrow?”
I stilled, closed my eyes, and cursed the heavens for sending me such an attractive goddamn temptation.
I turned to face him. “What do you mean, same time tomorrow?”
“I’ll see you the same time tomorrow morning,” he shrugged, “you know, to save you again.”
The charming grin that spread along his beautiful face was enough to melt the resistance of the strongest of women. It sure as hell had me in the bag, and by the way my insides coiled tighter and tighter the longer I stared at him, the more I knew he would either be the best thing to ever happen to me…or the worst mistake I ever made.
I smiled. “Yeah. Same time tomorrow.”
Turned out, he was both.
I fell head over heels for him that day, and if I was really honest with myself, I didn’t think I would have done anything differently even if I had known things would turn out as they did now. Dante was the love of my life, but at the same time, loving him was the worst mistake I ever made.
I sucked in a breath when we arrived at the large, black iron gates of the Valenti estate. Everything still looked exactly the same. Nothing had changed. The only difference was the last time I saw this place the gardens were painted with a rainbow of colors, spring in full bloom. Now the gardens were covered with all the shades of autumn, the men working in the gardens raking the dead leaves together.
We came to a stop, and I stared out the window.
Dante shifted next to me. “You okay?”
“I didn’t think I’d ever see this place again.”
I felt his fingertips softly brushing against my shoulder. “He can’t hurt you here, Layla.”
“You have it so wrong.” I turned to look at him, my heart breaking more and more. “It’s not me I’m worried about him hurting, Dante.”
“Then
who? Me? I’m a big boy, Layla. I can take care of myself.”
I shook my head, a single tear slipping down my cheek. “It’s not—”
Dante’s door was flung open, two hands grabbing his collar and yanking him out of the car.
“What the fuck did you do?” Antonio’s voice was a low, angry growl.
“Jesus Christ. Get your fucking hands off me.”
Antonio slammed Dante against the car just as Lucio opened my door. “Don’t mind the brothers.” Lucio closed the car door. “It’s their way of showing love.”
“I warned you not to do something stupid.” Antonio continued to pin Dante’s back against the car. “I told you to fucking wait, but you never fucking listen!”
Kate stepped in next to me, reaching for my hand as we witnessed the two Valenti brothers about to repeat ancient history. Cain and Abel had nothing on these two savages.
Dante gripped Antonio’s arms and jerked free, shoving his brother backward. “And I told you I’m not sitting around waiting for the fucking grass to grow.”
Antonio’s eyes were big, black globes of anger. “And now you went and started a goddamn war. Over what?” Antonio pointed toward me. “A woman who left you in the first place? Wake the fuck up, Dante.”
“Fuck you!” Dante stormed toward his brother just as the guy who Dante fist-planted at the club came running out, jumping in between them. He had a huge shiner on his left eye, but that didn’t stop him from blocking Dante and shoving Antonio back.
“Seriously. How many times am I going to have to stop you two from killing each other? This is getting very tiring very fucking quickly.”
Lucio leaned in closer. “That’s Lorik, the brother-in-law-to-be.”
I shot him a questioning glare. “Are you just going to stand here and watch them kill each other?”
“Yup.” Lucio seemed amused by it all.
I huffed and stomped around the car toward the three men about to start Armageddon. “Stop. Just stop.”
Dante held out his hand. “Stay out of this, Layla.”
For a second, annoyance clouded my judgment and I stepped right in front of him, risking getting mauled by two very angry and aggressive Italian men. But at that moment I didn’t give a fuck, which was why I forced Lorik and Antonio to step back while I met Dante’s glare of death.