Page 16 of Stolen Union

“I’m not?”

“No.”

“What’s going to stop me?”

I need to think fast, and then an idea hits me. “This.” I unzip the back of my dress and let it fall down at my feet. Dante stops, staring at my body. My bra and underwear are white and lacy.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“I’m distracting you. Is it working?”

“I think you know very well it’s working.”

“Oh, good. I wasn’t sure. Maybe you’re a eunuch. Can’t get it up, you know.”

Dante rakes his eyes over me. It’s clear he likes what he sees, which leaves me feeling breathless and flushed. For a moment, I’m not sure what he’s going to do. Walk over to me and kiss me. Or turn away and reject me.

I can see the war in Dante’s eyes. He wants to do both.

“Put your dress back on,” he says finally, disappointing me a little.

“Don’t you want to touch me?”

“You’re playing with fire right now, Gabriella. Because I do want you, and you’re not ready for that. So put your dress back on, and I’ll let your brothers know you got naked for me of your own free will. Let’s see how they feel about that.”

“Don’t tell them,” I say way too quickly.

“Oh, I’m going to. And there’s nothing you can do about it.” He rakes his eye over me one more time before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him. This time, he locks it.

In defiance, I keep my dress off. Dante doesn’t get to tell me what to do.

CHAPTER 7

Dante

Itravel into the next town over so I can call Rocco and brag to him without him being able to find me in case he decides to trace the call. I use a burner phone as an extra precaution.

“Rocco, how’s it going?” I ask, knowing my question will only piss him off.

“Dante, where’s my sister?”

“Oh, didn’t get to find out, did you? I know she called you, but you won’t be able to find out where she is, trust me. She’s mine now.”

The growl that escapes him would scare most people, but I’m not scared of Rocco. Not anymore. “Gabriella is not yours. She belongs with her family.”

“I’m her family now. Or well, I will be.” I pause for dramatic effect. “Once I marry her.”

Rocco is silent for a long moment. “You wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t I? What better way to own Gabriella completely and hurt you in the process than to marry her? Honestly, I think Gabriella would be ok with it. She’s already gotten naked for me.”

“You’re making up lies. Gabriella would never get naked for you. If she did, then you forced her.”

“I don’t think you know your sister as well as you claim to, Rocco. Gabriella isn’t some pure Mafia princess. She has a naughty side. She took off her wedding dress right before me and everything else. And my god, it was a sight. One I’ll never forget.”

“I’m going to kill you, Dante.”

“You keep saying that, yet you’ve never actually been able to do it. So, I don’t believe you, Rocco. You’re just going to have to accept that I’ll be part of the family soon. See you at the next Christmas dinner. Oh, and did you get the picture I sent? The one of Gabriella? You know I have her, and you know I’m not messing around. Just give me what I want, Rocco. Stop hunting me.”

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