Page 16 of The Capo & the Curator

...something else. Something deeper and more visceral than I have words to describe.

God, how I'd burned for him in those heated moments when nothing else mattered beyond the primal need to possess and be possessed in turn.

But those moments are gone now, extinguished by the impenetrable wall Dante erected between us, leaving me adrift in the churning wake of his abrupt dismissal.

With a sigh, Maggie pushes out of her chair and crosses the room to settle beside me on the antique chaise.

"Okay, that's it," she declares. "What's going on?”

Her gentle insistence is my undoing. The words come tumbling out in a breathless torrent before I can rein them in, starting with my kidnap in the parking lot and ending with my expulsion from Dante’s world. Maggie is nothing if not an excellent listener. She doesn't so much as bat an eyelash at the more sordid details, merely nodding along as I lay everything bare.

"...and then he just dismissed me." My voice cracks over the last words, the rawness of the wound still too fresh to dwell on for long. "Like I was just some... some disposable pawn in his twisted game. After everything."

There's a heavy pause as the weight of my confession hangs between us. Then, with a soft tsk, Maggie loops her arm through mine and gives a gentle, comforting squeeze.

"What a colossal ass," she murmurs, her tone a strange blend of sympathy and utter disdain.

A startled, watery laugh escapes my lips before I can rein it in. "You're telling me. And here I actually thought..."

Thought what? That the man who had essentially abducted me could be something more? That the dizzying heat that had blossomed between us meant anything beyond primal lust and adrenaline?

"Oh, honey." Maggie's voice softens with sympathy. " This Dante guy, as emotionally constipated as he seems, clearly cares for you. In his own misguided, overprotective way."

I open my mouth to protest, but she holds up a hand, cutting me off before I can even start.

"No, hear me out. Maybe pushing you away was just a twisted attempt at protecting you from the dangers of his world."

Her words give me pause, forcing me to consider the possibility that Dante's motivations, however flawed, might have stemmed from a desire to shield me. The thought is oddly reassuring, even as a tiny, stubborn part of me bristles at the idea.

"You think so?" I murmur, hating how small and uncertain I sound.

"I do," Maggie affirms with a decisive nod. "Not that it excuses his behavior, mind you. The man's still an emotionally stunted jackass for treating you that way." Her lips purse in distaste. "But I'd be willing to bet my favorite vintage Chanel that deep down, he's just as twisted up over this situation as you are."

Her pragmatic assessment settles over me like a soothing balm, and despite my anger, my heart lurches with a treacherous spark of hope. Perhaps there's still a chance to... what? To reconnect with him? Rekindle the thrilling connection that had burned so brightly between us before being so cruelly doused? The notion is as tantalizing as it is utterly absurd.

And yet...

The distant chime of the library's front entrance bells cuts through the stillness, signaling the arrival of a new patron. Maggie shoots me an apologetic grimace, already rising to her feet with a reluctant sigh.

"Duty calls, I'm afraid. But we're not done discussing this." She pins me with a stern look over the rim of her glasses. "I want regular updates on the shenanigans of one Dante Romano. And if he so much as looks at you sideways again, I'll be the first one marching over there to give him a piece of my mind."

A genuine smile tugs at the corners of my lips at her fierce protectiveness. "Duly noted. Now go, before that poor soul out there starts to think we've abandoned our posts."

Maggie shoots me one final meaningful look before sweeping out of the office, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

A few minutes later, the heavy thud of approaching footsteps snaps me from my introspective haze, my gaze whipping toward the office doorway. A tall, impeccably dressed figure strides into the room, his tailored suit and slicked-back hair radiating an aura of power and menace that sets my nerves instantly on edge.

"Ms. Hughes." The newcomer's voice is a low, silken purr as he regards me with hooded eyes. "What a pleasure to see you again."

"Mr. Valtieri." I force the name past lips that have inexplicably gone dry, my fingers tightening around the edge of the desk. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

A smile curves his lips, revealing a flash of even, white teeth. "Merely extending a cordial greeting." His gaze rakes over me in an assessing sweep that leaves me feeling utterly exposed. "Though I must admit, I'm surprised to find you here alone. One would think after your... entanglements with the Romano clan, you'd be taking certain precautions."

Squaring my shoulders, I lift my chin in a show of composure I scarcely feel. "I don't require a protector, Mr. Valtieri. My associations are my own affair."

The words come out sounding far braver than I am in this moment. Marco's lips quirk upward in a sardonic half-smile, as if he can see the chinks in my armor as clear as day.

"Is that so?" He takes a measured step forward. "And tell me, have you sorted out the complexities of your particular associations? Are you quite sure you’re playing for the winning team?"

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