Page 32 of His Bride

Dante’s jaw clenches, his eyes fixed on a point over my shoulder. I turn, my heart thundering as I see him.

Lorenzo De Luca.

He stalks towards our table, a predatory gleam in his eye. The air crackles with tension as he and Dante lock gazes.

My fingers tremble as I reach for my wine glass, desperate for something to ground me. I can feel the shift in Dante, gone is the man who joked about tiramisu. In his place sits a stone-cold killer, eyes glittering with calculated menace.

“Well, well,” Lorenzo drawls, his voice dripping with false warmth. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“Lorenzo,” Dante says, his voice calm and controlled. “I don’t recall inviting you to join us.”

Lorenzo’s lips curl into a sneer. “Come now, Dante. Surely there’s room at the table for an old friend?”

“Friend?” Dante scoffs, his fingers drumming a slow, deliberate rhythm on the tablecloth. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”

I feel myself shrinking in my seat, the air thick with unspoken threats. A flicker of movement catches my eye. Enzo materializes from the shadows, his face set in grim determination as he positions himself near our table. Ready to protect us. The sight of him should be reassuring, but it only hammers home how precarious this situation is.

Lorenzo’s gaze flicks to me seeming unbothered by Enzo’s appearance. His cold gaze giving me the creeps. “And who’s this lovely creature?”

Before I can speak, Dante cuts in. “My wife. And none of your concern.”

“Oh, but everything about the Rossis is my concern,” Lorenzo says, his expression turning frosty. “After all, we can’t have usurpers thinking they run this city, can we?”

My eyes widen in surprise. Usurpers? What does he mean? I look at Dante, searching for answers, but his face is an impenetrable mask.

Dante’s jaw tightens. “Careful, De Luca. You’re treading on thin ice.”

Lorenzo takes a step forward, and I can’t help but flinch. The air around him seems to darken, a tangible aura of menace that makes my skin crawl. I hold my breath tightly in my lungs, and I find myself pressing closer to Dante, seeking his warmth and strength.

“Ice?” Lorenzo laughs, a harsh sound that sets me on edge. “Oh, Dante. You have no idea what’s coming.”

My mind races, trying to piece together the subtext of their exchange. What history lies between these two men?

“Is that a threat?” Dante’s voice is deceptively calm, but I can feel the tension coiled in his muscles.

Lorenzo’s grin is all teeth. “Consider it a promise.”

I brace myself, certain that violence is about to erupt. My heart pounds so hard I’m sure everyone can hear it. I glance towards Enzo, silently pleading for him to intervene.

Dante’s hand finds mine under the table, his grip firm and reassuring. I cling to it like a lifeline as he leans forward, his voice turning deadly.

“You forget your place, Lorenzo. This city, these streets - they belong to the Rossis. Always have, always will.”

Lorenzo’s eyes narrow, a sinister smile playing on his lips. “For now, perhaps. But times change, old friend. And so do loyalties.”

My stomach churns as the full weight of the situation crashes over me. I’m trapped between two titans, powerless and exposed. The elegant restaurant fades away, leaving only this bubble of tension and unspoken threats.

“Adriana,” Dante says, his eyes never leaving Lorenzo’s face. “Why don’t you step outside for a moment? Get some air.”

It’s not a suggestion. I nod, my legs trembling as I stand. Lorenzo’s gaze follows me, piercing and calculating. I feel stripped bare under his scrutiny.

“Such a lovely wife you’ve found, Dante,” Lorenzo purrs. “It would be a shame if anything were to happen to her.”

Bile rises in my throat. I want to run, to scream, to beg Dante to take me far away from here. Instead, I force myself to walk calmly towards the exit, feeling their eyes boring into my back with every step.

I pause when I hear Dante’s voice. It’s ice-cold and lethal. “Threaten her again, and I’ll paint these walls with your blood.”

My heart pounds in my chest, a frantic rhythm that drowns out everything else. I’ve never heard Dante speak like this before, never seen this side of him. It both terrifies and thrills me.

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