Page 116 of Enforcer

“I won’t,” he interrupts. He smiles, and his bushy mustache bristles over his lip. “But if I do, I know how to get a hold of you.”

I lean in and kiss his rosy cheek. “Goodnight, Ken. Tell Jean I say hi.”

“I will. She’s going to be thrilled you’ve taken days off. She agrees with me; you look terrible.”

I turn back as I press the elevator button, scolding him with a look that would make Dante laugh.

He shifts on his feet nervously before waving an empty glass in the air and then turning for his office.

When I’m on the elevator, I dig out my phone. It takes a few minutes to get to the ground floor, so I check over my notifications, click into my message box, and know I’ll see new texts in Dante’s muted thread.

That scarf covers too much of your face

I shake my head.Of course, he’d been watching me arrive at work. He always does. I get some text each day, always him commenting on my outfit of the day to let me know he’s out there, lurking.

I miss you so fucking much, but this will be the last time I text. It’s unfair how I’ve kept hanging on when you’re ready to let me go. I love you, Alyssa, but that doesn’t mean you must love me. I told you I’d wait until the end, and I likely will. I have to let you move on, though. Sweet dreams, tesoro.

When the elevator opens,I sniffle. The text hit me dead center, causing my entire soul to ball up in my chest like it was about to take a giant leap through my ribcage to escape.

As I look up and pocket my phone, a man is waiting to enter the elevator.

“Alright, miss?” he asks.

I only nod and bolt past him, heading for the solace of the cold New York air to cleanse the hurt from my heart.

As usual, I forgo telling the man at the desk goodbye and barrel through the revolving door and into the frigid air.

It whips around me, and I close my eyes.

Fuck, will I ever get over him?

After hailinga cab home and showering, I stuffed my face with some underwhelming frozen dinner I found in my freezer before downing two more bourbons and climbing into bed. I forgo checking my dating apps as I’ve deleted them all.

Every man pales in comparison to Dante Ricci, and I don’t know that there’s a dating or sex life in the cards for me after him, either.

I pull my vibrator from the nightstand and turn it onto the highest vibration, the one right before all the nonsensical pulsing settings I’d never use. Sliding it inside my body, I make sure the little rabbit at the top is placed right on my clit as I arch and let the vibrations thrum through me like a swarm of bees set loose.

Closing my eyes, I think of Dante—like I always do.

Tears ruin the moment, and I shut the vibrator off and throw it across the room. It hits a wall and shatters into a few pieces as I roll on my side and let the wave of sadness hold onto me like it’s a comfort blanket.

I grab my phone and scroll through all the texts and little sweet things he’s sent me. Scrolling to the top, I read them.

You look beautiful this morning.

I can’t start my day without seeing you smile, turn around, and give me one, tesoro.

I miss you so fucking much it hurts.

When I woke up, you weren’t there. It nearly killed me.

I survived for you.

I miss you, Alyssa. Please answer.

I love you.

Do you ever think about what we could’ve been if I wasn’t a Ricci?

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