Page 43 of In the Cover of Darkness

Chapter 33 - Dante

Stand by Me - Ki:Theory ?

What the fuck is happening? From the moment we stepped foot into Porters, every fucker and their dog has been looking at my girl, my sunshine, and I’ll be dammed if one of them tries anything with her. I can feel that I'm tense all over, but can you blame me? She was breathtaking when she came into the kitchen before we left. She's always been beautiful, even way back when she was battered and bruised in the medical centre I could see it.

Tonight though, she just has this confidence about her, which is making my heart beat twice as fast and twice as slow all at once. I wanted to do something to claim her in front of everyone. To let all these fuckers know that she was mine. Luckily for me, she made it simple when she asked to swap seats with me. I was never going to because I can't protect her from things I can't see coming, but it left me the opportunity to pull her onto my lap, letting everyone know she was with me, that she was mine.

I was almost starting to enjoy myself, relax into how the night was panning out. All of that changed though, the moment shewent up to the bar for the next round of drinks. Who the fuck did this Porter guy think he is? he’s practically all over her, leaning across the bar, laughing with her. I go to stand up from the table, ready to interrupt them, when Ace grabs my arm.

“They’re just talking D, she's allowed to talk to other people,” he says sympathetically.

“I know she is damn it. It's not her I'm worried about.”

"Porter’s a good man D. He knows Mila’s taken. Fuck, I think the whole town knows she's taken at this point. He's just being welcoming is all. Relax brother, try and enjoy yourself."

Almost the same moment that her conversation with Porter ends, some guy has himself draped all over her.

“That's it,” I growl and stand abruptly, almost knocking the empty glasses off our table. Ace grabs me again, this time firmly holding me back.

“That's just Sam. The mechanic. They've been teaching him how to cook. Youneedto chill out, Dante.”

But I can barely hear him at this point. All I can see is my worst nightmare playing out in front of me. My hands are sweating, my heart’s beating out of my chest, and right in front of me, my sunshine grabs a pen, and writes something on a napkin before she kisses this guy and walks off.

She kissed him, and all I can see is red.

“Dante,” Ace says, now standing directly in front of me. “You. Need. To. Calm. Down ….”

But everything else he says gets lost in the cloud of fury raging inside me. I knew this would happen, that I wouldn't be good enough for her. I can see it when I catch her looking at me sometimes. That she's attaching herself to me because she owes me. I can feel her pull back and withdraw. That's why our nights are so important. When we lay in bed, surrounded in darknessshe can't see the killer in front of her, the unwanted lifeline she needs to hold on to. It's just me, and I knew thatjust mewasn't going to be good enough for someone like her.

“D. You good man?” I register Ace's voice and see him in front of me, his grip on me relaxed now. But I can’t wait any more, I need to know if she sees this thing between us going anywhere, because I don't think I could take it if I fall deeper in love with her, only for her to turn around and say no.

Looking at Ace and trying to see reason, I let him know the plan. Probably a shit plan that won't end in my favour but I need to at least tell her exactly how I feel.

“I'm going to talk with her Ace, and see … I guess we will see where the cards fall by the morning.”

“All good brother. Take as long as you need, but make sure she knows exactly how you feel D. It's not good sitting on the sidelines. Trust me on that,” he says looking over at Nova, as she talks to some people in the booth near our table.

Walking up to the bar, Sam is still standing where she left him, but he is now talking to Porter with our drinks that are ready to be taken back to the table. I can see the napkin Mila wrote on sticking out of his jacket pocket, and any restraint I was holding onto dissolves instantly. Not caring about what I'm about to do, I pull the napkin from Sam's pocket, pushing him away from me as he protests. Opening it, my heart all but breaks with the confirmation of my fears.

‘Call me anytime’ sits right above her phone number, which she wrote out and gave to this guy right in front of me. Suddenly the late night cooking, the hugs and kisses they shared all click into place. She's been seeing Sam, and I've just been too stupid to realise.

“Hey. What's wrong, big guy?”

A small hand rests gently on my forearm. Concern etched across her face as she returns and stands next to me. Nope, this is not happening. I'm not going to take this lying down. I will fight for her, let her see that she should pick me.

Want me.

Loveme.

Without a second thought, I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder, placing my hand firmly on her ass and make my way out to the truck.

“Dante, what the fuck are you doing?” she cries out, half laughing at the unexpectedness of it all. She tries to hold on but gives up in an attempt to thump my back with her fists. I see several men stand, clearly angry at the way I'm manhandling her, but I don't care, she's mine and I'm taking her.

Ace's voice rings out over the bar, “It's okay folks, Dante here is just finally making his move is all.” A loud cheer erupts behind us as we pass through the front doors, and I unceremoniously put her in the passenger seat.

Starting the truck, I can feel that I'm nervous. I don't get nervous, that's not me, but here I am with sweaty palms trying to hold on to the steering wheel for dear life as my knuckles turn white.

“Dante? What happened back there? Where are we going?”

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