Page 11 of Aria De Luca
"As I said, I need to see what you know."
"Know about what? Random people you keep naming?"
Dante mumbles something but I don't catch it.
"One last question, Aria. And then I'll leave for the day. I'll even let you ask one question and give you a gift because I love you so much," Dante smiles at me.
"What is it?" I deadpan.
"Who is Ace De Luca?" His name screams power no doubt. And it sounds familiar, but nothing comes to mind. I shake my head at Dante and his smile widens and he shakes his head. "Holy shit. I fucking did it. I finally won."
"Why are you doing all of this? Who is he?"
"Is that your question?" Dante raised an eyebrow.
I say nothing.
What's my question?
More than anything I want to know if my family is safe and okay.
"No."
"Then what's your question, Aria?"
"Is my family okay?"
Dante tilts his head. "Okay? Mentally, hell no. Physically… depends on if they are taking care of themselves."
"Stop with the beating around the bush. Are they alive and not in danger?"
"As long as they don't mess with me, they are okay Aria." I let out a relieved sigh and rest my head against the wall. "I honestly have no clue why you would ask that question. Your family knows how to take care of themselves."
"Because I couldn’t care less about whatever happens to me if they are in danger."
"Well, they are alive and not in danger," Dante stands up from the chair and I watch every move that he makes. "But I promised I would give something to you," Dante digs in the front pocket of his jeans and then pulls out something.
I look at what he pulls out and I see a ring.
It has a metal band and then a diamond on it. Dante tosses it to me, and I catch it in my hands.
I look at the ring in my hands and it has a pretty big diamond in the setting with other small diamonds surrounding the bigger one.
"Amore" is engraved into the band, and I look up at Dante.
"Who's is this?"
Dante shakes his head lightly. "Wow, you are so fucked in the head," he chuckles lightly. "It's yours now, Aria. Do what you want with it. Throw it away, break the diamond, anything. I don't care." Dante walks closer to me until he is right in front of my face. "Just know that I am the only one who will ever be giving you a diamond ring to put on that pretty finger of yours."
"No, you won't," I argue.
Dante's jaw clenches. "Don't argue with me, Aria. It will only end up worse for you."
"I'm not your prisoner, Dante. You can't keep me in here forever."
"Watch me."
Before Dante can turn around to walk away, I take the ring and run it against his face making Dante wince and scream in pain.
