Page 46 of Gin & Trouble

Dante

Ruleone of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club.

Only I wasn’t discussing a Brad Pitt movie. I’d told Julia something I’d never told another living soul, and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I’d done it.

Okay, that was a lie. I knew why. I’d told her because me lying about my name had hurt her, and I needed her to understand why I’d used an alias. More than that, I needed her totrustme. And more than that, I wanted Julia to know all of me—the good, the bad, the mafioso.

Unfortunately, I’d zigged when I should have zagged and failed to realize telling the woman you’re falling in love with you used to be involved with the mob doesn’t instill trust.

In fact, if her bugged out eyes were any indication, telling her had the opposite effect.

“We’re out now.” I took her trembling hands in mine. “There’s nothing to worry about. You’re safe here with me. I swear it.”

She swallowed hard. “Should you be telling me any of this? Aren’t their rules?”

“Yes, but I’m sick of the decisions my father, and grandfather, and great-great-great grandfather, made costing me the people that I love.”

Julia winced.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. How much more can I screw this up?

Fearing she’d bolt, I tightened my grip. “That came out wrong. I didn’t mean you.”

“I see.”

Apparently, my screwing up knows no freaking bounds.

I chose my next words carefully. “I am completely falling for you, and yes, I lied because I wanted to make absolutely sure it was safe. I let my fears about what happened to my brother Joe and his wife get in the way of our relationship.”

The color drained from her face. I’d told her about their car accident, but I hadn’t gone into the details, namely that they had been murdered. Once again, I tasted shoe leather.

She looked everywhere except at me. “Dante…I…”

Nope. Not happening. I’m not going to listen to her tell me why we can’t be together.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s a lot to take in.” Holding my hands up, I backed out of the kitchen. “I’ll shut up, but please, don’t leave. Not with your ex out there somewhere.”

“I’m not leaving, and I’m glad you told me. It’s just…” Julia gave me a sad smile and wrapped her arms around me. “We should talk.”

Unlike the night before, her embrace lacked heat. Hell, it lacked warmth. It reminded me of the hundreds of hugs from strangers I’d received at my brother’s funeral. Tidy and full of pity.

It dawned on me, too damned late, that I should have kept my mouth shut. She’d been through a lot in the previous twenty-four hours and didn’t need my crap on top of it. What was it about this woman that had me taking one step forward and six miles back?

“About what?” I pulled away to give her space, but mostly to let her off the hook. I didn’t appreciate fake hugs any more than I appreciated fake orgasms.

“My family.” She tugged at the T-shirt she’d borrowed from me the night before. “It took a lot of guts for you to tell me about the mafia… I…well…”

My phone chirped, and not just with the standard alert. I’d programmed the notification to go off even when the cell was set to silent, set the default volume loud enough to be heard over a rock concert, and rollover to any PC or laptop I happened to be logged into.

The three rapid beeps told me the Abruzzo’s plane was on the move.

I hated to interrupt Julia, but with my mother and Marco in town for Rocco’s birthday party, I couldn’t ignore the alert. “I’m sorry, but I have to take care of that.”

“My God, that’s as loud as a tornado siren. Is it a security breach?” Julia followed me into the Batcave.

“Something like that.” I turned to tell her to wait in the living room, but what was the point? She knew about my family, the Cliff’s Notes version anyway. What difference would it make if she got a true glimpse into my world?

It could freak her the hell out. Or the tech could intrigue her enough to work for my new company. Or this could all blow up in my face.

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