Page 26 of Throne of Sin

“How the hell are you this niceandin the mafia?”

His hands stop moving and I lift my other foot. “Iamthe guy people warn you about. Don’t mistake my kindness for something it’s not. I buy women for a living. I own a strip club. You are an investment.”

I should fear him, but my heart refuses to allow me. Right now, we are Dante and Demi from across the street.

“What about the mafia part? How did that happen? Last I checked, you were just another poor kid from across the street.”

“My brother, Romeo, is the Mancini Don. He’s much older than me. He took Savio and I in when we went looking for him.”

“Family business, lucky guy.”

“We had to earn our keep, just like everyone else. Romeo doesn’t play favorites. I wasn’t handed anything for free. I worked my ass off for all of this.” His fingers dig into the pads of my feet as he gets worked up.

I allow for my body to sink under the surface, removing my foot from his hold. I bask in the warmth of the water before I resurface and wipe my hands down my face as I blow my breath out.

Dante is gone by the time I clear my vision, leaving me with only the hulking shadows of the house as company.

I climb out of the tub when I can’t take the heat anymore and wrap the silk robe around me, not caring that it will soon be soaked with water. My skin steams into the night air as I walk into the house.

There’s no sign of Dante as I step into the house and I can’t help but wonder if he went out. The other girls often talk about his famous parties he hosts when his brother, Savio, fights in the cages. Did Savio fight tonight and he’s off hosting a party at some club?

I’m forced to turn on a few lights as I make my way back to the bedroom. When I open the door, Dante is lying on his back, asleep in bed. His cocktail, only half drank, rests on the side table.

I step into the dim room, the only light coming from the hallways, and walk into the closet. I opt for one of Dante’s old sweaters. It’s thin and has holes in one of the arms. I slip it over my cooling skin and breathe his scent in. I use the robe to dry off my legs and move back into the hallway, leaving Dante asleep.

All I can think about is calling Oakleigh. I miss her incredibly. It hurts my heart every time I think about leaving her. I have to talk to her. I glance back into the room to make sure Dante reallyissleeping before I make my way to the phone farthest from him.

I walk toward his office in the dark, casting a look over my shoulder when my hand touches the knob. My hand twists, and it opens without problem. I hustle behind his desk, opening drawers one after another until I see a cellphone. A small gray flip phone rests inside. I pick it up, discovering it's dead and won’t turn on. Shuffling a few things over I look for a plug in cord with no success.

My hands place on my hips, and I know Dante always carries a phone on him. My heart speeds up at my idea. Returning to the room, my eyes are heavy. The glass of liquid still sits untouched, shining in the hallway light as if in a spotlight. Beside it is his gun…and a cell phone.

How did I miss that?

My heart skips a beat as I close the door to the frame, not wanting to make a sound. I walk toward Dante until my legs hit the bed, and I stop, listening for his even breathing.

I take a few steps farther and come to a stop by his head. He looks the same as all those years ago when he sleeps. The hardened lines etched into his features have softened, allowing a shadow of his younger self to come through.

My hand hovers over the gun. It’s not like that would help me. I move past it, picking up the phone and slipping it into the kangaroo pocket in front. I pick up his drink and bring it to my lips.

An Old Fashioned by the smell of it. It goes down smooth. Stepping just out into the hall, I quickly dial my mother’s old number. I don’t even know if she still has it or not. If she’s been anything like me, she wouldn’t be able to afford to keep a cell phone consistently.

It rings once, twice, three times. It was silly to even hold out hope. On the fifth ring, I get an answer. “Hello?” It’s my mother’s tired, scratchy voice.

“Sorry to wake you.”

She scoffs, hearing my voice. “We can’t all stay up late into the night. I’m raising your child and need to be responsible.”

My molars grind, wanting to spit out a comeback, but I refuse. I didn’t call to pick a fight. I crack open the door to check on Dante again. Still sleeping.

“I need another thousand Demi.”

My heart plummets. “Why? Hasn’t money been delivered to you in the last month?”

“The prescription was expensive. I could only get a few days’ worth.”

“You didn’t get all the medication? Those drugs are very important.” The heat from the hot tub has worn off and my skin prickles with goosebumps, my body shaking with the new chill racing though me.

“I tried.” She doesn’t sound like she’s tried. All I ever wanted was for her to care but she has never given a shit; not then and not now.

---