Page 78 of Ruthless Vows
A man who is willing to die for me, willing to set his brother straight and put him into his place, and look like the sexiest devil walking? Yes, please.
Dante’s son is a spitting image of his father. The only difference is he’s not quite as filled out and muscular yet, but his features are purely Dante.
“My name’s Antonio,” he says, and he’s definitely around my age, more boyish than his father, but his voice is deep and gritty—almost like it’s too old for his body. “I’m Dante’s son. It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Amato.”
This is one of the first times I’ve heard my last name, been calledMs. Amato, and the person doing so isn’t shrieking or making an automatic expression of disgust. My last name feels so ungodly tainted now…so despicable, unfathomable that I have something of this caliber attached to me. My father killed innocent women.
I shake the thoughts of Gabriel Amato out of my mind and extend a hand to Dante’s son, feeling a bit awkward that I’m definitely closer in age to Antonio than Dante. It’s strange, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel wrong.
Nothing between us could ever feel wrong.
Maybe in the beginning, butnow?
Now being anything but his feels like it could rip my heart from my chest.
“It’s nice to meet you, Antonio,” I say with a grin. Doing my best to forget about the embarrassment in the other room. The room we’re in now is smaller, more intimate, and I feel like I can breathe again. “Your father says wonderful things about you.”
“He’s a pretty okay guy,” Antonio says with his own smile.
His face turns stoic quickly. Stoic and unreadable.
I focus my attention on Antonio but feel Dante’s presence not far away. This home reminds me so much of my own, just from the little I’ve seen of it. So many rooms, so many places to sit and discuss business.
Dante’s house isn’t nearly as big, thank God. He showed me around this morning, and I think I finally have the floor plan down enough to not get lost. It’s not mansion huge, but it’s still large.
“I’m sorry about my uncle. He can be a fucking douche. But I want you to know that most of us aren’t like him. He’s a fucked-up seed, you know? He’s got some pretty big wounds, and he’s been through some dark shit. No excuse for his behavior, but just giving you some background.”
Antonio excuses himself as Dante walks up and puts his arms around my waist. Antonio pats his father on his good shoulder before leaving the room.
I’m thankful he’s so welcoming, but at the same time, a large part of me wonders what his real thoughts are about this. He’s lost his mom. I’m here a year later, and his father is invested. I can’t imagine it’s easy for him.
“I’m sorry about the way Lorenzo acted. Antonio nailed it. Lorenzo’s fucked in the head. Been that way for a while now. More so than me, if you can imagine.” He smiles, something dark lingering behind it as he presses his forehead to mine. “I put him in his place, and I won’t be letting his behavior go. He and I have unfinished business, which I’ll be taking care of after our time here. I’m sorry he acted that way, and especially in front of everyone.”
Dante kisses me, reaching his hands down to my ass and squeezing me in this barely there fabric.
He growls in my ear before nipping at my skin. “I’d love to bury my face in this perfect ass, angel.”
Someone clears their throat; it’s a deep, masculine noise that immediately pulls me from my lust-induced haze.
“Sorry,” Dante mutters, turning us both toward the noise stemming from the people who must’ve walked in as Dante showed his appreciation for my…assets.
“Evelina?” I question, my eyes growing wide with complete disbelief.
She smiles and nods, her long, beautiful white-blonde hair in perfect place, just like always. She’s gorgeous as ever. Porcelain skin and perfect cheekbones.
“I couldn’t wait to come to dinner once Enzo told me about you and Dante. I can’t believe it. It’s crazy, isn’t it?” She pulls me in for a hug, and I’m still in shock that my boss is here.
“I had no idea…” I manage to get out. “Dante, why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, knowing he’s obviously already put two and two together.
Dante just mumbles something about wanting it to be a surprise once he realized Child Meets Book is run out of Evelina’s bookstore. Something tells me he wasn’t aware of me being anywhere near Evelina prior to when I filled out that questionnaire.
I’m still in shock that Evelina’s standing here. This whole time, the sweet bookshop owner has been part of the mafia family I’ve now come to find myself part of as well. I would’ve never believed someone if they told me.
“It’s definitely not something that comes up in volunteer interviews or shop talk,” she says with a laugh. “But I’m so glad I’ll be seeing more of you. You’re so good with the kids, and now we have an excuse to get together for coffee and complain about these guys.
“It was all by design, you know. You came in to interview for the volunteer position, and when I ran your background, I immediately told Enzo about you. He agreed to allow it only if I kept you at an arm’s length. I had a good feeling about you, despite who your father is. Plus, my shop is a no-mafia zone. As much as they want to be involved, it’s on neutral territory, and it was mine before I was part of the life, and I like it that way.”
With that, she motions to both Dante and the man standing next to her.