Chapter 2 - The Man Who Wasn't Supposed to Find Me
Dante grabbed his phone.
“Lock the west gate.”
His security chief, Marco, was already speaking into his radio.
“Two vehicles. Six occupants.”
“Claire,” Dante said, “inside.”
“I can handle Evan.”
Dante looked at my bruises.
“Evidence suggests otherwise.”
That stung.
“You don't get to talk to me like that.”
“Good.”
“What?”
“Keep being angry.”
He pointed toward the villa.
“It means you're thinking. Now move.”
I should have refused.
Then I heard a car door slam below.
“Claire!”
Evan.
Every muscle in my body froze.
Dante saw it.
The anger disappeared from his face.
“That's him?”
I nodded.
Evan's voice came again.
“I know you're here!”
Marco reached beneath his jacket.
Dante stopped him.
“No weapons unless necessary.”
Then he walked toward the driveway.
I grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
Dante looked at my hand.
I released him immediately.
“You don't understand Evan.”
“Then explain.”
“He doesn't lose.”
“Neither do I.”
“That isn't what I mean.”
I lowered my voice.
“He doesn't care what happens to him if he thinks he's being humiliated.”
Dante studied me.
“Why did you leave him?”
“Because the first time he hurt me, he cried afterward.”
Dante said nothing.
“The second time, he blamed alcohol.”
My voice became quieter.
“The third time, he told me I made him do it.”
Dante's jaw tightened.
“And Thursday?”
I stared at him.
“How did you know?”
“Those bruises are fresh.”
I pulled the robe tighter.
“He found me outside my apartment. Wanted me back.”
“And when you refused?”
“He grabbed me.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
Dante waited.
I hated how good he was at silence.
“He said if I embarrassed him again, he'd make my mother pay for it.”
Dante turned toward Marco.
“Send two men to her mother's house.”
“No!”
Dante looked back.
“You're not dragging my mother into mafia business.”
“Claire, she's already involved.”
“You don't even know where she lives.”
“Give Marco ten minutes.”
“That isn't reassuring.”
For half a second, something almost like amusement touched Dante's face.
Then Evan appeared at the end of the path.
He wasn't alone.
Five men followed him.
Evan saw me.
“There you are.”
Dante stepped between us.
Evan stopped.
Recognition crossed his face.
“Well.”
His confidence slipped.
“Dante Moretti.”
“Evan Mercer.”
Evan looked around.
“I came for my girlfriend.”
“Ex-girlfriend,” I said.
His eyes snapped toward me.
“Claire.”
One word.
A warning.
Dante noticed.
“She answered you.”
Evan forced a smile.
“This is personal.”
Dante nodded.
“So are fingerprints.”
Evan's smile disappeared.
Dante pointed at my wrist.
“You leave marks on everyone you disagree with?”
“Careful.”
Marco laughed quietly.
Evan's men shifted.
Dante didn't.
“You walked onto my property with five men,” Dante said. “Then you threatened a guest standing behind me.”
“She's not your guest.”
Dante glanced at me.
“She slept in my spring.”
I almost choked.
Evan stared.
Dante continued calmly.
“That makes her my guest.”
“You have no idea what you're interfering with.”
“Actually, that's why this is interesting.”
Dante stepped closer.
“Gabriel Voss sent you here, didn't he?”
Evan's expression changed.
Barely.
But Dante caught it.
“So he did.”
Evan backed away.
“You're making a mistake.”
“Probably.”
Dante smiled without warmth.
“I've made expensive ones before.”
Evan looked at me.
“This isn't over.”
Dante's voice dropped.
“Yes, it is.”
Evan left.
The SUVs disappeared down the driveway.
I exhaled.
“Thank you.”
Dante didn't answer.
Marco's radio crackled.
Then his expression changed.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We checked Mercer.”
Dante waited.
Marco looked at me before continuing.
“He isn't just working for Voss.”
“Then what?”
Marco lowered his voice.
“He's been moving money through Hollow Pine.”
Dante's eyes narrowed.
“My resort?”
“For six months.”
Dante turned toward me.
And suddenly I understood.
My bruises were no longer the dangerous part.
May you like
“Claire,” Dante said, “I need to know everything Evan has ever told you about his job.”
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