Chapter 2 - The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Dante was taken to a private medical clinic.
Cara expected the police to question her.
Instead, two of Dante’s men escorted her into a private waiting room.
A broad-shouldered man named Marco stood beside the door.
“Sit.”
“I’d rather stand.”
“Sit.”
“No.”
Marco stared at her.
Cara stared back.
Eventually he sighed.
“I understand why the boss likes you.”
“He doesn’t like me.”
“You told him to shut up while he was hanging over a cliff.”
“He was being difficult.”
Marco almost smiled.
The door opened.
Dante entered.
His forehead had been bandaged, and one arm rested in a sling.
Cara stood.
“You should be lying down.”
Dante raised an eyebrow.
“Are you giving me orders again?”
“Apparently nobody else does.”
Marco coughed to hide a laugh.
Dante looked at him.
“Out.”
Marco immediately disappeared.
Dante closed the door.
“Tell me everything.”
Cara repeated the conversation from Bellini’s.
Every word.
When she finished, Dante asked, “The man with Vanessa. Describe him.”
“About forty. Brown hair. Expensive watch. Scar near his chin.”
Dante’s expression changed.
“You know him?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“My cousin.”
Cara stared.
“Your wife is sleeping with your cousin?”
“So it appears.”
“And they tried to kill you together.”
“So it appears.”
“You’re remarkably calm.”
“I’m not calm.”
His voice never rose.
That frightened Cara more.
Dante walked toward the window.
“His name is Adrian Moretti. He handles several of my companies.”
Cara folded her arms.
“Then call the police.”
Dante looked at her.
She understood immediately.
“Right. Stupid suggestion.”
“Not stupid. Complicated.”
“My entire life is overdue rent and serving pasta. Yours is attempted murder being ‘complicated.’”
A faint smile touched his mouth.
Then disappeared.
“Vanessa cannot know I survived.”
Cara frowned.
“She’ll find out.”
“Eventually.”
“What happens until then?”
“We find out who else is involved.”
Cara shook her head.
“That sounds like a you problem.”
“It became a you problem when you heard their conversation.”
Her expression hardened.
“I saved your life.”
“And now they know there was a witness.”
Cara went still.
Dante continued.
“Vanessa will eventually discover someone followed me from Bellini’s.”
Cara whispered, “She’ll know it was me.”
“Yes.”
She paced toward the door.
“I need to go home.”
“No.”
Cara turned.
“Excuse me?”
“You cannot return to your apartment.”
“You don’t decide where I live.”
“Tonight I do.”
“Absolutely not.”
Dante stepped closer.
“You pulled a man twice your size from a falling car. I respect courage.”
“Good.”
“But courage without caution becomes stupidity.”
Cara glared at him.
“I hate when rich men turn threats into motivational speeches.”
That earned another tiny smile.
“Marco will take you somewhere safe.”
“My apartment is safe.”
Dante took out his phone.
“Your address?”
“No.”
“Cara.”
She hesitated.
Then gave it to him.
Dante sent a message.
Thirty seconds later his phone vibrated.
He showed her a photograph.
Cara’s blood went cold.
A black sedan was parked across from her apartment building.
Inside were two men.
“Who are they?”
“Not mine.”
Cara slowly sat down.
Dante crouched slightly so they were eye level.
“You saved my life tonight.”
His voice softened.
“Now let me save yours.”
Cara looked at him.
“For how long?”
“Until this ends.”
“And how exactly does something like this end?”
Dante straightened.
“With the truth.”
He opened the door.
Marco waited outside.
“Prepare the estate.”
Marco nodded.
Cara stood.
“Estate?”
Dante looked back.
“You’re staying with me.”
Cara laughed once.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I would rather sleep in my Honda.”
“Your Honda has three different men following it.”
She stopped laughing.
Dante walked away.
Cara hurried after him.
“You could have mentioned that first.”
“I just did.”
“You’re impossible.”
Marco glanced between them.
“Boss?”
“Yes?”
“She really did tell you to shut up, didn’t she?”
Dante looked at Cara.
“She did.”
Marco grinned.
May you like
“I definitely like her.”
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