CARA’S POV “Well,” I said, my voice raspy as hell.
“Now that I know where my brother might be, can I leave?
Or are you gonna blindfold me again?” Dante leaned against the kitchen island, watching me through lazy, hooded eyes.
Up close, I hate that I even noticed how good-looking the asshole was.
“Hello?
I need my backpack,” I snapped.
“And then I’m gone.” Dante’s face went cold again.
“I already sent someone for it.” Fast footsteps rattled down the hall.
“Yo, boss, where are you?” “In here,” Dante called back.
Fernando walked in.
Curly hair, piercings, looking like a goth kid who’d taken a beating and lost.
He held out my faded backpack.
I reached for it, but Dante snatched it out of the air first.
“Give it back,” I said, holding out my hand.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve heard a single ‘thank you’ since I saved your life,” Dante said, a faint smirk pulling at his mouth.
“Thank you,” I bit out, keeping my hand extended.
“Now hand it over.
I got what I came for.” Dante went rigid, his eyes narrowing into slits.
“You just heard the driver downstairs, and you’re still stupid enough to think you’re going after your brother by yourself?” “That’s none of your damn business.” I yanked the bag out of his grip.
“I can take care of myself.
I don’t need you sticking your nose into my business anymore.” He took a step into my space, something dark and dangerous washing over his face.
“Is that so?” I clutched the straps to my chest and backed toward the hallway.
“It’s better for both of us if we cut ties right here.” “If you insist,” he said after a long, quiet beat.
He looked over at the kid.
“Fernando, prepare her for transport.” “Right this way, miss,” Fernando said, gesturing toward the door.
He was short and pretty enough that it was hard to stay mad at him.
“It’s Cara,” I muttered.
Before I could take another step, a thick cloth slapped over my eyes from behind.
“Argh!
Get off!” I shoved back, hitting Dante’s thighs, but his hands locked around my wrists, holding me still.
“I’m not gonna hurt you,” he grunted, his breath hot against my ear.
“Just handing you off to the kid so he can drive you.
Tell him where you want to go.
Just hope to God you aren’t stupid enough to head straight for the docks alone.” He tied the cloth gently around my eyes and spun me around in the dark.
Before I could process it, his mouth slammed down on mine, hard, hot, and tasting like whiskey.
It knocked the wind right out of me.
It felt like he was devouring me, and I lost all sense of reasoning, kissing him back just as hard, my hands spanning across his wide back before diving into his hair.
His hands slid down from my waist, gripping low and squeezing tight against my ass to pull me flush against him.
We both groaned, pressing closer together.
Someone coughed down the hall, and reality crashed back down on me.
I shoved against his chest, breathing hard, flushed and completely breathless behind the blindfold.
He didn’t move away right away.
I could feel his heat radiating against me, his hands still holding onto my hips, his ragged breath warm on my face.
A long moment passed before his hands slowly slipped away.
He let out a low, muttered curse.
“Fuck,” he whispered.
I felt him turn.
Then the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the hall as he walked away.
A smaller hand grabbed mine, making me jump.
“This way,” Fernando said softly.
My heart didn’t slow down for a second.
He wasn’t good for my self-control at all.
Anytime I was near him, I forgot who I was and what I was fighting for.
I was so scrambled I didn’t remember how I got out of the house, or walking down the flight of stairs and towards the car.
“We’re here,” Fernando’s voice said from outside.
“Watch your head.” I climbed into the back seat, the cold leather chilling me right through my jeans.
“Where to?” a rough driver’s voice asked from the front.
Fernando dropped into the seat beside me.
“Boulevard Royal,” I told the driver.
“Blindfold stays on till we get there,” Fernando reminded me.
I just gave a sharp nod and leaned my head back against the glass.
Danny comes first, I reminded myself, shoving every confused feeling about Dante deep down where it couldn’t touch me.
Twenty minutes later, the car coasted to a stop.
I yanked the blindfold off, tossed it onto the seat, and hauled ass out into the snow.
It was a weird, bright afternoon with snow coming down steady while the sun cut through the clouds.
I stood on the curb until the tail lights disappeared around the corner before I pulled my cap down low and dug the burner phone out of my bag.
I walked fast, turning down two side streets away from Boulevard Royal before dialing Aunt Val.
She picked up on the second ring.
“Bella?
Where the hell are you?” Hearing her voice hit me like a physical punch.
“Aunt Val,” I rasped out, my chest tightening up.
“It’s me.” Aunt Val, my mom’s sister, was the only real parent I had left after Mom died when I was ten.
“Are you hurt?” Her voice was dead steady, the way it always was when everything around us was going to shit.
“No, I’m okay.
But Aunt Val…
they took Danny.” “Fuck.
I’ve been looking for him thinking he went into his usual run away from the house mood.
Who took him?” she asked.
“Some guy named Ibarra.
They took him over a case Dad was working on before he got suspended.” The words started spilling out of me, fast and messy, tears stinging my eyes before I could wipe them away.
“They dragged him out to a cemetery, Aunt Val.
They made me dig and bury two dead kids, and then they hauled Danny off in a van.
I tried to stop them, I swear to God I tried—” “Shh.
Calm down, Bella,” she commanded, her tone cutting right through my panic.
“Take a breath and start from the beginning.” I sucked in a lungful of freezing air and forced my voice to stop shaking.
I laid it all out fast.
Running into Dante at the bar, getting caught in the crossfire, the motel, the cemetery, Ibarra threatening to put a bullet in Danny’s head, and then Dante bringing me to his safehouse where we forced the driver to talk.
“The driver said they were going to use Danny to make Dad stay in line,” I said, the words burning like acid in my throat.
“Said Danny might be held at the Old Docks road, but it’s extremely dangerous.
Then Dante put a bullet in the guy’s head.” “Was taking out the driver the right move?” Aunt Val asked, her voice dropping into that careful, calculating register she used when assessing a crime scene.
“This guy you’re with — Dante, Do you trust him?” “Hell no,” I said instantly.
“I don’t trust anybody.” “Good.
Keep it that way.
Trust is how people end up six feet under,” she exhaled, sharp and decisive.
“If the driver said Old Docks, Ibarra’s holding him near the shipping containers.” “What do I do?” I asked, wiping my nose on my sleeve.
“I can go there now—” “You won’t do a damn thing,” she snapped.
“There’s a backup spot on Waldorf and Fourth Avenue.
Go there, lock the door, and wait for me.
Your house is burnt to the ground right now.
If your father sold Danny, he’ll sell you next.” My voice cracked.
“Okay.
Hurry, Aunt Val.” “Don’t panic, Bella.
We’re getting him back.
I promise you.” The line went dead.
I lowered the phone, staring at the busy street as snow settled on the toe of my boots, my lips still burning from Dante’s kiss while my gut twisted over my brother.