Serena
Dante and I are cruising through the mountains, the windows down, the warm breeze rushing across my body. The smell of pine is so prominent out here.
Dante’s phone is connected to Bluetooth. Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey starts playing through the speakers. Dante leans forward, turning the volume up. Turning to him, confused at his music choice. His fingers are drumming against the steering wheel as the beat picks up.
“Interesting choice,” I remark, a small chuckle escaping with my words.
“Everyone loves this song.” He quips back, a smile gracing his beautiful full lips.
I can’t help but smile as I watch him. He looks so relaxed and happy. When I first saw him earlier, he was the opposite. His shoulders were tense. His posture was rigid. His jaw was thrumming. He looked like he was five seconds away from exploding. But now, he looks his age. Like the world isn’t on his shoulders anymore. He can be free.
“Just a small-town girl. Living in a lonely world.” He turns towards me, singing the words with every emotion he can muster. His voice isn’t the greatest, but there is still beauty to it. The smile never leaves his lips. In that moment, I knew I wanted him to always smile like this. To feel like this.
“Just a city boy. Born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere.” I sing back to him.
I know I am not a professional singer. Hell, I wouldn’t even be considered a good karaoke singer. I would probably get booed off the stage the second I opened my mouth. I have never sung in front of anyone before, except Evan. I have always been too insecure. Evan once told me I wouldn’t be able to carry a tune even if I had a bucket, but I feel that doesn’t matter when I’m in Dante’s presence.
If it’s even possible, his smile gets brighter. He continues singing along to the lyrics as I watch him. This is the side of Dante I love seeing. I still don’t know much about him, but witnessing this light, airy side of him makes me want more. I feel the need to know every detail about his life.
I chime in, continuing to sing with him as the song progresses. I can’t take my gaze off his handsome face. Watching the way his lips move and curve around each lyric he belts out. His strong jaw flexes. Every once in a while, I catch a glimpse of his sharp canine tooth that caught my attention the first time I saw him. Still wondering how it would feel against my flesh.
We practically scream out the next verse to each other. Neither of us cares that we can’t hit the notes properly. It’s nice not to care how someone perceives me. To feel not judged for things I can’t change. To enjoy the moment with someone who likes me for me.
Feeling free is not something I ever thought I would feel. But Dante and the Kings make me feel it every time I am in their presence. They have become the light in my life. And having four of them that make me feel that way isn’t something I thought would be possible.
Most would call me a slut, and those words would have hurt me once upon a time, but now they are just words. Words are just letters strung together, and they only have power over you if you let them.
I can’t help but laugh as Dante tries to hit the high note, failing miserably. His voice cracks, causing him to cough. I try to hide my laughter behind my hand, but he quickly notices it.
He gives me a faux-horrified expression. “Are you laughing at me, darling? Most would be too scared to do that.” His voice is dark, full of promises that his words are true.
“Why is that?” I ask.
He leans forward, turning the volume down to almost a whisper.
“I’m a powerful man.” He shrugs his shoulders, like it doesn’t mean anything more than that, but there is something he isn’t telling me. I can feel it.
I want to ask why, but the words are stuck. I can see he doesn’t want to delve into that right now, and I can respect that. He will tell me whatever secret he has when he is ready. I have faith in that.
I leaned forward again, turning the volume back up, wanting to stay in the happy bubble we were in before I asked. I don’t regret asking, because there is something I need to know eventually.
I highly doubt his secret could be worse than what the Kings do. I don’t know a lot about them either, or what being in the MC entails, but I hear horror stories around school. I like to think it’s all just gossip, but there has to be a little truth in the words that are whispered in the halls about them.
He glances over at me again, the smile coming back to his face as we sing along. The chorus picks back up again, and we launch into a who-can-sing-louder contest. I like to think I am winning, but that might just be some pride peeking through.
Dante is officially winning our contest as I descend into a fit of giggles as he dances to the lyrics. He looks so childlike and carefree. I feel like he doesn’t get to be like this often. His movements are a little clunky, like he isn’t sure what to do with his body. But that doesn’t matter to me. Seeing him be the man he wants to be is all that matters.
I haven’t been paying attention to where we are going, trusting Dante to take us to wherever he wants. He said he had somewhere he wanted to show me, and the anticipation of that was killing me.
Dante hits a high note again, this time his voice holding strong. The note sounded like silk against my skin. Maybe there is a secret singer in him.
As the guitar solo plays, we are both laughing like we have never laughed before. I wonder if he feels the same way I do. Like he has always been judged in life, and this is the first time he can just be him. The thought that he could understand that struggle saddens me. I know how much it sucks and to even think he would be in the same boat is painful.
What is going on in his life if he feels the same way I do?
That’s the million-dollar question that won’t be answered until he wants to.
I tucked that thought away for later as we belt out the last few lines together. I try to hit a high note, but it sounds more like a seagull squawking more than anything else. Dante laughs at my attempt. I instantly halt as the sound reaches my ears. It’s the most incredible sound I have ever heard, making me want to try and hit another high note just to get him to laugh again.
I try again, resulting in the same seagull-like noise that makes Dante laugh even harder this time. He hits the next high with perfect pitch that astounds me.
The song slowly starts to fade out, and both of us are panting from singing so hard. I didn’t even notice that the car was parked outside of a massive gate, but that’s not what mattered to me right now. There is only one thing I want.
I lean across the center console and take what I want. My lips press against his, needing to connect with him. His strong, muscled arms wrapped around me, holding me close so I can’t escape. Not that I wanted to. His lips dance with mine in perfect synchronization, like we have been doing this for years. One of his hands glided up my back and into my hair, gripping it tight, moving me to where he wants me. A soft moan leaves my lips, loving how he is controlling me.
Dante growls back. The sound sending waves through my body straight to my pussy. I wish I could straddle him right now, but the car doesn’t leave enough space for that. I take my hand, place it on his knee, gliding it up until I feel the very large, hard bulge in his pants. I start stroking him through his pants, loving the feeling of it twitching against my palm. I glide my hand up higher, wanting to undo his belt and take his pants off. Before I can reach the buckle, his hand shoots down, grabbing mine.
“You have no idea how much I want you to continue what you are doing, but if you don’t, I am going to fuck you in this car and that’s not how I want out first time to be.”
“Probably a good idea not to lose my virginity in the back seat of a car,” I say and instantly regret it. Why did I tell him I’m a virgin?
Dante pulls back from me, looking deep into my eyes for the truth in my words. I groan as I try to hide my face, knowing it’s a bright shade of red right now. Dante grabs my hands, slowly peeling them away from my face. I don’t know what I expected to see on his face, but I was greeted with the kindest face I could have imagined.
“Don’t be embarrassed, darling.” He starts.
I bite my bottom lip, trying hard not to be, but the feeling isn’t going away. I can feel my cheeks redden the more he looks at me. I want to pull away, but he grips the back of my neck, holding me close to him.
“I mean it, . Don’t be embarrassed that you’re a virgin. At least your first experience will be better than mine was.” Dante’s voice is quiet while saying the last sentence, like he wishes he didn’t say it, or I didn’t hear.
“Can I ask?”
Dante sighs before pulling away from me. He nervously runs his hand through his dark, black hair. “My first time isn’t something I am proud of. I was 16,” He starts, but before he can finish his sentence, his phone starts ringing.
Dante curses under his breath before answering it. I listen as he rambles off some Italian to whoever is on the other line. His voice is dark, powerful, dominant, and beyond sexy. Listening to him speak in Italian is sending more shivers down my spine to my core.
The more Dante listens to whoever, the more rigid his body gets. Something is wrong, that much is for sure. He replies one last time before hanging up the call and tossing his phone in the cup holder.
“Do you mind if we make a pitstop?”
“Whatever you need to do.” I smile.
Dante turns the car around and drives back into the city. The air is thick with the tension that is radiating from him. I reach my hand over, grabbing his, hoping to give some small semblance of comfort. Dante doesn’t look at me, but he grips my hand, holding it tight. I see the corner of his lip curve into a small smile, making me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
I don’t know Richmond well, at all, but I start to recognize the street leading to The Den. Dante parks his car in front of the entrance. Before we could undo our seatbelts, two valets rushed over to open our doors. Dante got out first. I sit, watching as he runs around the car to my side. He presents his hand for me to grab. I took his hand in mine and step out of his car. Without looking, or caring, he tosses the keys to one of the valet drivers before wrapping his arm around my waist and leading me inside.
As soon as we enter the restaurant, the room goes silent. The workers all bowing their heads to Dante. A group of seven men is sitting at the back of the restaurant. All of whom are wearing suits that look like they cost more than my car.
The men seem to range from the age of mid-thirties to their late fifties. All of whom are giving varying looks of confusion. Yeah, I know. I don’t belong here, but take that up with your boss. He is the one who dragged me here to this…meeting of some sort.
Not wanting to intrude, I try to walk over to the bar to give Dante some space, but he holds me tighter and steers me over to the back table. I want to protest. To say that I am fine by myself until he is done, but one look at Dante’s stony face, it’s not a battle I would win.
All the men stand, bowing their heads until Dante acknowledged them. They all sit, and Dante takes the last seat. I awkwardly stand beside him, not knowing what I should do. Dante’s hand glides from my waist to my back, slowly rubbing small, comforting circles. He doesn’t look at me, just waits for someone to say something.
A man in his mid-fifties is the first to speak. His dark brown hair is shaved short on the sides and a little longer on top. His deep green eyes keep glancing at me out of the corner of them, but his attention never leaves Dante. It feels like he is assessing me, judging me, but not in a bad way. Almost like he wants to see if I am good enough for Dante.
He is speaking Italian, so I don’t understand a word of what is being said. I keep my eyes down, sensing I am in a room full of powerful men. This seems like the time it would be better to seem like a submissive girl than to possibly step out of line and deal with those consequences.
"Il furgone oscurato è stato avvistato di nuovo la scorsa notte”. The older man says.
"Qualcun altro è scomparso?"Dante replies.
" Nessuno di cui siamo a conoscenza. Ti terremo aggiornato.”
Dante nods his head, agreeing with whatever was spoken between them. More is said as the other six men sitting around the table don’t say anything, just listening and taking everything in. All but the man to my right. I can feel his creepy gaze skittering across my skin, making me want to retch. I ignore him as best as I can, waiting for Dante to finish the meeting.
Dante says one last thing, making all but the creep beside me nod and get up from their chairs. The man on Dante’s left starts saying something to him, pulling his attention- and his hand- off me.
“How much for an hour of your time?” The creep leans in close to me, whispering in my ear, his hand squeezing my hip.
I take in the man before me. It must be in his fifties or sixties. His bald head is pale. His stomach is round from years of eating whatever he wants. Yellowing teeth from smoking too much. The scent of strong liquor on his breath made me want to gag.
I open my mouth about to say something when his hand glides from my hip to my ass, squeezing it hard. A yelp leaves my lips before I can register it happening. The men around us go silent.
I don’t think, just react. I cock my fist back and punch the man in the nose. His hand instantly drops and clenches his nose as he curses in Italian. I shake my hand out, pain radiating through it. That was the first time I have ever punched someone, and man, did that feel amazing.
Dante grabs my arm, pulling me behind him before taking out a gun I didn’t know he had and shooting the man between the eyes. I scream, cowering away from the gun.
Flashbacks of the night not even a week ago play on repeat in my head. The stalker pointed his gun at me. Him firing it and the immense pain I felt as the bullet tore through my skin.
Commotion starts around me, but I don’t even notice it. My vision starts to tunnel, and then everything goes black. Fear and pain are the only things registering.