6. Dante
6
DANTE
F uck. I’ve fucked up.
The hurt and betrayal in her eyes cut deeper than any knife ever could.
“Chiara, no,” I say quickly, reaching for her hands. She flinches away, and I can feel my heart breaking. “That’s not what I meant at all.”
I can see the pain etched on her face, the fear that I might actually let her go. The conflict raging inside me is tearing me apart. Loyalty has been drilled into me since birth, a cornerstone of everything I am. Even this secret relationship with Chiara goes against everything I’ve been taught.
But I couldn’t resist her. From the moment I realized she felt the same way, I was lost.
“Listen to me,” I say, my voice low and urgent. “I won’t watch you marry another man. I couldn’t bear the thought of someone else having you.”
I pull Chiara close, my arms wrapping around her tightly. “I’m not giving you up,” I murmur into her hair. “You’re mine, and I’m yours. I don’t know how or why, but I know we were meant for each other. I’ll do everything in my power to be with you.”
Taking a deep breath, I steel myself for what I’m about to say next. “I want to speak to your father myself. I’ll tell him that I’m in love with you and that I intend to marry you.”
Chiara’s eyes widen with fear. She pulls back slightly, shaking her head. “No, Dante, you can’t!”
What? She was just trying to get me to run away with her and now she won’t let me do the honorable thing and speak to her father? “Why not?”
“I already tried to suggest it,” she explains, biting her lip. “And he… he objected. Adamantly.”
My heart sinks. “What do you mean?”
She twists her hands nervously, hesitating before speaking, and I can feel a weight settle deep in my stomach. “He said… he said it was impossible because of your… your inferior birth.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. I feel a sharp pain in my chest, and I can’t help but flinch. “Inferior birth?” I repeat.
A burning anger rises within me. Inferior birth? Is Don Marino fucking kidding? My hands clench into fists, and I have to take a deep breath to keep from lashing out.
“So, what? Just because I wasn’t born with a goddamn silver spoon in my mouth, I’m not good enough for you?” I spit out, my voice low and bitter. “Most fathers would want their daughters to marry men who are hardworking, successful, and love their daughter more than anything. But your father doesn’t seem to give a shit about any of that, does he? As long as the guy comes from the right social class and has billions in the bank, that’s all that matters? Who gives a shit if he treats you well, right?”
I can see the regret in Chiara’s eyes as soon as the words leave her mouth, but it does little to quell the rage building inside me. For the first time in my life, I feel a spark of hatred toward Don Marino. It’s a dangerous feeling, one that could get me killed if anyone ever found out, and I struggle to keep it hidden.
“Dante, I’m so sorry,” Chiara whispers, reaching for me. “I shouldn’t have said it like that.”
I shake my head, leaning back from her touch. Getting up, I quickly put on my boxers and shove my pants back on. “No, you’re right. That’s exactly how he sees me, isn’t it? Like some kind of indentured servant. Good enough to risk my life for the family , but not good enough to actually be part of it.”
The bitterness in my voice surprises even me. I’ve always been loyal, always believed in the family and my place in it. But now? Now, I’m not so sure.
“Is that all I am to him? To any of them?” I continue, unable to stop the words from pouring out. “Just another expendable soldier, good for following orders but not for loving his daughter?”
Chiara’s eyes fill with tears. “No, Dante, that’s not true. You’re so much more than that.”
But even as she says it, I can’t help but wonder if she’s right. “If all my years of loyalty and dedication mean nothing in the face of my ‘inferior birth’…”
The anger continues to simmer inside me, a dangerous, unfamiliar feeling. I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve never questioned my place or my loyalty. But now? Now, everything I thought I knew is being turned upside down.
And I’m not sure I like what I’m seeing.
Chiara lunges forward and grabs my hand, tugging me back toward her. “No, Dante, you don’t understand?—”
“What exactly did he say, Chiara?” I ask softly, dangerously. “Help me understand.”
She swallows, suddenly looking nervous as her hazel eyes dart about the room. “He–he said, ‘if you were to marry someone like Dante, you’d be serving as his social ladder.’ He–he said that you would be using me for my family name and connections.”
But her words only fan the flames of my anger.
“Wait, he thinks I’d use you as a social ladder ?” I growl, my voice dangerously low. “That I’m after your family name and connections?”
I can see Chiara flinch at my tone, but I can’t stop the fury from pouring out. “Is that really what your father thinks of me? After everything I’ve done for this family?”
I wrench my hand out of Chiara’s as I pace my bedroom. My hands are shaking now, and I clench them into fists to try and regain control. “I’ve worked my ass off to prove my worth. Every single fucking day, I put my life on the line for your family. And for what? To be told I’m not good enough because I wasn’t born into the right family?”
The injustice of it all hits me like a physical blow. “My father is the most powerful man in Don Marino’s ranks besides the Don himself. How the hell am I still considered inferior?”
Chiara reaches out to me again, her eyes pleading. “Dante, please. I don’t think that way. My father?—”
“Your father is wrong ,” I cut her off, my voice hard as I bend down to pick up my shirt. “I’ve never wanted to use you, Chiara. I love you for who you are, not for your family name or your connections. How dare he suggest otherwise?”
Shrugging on my shirt, I quickly button it up before I start pacing again, unable to contain my restless energy. “I’ve dedicated my life to this family, risked everything for them. And this is how I’m repaid? By being told I’m not good enough to love you?”
The bitterness in my voice surprises even me.
Chiara’s eyes flash with sudden anger, her voice rising to match mine. “Goddammit, Dante! I could care less about your rank or your father’s! Don’t you understand?”
Her outburst stuns me into silence, and she presses on, her words tumbling out in a passionate rush.
“I would want to be with you even if you were an orphaned street urchin! I’m in love with you, you stubborn idiot!” She’s trembling now, her fists clenched at her sides. “I don’t agree with my father’s opinion, but that doesn’t change it!”
The raw emotion in her voice cuts through my anger, leaving me feeling hollow and lost. “Then what are we supposed to do, Chiara?” I ask, frustration coloring my words. “If I refuse to run away with you, and you won’t let me talk to your father, how are we going to handle this?”
There’s a beat of silence before Chiara takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She stands from the bed and gathers her clothes. When she speaks again, her voice is softer, pleading. “Just… give me time, Dante. Please. I need to figure out the right thing to do.”
I can see the conflict in her eyes, the pain etched on her face. “My father is so sick,” she continues, her voice breaking. “This last setback nearly killed him. I don’t want to have a falling out with my family now. And I… I don’t want to drive him toward an earlier grave, either.”
The weight of her words hangs heavily in the air between us as she wraps her arms around herself. I feel my anger deflating, replaced by a deep, aching sadness.
“Chiara,” I say softly, reaching for her hand. “I don’t want to hurt your family. You know that. But I can’t just stand by and watch you be married off to someone else.”
She squeezes my hand, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I know, Dante. I know. Just… please, give me some time. We’ll figure this out together, I promise.”
As I look into her eyes, I see the same love and determination that I feel. Despite the obstacles in our way, we’re in this together.
“Okay,” I whisper, pulling her close and kissing her temple. “We’ll do it your way. For now.”
The tension seems to slowly drain from the both of us. The room, which moments ago was charged with anger and frustration, now feels heavy with the weight of our shared burden.
My phone suddenly pings, and I glance at my watch and sigh, reluctantly pulling away from Chiara. “I hate to say this, but I’ve got to go. There are some matters in town I can’t be late for.”
Like making sure Maria knows she owes the Marino family money. Although, I’m not sure why I care so much about getting this job done, especially knowing that Don Marino considers me to be a gold digger and only looking out for myself.
I would die for Chiara.
I lean in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. As we part, I fix her with a stern look, though I can’t keep the hint of amusement from my voice. “And you need to stop sneaking into my room like this. One of these days, you’re going to get caught, and then we’ll really be in trouble. You know if Sal catches you, it’s game over. The man can’t keep his mouth shut to save his life.”
Chiara rolls her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the tension of our earlier conversation. “Please, I’m far too sneaky for that. The boys will never catch me.”
“Don’t tempt fate,” I warn, but I can’t help chuckling. “Seriously, though. Be careful, okay?”
She nods, her expression sobering. “I will. You be careful too, Dante.”
Chiara dresses quickly and with a last, lingering look at me, she slips out of my room, her movements as graceful and stealthy as a cat. But as the door closes behind her, a horrible sinking feeling settles in my gut. A voice in the back of my head whispers that I might have just unwittingly let the love of my life slip through my fingers.
I shake my head, trying to dismiss the thought. We’ll figure this out. We have to.
But as I grab my jacket and prepare to leave, I can’t shake the nagging fear that our time might be running out faster than we realize.