19. Bianca
CHAPTER NINETEEN
bianca
N ever in my entire life did I think I would be here. In the arms of an enemy, declaring my love for him. In his house, under the nose of his father, my father’s rival. Fucking hell.
This man—this beautiful, powerful, passionate, kind-hearted man—I really do think I love him. I never knew a man capable of the horrible things we are both capable of would be so kind, but then again, here I am nearly crying at his dead mom’s sonnet.
“Dante do you want to talk to Gio? Do you want to try to start there?”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. I mean, he’s going to find out soon but…”
“But what? I know I can convince Dmitri to get over it but Gio would be a good test run for us, right?” I plead, grabbing both of his hands and pulling them to my chest. I give him my biggest, saddest puppy-dog eyes.
“Fine, but we have to do it on my terms, understand? You have to listen to what I tell you and react how I tell you. It’s important.”
I nod, accepting his terms.
“Okay then, what do we need to do?” I ask, trying to mask the excitement in my voice.
“I need you to stay in here. Let me talk to him first.”
I frown but agree.
“How about I head back and talk to Dmitri, and you can handle Gio alone? Then you can take me to dinner, and we can maybe sleep together through the night like normal people, huh?” I ask.
“Okay but I need you to wait for my text before you come back okay? I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Okay that sounds like a plan.” I lean up and kiss his cheek before gathering my things. I basically levitate to my car. Knowing we are one step closer to having a real relationship had me squealing inside.
I rush home, stopping to pick up some tequila to butter my brother up before I tell him about Dante.
“Dmitri are you up?” I yell as I come in and set down my things on the counter.
“Tri? Hello?” I continue, finding him still on the couch.
I plop down next to him and he sits up to rub his eyes.
“Jesus, Bianca. What’s your malfunction?” He responds.
“I need to talk to you, twin to twin. I just need you to keep an open mind okay?” I preface.
“What the hell do you mean? What did you do?” He asks suspiciously.
I hop up and head back to the kitchenette. I pour two glasses of tequila and return to the couch.
“Here. Just like when we were kids. When we would steal the shitty alcohol from Papa and stay up all night telling each other secrets, do you remember?” I ask, handing him a glass.
“Bianca, it’s like 8 A.M.”
“Well that’s never stopped you before, now has it?” I snark.
“Just drink it, dickhead.” I tip the glass as he sips.
“I’m not going to bullshit you. You’re not going to like what I am about to say. I just want you to remember that I have never once asked anything of you in our thirty years on this Earth. I protect you, care for you, and love you more than anyone, and I have never asked you to do anything for me.”
“Now you’re scaring me, B” He says, taking another sip of his gas station tequila.
“I’m in love, Dmitri. Like, really, truly, fairy tale, happily ever after, hate the people that talk about love, love.”
He nearly shoots tequila from his nose.
“You!?” He huffs. “In love?! Fuck, did hell freeze over? What, does he have a golden cock?”
“Yes, that is exactly it! Fuck you.” I laugh and hit him hard on the arm, forgetting he had the shit beat out of him recently. “Oh, sorry, buddy. I forgot you had the snot kicked out of you.” I brush his arm where I punched.
“It wasn’t something I meant to do. You know I was never looking for something like this. It’s not me. That’s how I know this is right, and this is real. I’ve never felt the way he makes me feel, and I want to be with him. Like really be with him, and in order to do that, I have to tell you, and you have to accept it.”
“Bianca, why would I be anything but happy for you? I love you, and I want you to be happy. Lord knows I’ve put you through hell; I can accept that someone else is making you happy.”
“So here’s the thing… I’m just going to tell you, okay. But you can’t react.” I grab his hand from his lap. “I need you to just be okay with this, okay?”
He nods slowly with furrowed brows, questioning my sanity.
“When you were taken and… questioned. Which, remember I specifically asked you NOT to piss off the Italians but that’s a conversation for another day. Anyway, I was taken by their extractor. I was held in a glass cage but I was taken care of. I was… taken care of by an incredible man that ended up being everything I never knew I needed.”
I look at him and see fire in his eyes but I keep talking.
“His name is Dante. He works for the Moretti’s.” I leave out that he is the son of Rocco and brother to Gio but really it’s not important right now.
“For all intents and purposes, he’s an enemy but I promise you this is something bigger than our family dick measuring contest. Dmitri, do you remember Mama talking about destiny and fate and all the things we thought were crazy? Well, I feel that with him. I feel this pull on my soul when I am with him that is like I am finally doing the right thing.”
He doesn’t say anything and just stares at me.
“And honestly Dmitri I’m a grown ass woman. I’ve done everything I’ve ever been asked, without question and without hesitation. I deserve this, dammit. Fuck. I’m going to keep seeing him regardless, but your support would be appreciated. So now is the Q&A portion. Go.” I sit back, sipping my tequila, ready to get reamed.
“I… well. I can’t… I mean. Bianca, have you really thought this through? Father is going to disown you.”
“Well, father doesn’t need to know right now, right? Right? Father. Doesn’t. Need. To. Know.” I press in with each word.
“This is your funeral and I am just going to keep myself way the fuck out of it. I’m glad you’re happy and all but you really need to get your shit together. And you need to figure out a better way to tell Father than you told me because he won’t be as accepting.”
“I know that. I just need you to be okay with it. So we’re okay then?”
“Not that I have much choice but yeah, B. We will always be fine. I love you. You fucking psycho.” He smiles.
“B.?” He asks. “You know father is a massive piece of shit and you don’t need his permission though, right?”
“Not the point.” I roll my eyes and close my case.
Okay, well, one down. That went better than expected, but it was the easiest on the list. It’s just going to get messier, but more than anything else in the world, I know this is worth it.