22. Bianca
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
bianca
“ O kay, yes of course, baby. I’ll see you soon.” I hang up the phone and rush to my room. I frantically clean up so Dante doesn’t immediately leave when he realizes I’m not tidy little housewife material. He probably understands that but shit, I can try.
I toss the dirty clothes in the washer, fluff the pillows, tuck the comforter and then do a quick once-over on the room and bathroom. Just as I start to break a sweat the buzzer rings and I run to the door. Before opening it, I fix my hair, push up my tits and take a breath.
“Who is it?” Dmitri yells from the kitchen.
“A friend of mine. It’s okay, D, I’ll be in my room, don’t worry.”
“Yeah, friend , okay.” He laughs, audibly chewing what sounds like a mouthful of food.
I open the door.
“We have to stop meeting like this.” He says, leaning against the door frame.
Fuck he looks good.
“I just can’t help myself. This was all part of my plan to get you here alone.” I say, sounding seductive and mischievous.
“Please, come in!” I yip, opening the door wider so he can enter.
When he crosses the threshold he plants a big kiss on my lips and I nearly faint at his touch.
“You know what. I have a bad idea. Do you trust me?” I ask as I pull back, wiping the lip gloss from his lips.
He smiles, confused but accepting.
I pull his hand as we head into the kitchenette. Maybe if Gio won’t accept us, I can show him that Dmitri will.
“Dmitri, this is my boyfri… uh… boyfriend?” I say, questioning the word. I look at Dante.
“Hi, I’m Dante. Bianca’s boyfriend.” He says, reaching out to shake hands.
“Uh, hey man what’s up?” Dmitri responds, shaking his hand.
“This is really weird, right? Trust me, I think we are all feeling it.” Dante adds.
I felt so much better that he acknowledged how awful this was all going and lightened the mood. We all giggle at his comment.
“Welp. We will be in my room, so.” I grab Dante’s hand and pull him to follow me. That was enough of the family values for now.
We head back to my room and I sit on the bed. I scoot back, leaning against the headboard. Dante drops his duffel bag on the floor and and starts to crawl on his hands and knees to me on the bed. He climbs over me, his body between my legs. He slides up and starts to kiss me.
“Okay, wait, stop.” I pull away from him.
“Look I just want you to be sure. Gio was… Dante, has he ever talked to you about his feelings toward you?” I ask.
“What do you mean? I guess we both love each other and would take a bullet for each other but I think most brothers would say stuff like that.” He sits back on his heels.
“No, I think there’s something else going on. I usually have a good sense for this stuff. I studied human behavior and I can tell when someone is lying. I can read body language better than most people can read a book, and I can tell you right now, there’s more to it.” I begrudgingly continue.
“So what are you telling me?” He asks, his interest and concern both rising by the second.
“I… I think he is in love with you. I think he wants to be with you… ya know, like, romantically.” I cringe as the words leave my lips.
“What?!” He laughs, breaking all the tension in his face. “That’s completely absurd, B. He’s my brother.”
“Well, not by blood or anything. Probably not even legally, right? You don’t have the same last name and even so, biologically, siblings are drawn to each other. It’s normal for siblings to have thoughts like this even if they are blood related. So it’s not the most absurd thing to think…”
“Bianca, there’s… Oh my god. I think you might be… right.” He says slowly, his whole face flushing of all its color as the thought provokes some kind of reaction.
“Oh my god.” He repeats, dropping his face into his hands.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things weird. I just saw when he came here and the way he was reacting. It wasn’t just a protective brother; it was jealousy, “ I added softly.
“There was this moment in the shower yesterday when he was asking…”
“Wait, in the shower as in, you were in the shower together?” I question, immediately judging him but trying not to.
“Okay, I know how this sounds. But my bathroom is having work done and we have shared everything since we were kids. I mean, we’ve been in threesomes and orgy stuff so being naked together isn’t weird. Fuck, okay I know it’s weird but it’s not for us. Well, now I think it’s weird. Fuck. What is happening to me?” He starts to get frantic.
“Dante. It’s okay. I’m not judging you, I want you to be able to tell me anything. I swear.”
I reach out and grab his hand but he pulls away.
“I shouldn’t have come here. I’m sorry, I should have… I just have to go.” He says, jumping up from the bed and grabbing his bag. Before I can even get up, he is nearly running out the door.
“Dante!” I yell, trying to chase after him. I get to the front door as he is flying down the steps. I yell again, “Dante, please!” but he keeps going.
“God, Bianca you fucking idiot. Why do you open your big mouth?” I mutter under my breath before walking back inside.
I immediately send a text, then two, then three but hear nothing back. I may have ruined something incredible before it even started. This thing is just getting messier and I start to doubt if it’s something we should push. Gio may be right.
Maybe we are all better off keeping to our sides of this shitstorm of a life we share.
Maybe we are all meant to die alone, following the orders of calloused men.
Maybe that is all I’ve ever been destined for.