30. Dante
DANTE
Idon’t know how much time has passed since I started watching the stationary blinking tracker dot on my screen, but my attention is piqued when I see it moving again, which means Rose is moving again. The real question is, where is she going?
After several minutes of driving, I notice that, based on the direction she is heading, there are only two places she could be going: the motel or back to my house.
I can’t fathom her coming back here tonight after the way I treated her, but I can’t believe she would consider going back to that motel after what happened the last time she stayed there.
Maybe this is my opportunity to call her and ask her to come back so we can talk.
Pulling up the live video feed inside Rose’s vehicle, my decision is made.
The tracker has stopped outside the entrance to my estate, and I can see her looking at the phone in her hand, biting her bottom lip and looking nervous.
She came back. She came back to me. Why isn’t she driving in?
Decision made. I will make this easy on her since I am the one who caused her to leave in the first place. I will call and ask her to come back.
I mute the video feed, pull out my phone, and dial her number. I watch her as she sees my name flash on her phone screen and she almost jumps when the phone vibrates like she forgot she was holding it. Come on, Belladonna, answer it.
“Hello?” Her voice immediately soothes my nerves and eases the panic I didn’t know was steadily rising with the distance between us. “Dante? Are you there?” Shit, how long have I been sitting here in silence staring at her on my screen?
“Rose.” Not the best opening line of an apology, but at least I said something.
“Is everything okay? It’s late. I figured you’d be asleep by now.”
“I couldn’t sleep after the way I spoke to you. What are you doing awake?”
“Oh, um, I went to the diner for some coffee after I left your place. I’m…um…I was going to head back to the city for the night, so I just needed some caffeine for the drive.”
“No.”
“No, what?”
“You’re not going back to the city this late at night. It’s not safe, and you’ve been drinking.”
“Two glasses of wine over an hour ago is hardly going to affect my ability to drive safely.”
“The answer is no, Rose.”
“I don’t recall asking you for permission, Dante.” Her response comes out almost like an insult. I am fucking this up again. “Did you just call to scold me like a child, or did you actually have something to say? It’s late, and I’m tired.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For?”
“For tonight.”
“Which part?”
She’s not going to make this easy on me.
“For kissing you and then yelling at you. It was unprofessional, and I crossed a line. It was a mistake.” I’m not sorry for kissing her, just yelling at her after.
It was the best kiss of my entire existence, and I want nothing more than to do it again and as often as possible.
But the lines of this job have already been blurred, and I can’t afford to get in any deeper with this amazing, brilliant woman, so I will just have to add to the pile of lies I’m telling her.
“Oh. Okay.” I can see her biting her lip again on the video feed like that wasn’t what she was expecting me to say, or maybe that she is disappointed I said it.
“Does that mean you accept my apology, Rose?”
“Yes, of course. This relationship needs to remain professional, and what happened can’t happen again. I appreciate the call, Dante, but this really could’ve waited until the morning. Like I said before, I need to get on the road, so if there isn’t anything else, I’d better go.”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t drive back to the city. I would feel responsible if something happened to you.”
“Well, I didn’t book a room in town, so I don’t have any other options.”
“Stay with me. The guest room is still set up for you.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Dante.”
“Please.” I don’t know if I’ve ever said please in my life, but at this point, I’m not opposed to getting on my knees and begging this woman to stay.
I feel a tether to her, and the farther away she is, the tighter I feel the pull toward her, like a rubber band stretched too far that might snap and break at any moment.
“Please, huh?” Now I can hear the humor in her voice and see the smirk taking over her face. She’s enjoying this, and I can tell. I’m not above letting her feel like she has the upper hand here, especially if it means she stays in my house, near me.
“Well, is that a yes?”
“Hmm, under one condition.”
“You and your conditions. Name it.” I would do anything for her at this point. Literally anything. Shit, that's a scary thought.
“You let me pay for staying. Call it rent or something.”
“Out of the question, Rose.”
“Then the answer is no.” God, this woman is determined to push every one of my buttons.
“Counteroffer.” Think, Dante.
“I’m listening.” I can tell from her tone she is enjoying this back-and-forth. My girl loves to negotiate. My girl? My girl. That’s what she is, isn’t it? I’ll have to unpack that epiphany after I get her safely under my roof, but I need to focus right now.
“You can make dinner tomorrow night.”
“Ha! I don’t think that is the benefit you think it is. I would likely end up poisoning you by mistake. I do not cook.”
“Just stay tonight, and we can figure out some other trade in the morning. Please, Rose.” There’s that please word again. This woman has really messed with my head, but I don’t think I’d have it any other way.
“Fine. But only because it’s late and I’m exhausted. We will be discussing the terms of this agreement in the morning, though.”
“Whatever you say. When will you get here? I can make sure I’m up to let you in.” Let’s see how she handles that question since I know she is right outside the gates.
“Oh, um, I’m actually pretty close. I’ve been driving since we were talking, so I should get there in a few minutes. No need to stay up, though. I can just use my key I had made for deliveries and let myself in.”
Watching her in the surveillance video and hearing her lie makes me smile as I watch her fidget. Fine, Rose. I will play along.
“Okay, then I guess I will see you in the morning.”
“Yes, that sounds good.”
“Good night, Rose.”
“Good night, Dante.”
I wait for her to hang up, then switch the audio back on. Rose has her forehead leaning against the steering wheel, but she lets out a loud sigh without lifting her head. Sitting up straight and looking out the windshield, she speaks to herself in the silence of the car.
“Pull it together, Ro. He is your client. He regrets kissing you and said it won’t happen again.
Now pull yourself together and get inside and get some sleep.
Tomorrow you will act professional and not like you want him to throw you against the nearest surface and do unthinkable things to you. Gah! Stop! Focus. Sleep and then work.”
With a nod of her head, it seems her monologue has given her the peace she needs for the night, but as she goes to put her car in Drive, I can see her hesitate. Come on, Rose, put it in Drive and get in here. With another deep breath, she puts her car in Drive and begins down my winding driveway.
I switch surveillance screens to watch her through my exterior cameras.
As soon as she is parked and walking up the front steps, I switch to my interior feeds.
There she is, tesoro mio. I wait until she is safely in the guest room and engage the additional electronic locks and security system on the entire property just to be safe.
I need to try to get some sleep tonight, if possible, and having her in my house seems to release some of the tension I’ve been holding since she walked out the front door.
Knowing she is safe for the night, I click off my monitors and make my way to the couch, knowing my dreams will be plagued with memories of that kiss, and I fight the urge to watch her sleep.