77. Dante
DANTE
Igently wake Rose up when we are a few blocks from Angelo’s house. Thankfully, she slept the entire drive. I pull into the alley nearby and into my designated parking space, hidden from the street.
“Rose, before we go inside, I need to know where your head is at with everything.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is, do you want to run? We can go right now, far away. No one would ever be able to find us. We could live our lives away from all of this.” I’m holding my breath, waiting for her response, but she remains silent, looking down at her hands clasped in her lap. “Rose?”
“You’re serious, aren’t you? You would disappear with me right now if I wanted to. No questions asked?”
“In a heartbeat.”
“What is my other option?”
I let out a long breath, and my heart sinks slightly. It would be easier if she wanted to leave.
“The other option is we go inside and hear what Angelo and his men have found. But Rose, if you do that, if we do that, then those men become your men. If we go inside, there is no going back to your normal life. There is no escape from this life now that you are a part of it. And not just a part of it, you are the head of it. You will be the new head of the organization.” I’m internally cursing myself for not stealing her away weeks ago to save her from this agony. From having to make this decision.