4. Dante
4
DANTE
M y heart is heavy with thoughts of Chiara as I pull up to the estate. The guard at the gate nods as I pass through, but I barely notice. My mind is too full of her—her smile, her laugh, the way she fits perfectly in my arms.
As I drive up the long, winding driveway, the Marino estate comes into view. It’s as beautiful as ever, the sprawling mansion a testament to power and wealth. Sunlight glints off the windows, and the manicured lawns stretch out in every direction.
This place has always been home to me. I’ve grown up here, played here, fallen in love here. But as I park the car and step out, a sharp pain lances through my chest. Because I know that soon, this won’t be home anymore. Not once Chiara is married off to some stranger who could never love her the way I do.
I close my eyes for a moment, trying to steady myself. The thought of losing her is like a physical ache, a constant, gnawing pain that threatens to consume me. How am I supposed to let her go? How can I watch her pledge her life to someone else when she holds my entire heart in her hands?
Every step feels heavier than the last as I walk toward the compound where some of the Marino men live. I’m here for a quick lunch before I have to head over to town and collect the protection dues from Tony’s Deli and The Rolling Scone bakery.
Come to think of it, Dad told me earlier that Maria—the owner of The Rolling Scone—didn’t have the full amount when he dropped by a few days ago.
Guess it’ll be double for her, then.
But I push those thoughts aside as I open the door and step inside. Food is the last thing on my mind. All I can think about is Chiara and the impossible situation we’re in.
The compound is a modest four-bedroom house that serves as our living quarters. The silence envelopes me as I enter, a stark contrast to the turmoil in my mind. I know Sal, Leo, and Johnny are out on their assignments—Sal at one of the Marino casinos, while Leo and Johnny are gathering dirt on the governor at our nightclub.
It’s just me here, alone with my thoughts.
Or so I think.
As I move down the hallway toward my room, a sound catches my attention. It’s faint at first, barely audible, but as I draw closer to my door, it becomes clearer. A soft, muffled crying.
My heart races as I reach for my gun, drawing it smoothly from its holster. Who the hell could be in my room? Is it a trap? An ambush? There’s no fucking way anyone could have gotten through the gates. Don Marino reinforced them after Rork O’Malley and his Irish Mob stormed through them last year to get Bianca back.
With my weapon at the ready, I push the door open quickly, prepared for anything.
Except for what I actually see.
There, curled up on my bed, her face buried in my pillow, is Chiara. Her body shakes with quiet sobs, her dark hair splayed out around her like a halo.
Relief floods through me as I see it’s only Chiara. I lower my gun quickly, my heart still pounding from the adrenaline rush.
“Jesus, Chiara, you scared the shit out of me. I thought someone had broken in!” I exclaim, holstering my weapon.
But my words only seem to make her cry harder, her body shaking with sobs. A pang of guilt and worry shoots through me. She must have snuck in again—a dangerous habit that could ruin her reputation if anyone ever caught her. But right now, that’s the least of my concerns.
I rush to her side, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her face is streaked with tears, her eyes red and puffy. She looks utterly devastated, and my mind immediately jumps to the worst possible scenario.
“Chiarina,” I say softly, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “Is your father okay?”
She looks up at me, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks, and I feel my heart breaking at the pain in her eyes. Whatever has happened, it’s clear that my world is about to be turned upside down.
I pull her into my arms, holding her close as she continues to cry. “Shh, it’s okay,” I murmur, even though I know it’s not. “I’m here. Just tell me what’s wrong.”
“My father’s fine,” Chiara chokes out between sobs, “but my life is ruined, Dante.”
My heart clenches at her words. “What do you mean? What happened?”
She pulls back slightly, her tear-filled eyes meeting mine. “H–he called me into his office today,” she whimpers, and my blood turns to ice in my veins.
If Don Marino has called Chiara into his office, that means…
“He’s promised me to some Russian who lives in the neighboring town. I’m supposed to marry him, Dante. I don’t even know him!”
A surge of anger rises within me, which is a rare sensation that threatens to overwhelm my usually level-headed demeanor. “What did you tell him, Chiara? Did you tell him you don’t want this?”
Chiara nods, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “I tried , Dante. I begged him to reconsider, but he wouldn’t listen. He said it’s for the good of the family, that I have to do my duty.”
My jaw clenches, fury building inside me. I’ve always been loyal to Don Marino and dedicated to the family, but this… this is too much. “And he just ignored your wishes? Just like that?”
“He got so angry when I tried to argue,” Chiara whispers, her voice trembling. “I’ve never seen him like that before. He scared me, Dante.”
I pull her close again, my arms tightening around her as if I could shield her from the world. “I’m so sorry, Chiara. I’m so, so sorry.”
My mind races. How could Don Marino do this to his own daughter? I don’t understand his obsession with marrying his daughters off. Dad told me that the Boss wants to do so to protect his daughters, but it doesn’t make any sense. He’s married two of them off to powerful families. Isn’t that protection enough?
“I don’t know what to do,” Chiara sobs into my chest. “I can’t marry him, Dante. I can’t .”
I stroke her hair gently, my heart breaking at her distress. “It’s going to be okay,” I promise, even though I have no idea how to fix this. “We’ll think of something, just like we did last year by the fountain, remember?”
Chiara looks up at me, her eyes still glistening with tears. “Dante, do you love me?”
“Of course I do,” I say without hesitation. “Loving you is as easy as breathing.”
She takes a deep breath, her gaze intensifying. “Then I need you to say yes to something. I have a plan to get out of this.”
A knot forms in my stomach. Whatever she has thought of, it can’t be good. “What kind of plan?”
“We should run away together and elope,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m nineteen. I’m old enough to get married, and I only want you, Dante. If we’re already married, my father will have no choice but to accept it.”
Horror washes over me as I process her words. “Chiarina, no. We can’t do that.”
Her face falls. “Why not? Don’t you want to be with me?”
“Of course I do,” I say, taking her hands in mine, “But your father… Chiara, he’s the most powerful Mafia Boss around. Don’t you see what would happen? He’d hunt us down, Chiara. He’d find a way to get rid of me, pay off whatever registrar married us, and still force you to marry the Russian.”
Chiara scowls, her chin jutting out stubbornly. “Papa didn’t get rid of Rork when he married Bianca.”
“Your father had no choice but to let Rork marry Bianca,” I point out, remembering how Don Marino raged for days after Bianca was forced to marry the Irish boss. “He had proclaimed that anyone who won the tournament would win Bianca’s hand.”
“Papa let Bianca stay married to Rork even after he brought Bianca back home!” Chiara argues, her voice rising.
I close my eyes. Chiara can’t be this willfully obtuse.
“Chiarina, Rork was bringing the whole goddamn Irish Mob to your doorstep! These are two entirely separate situations. Rork O’Malley was willing to burn this entire estate down to get Bianca back. He’s a powerful Boss in his own right. Your father had no choice but to accept their marriage—especially once Bianca said she was pregnant.”
I take Chiara’s face between my hands and wipe away her tears with the pads of my thumbs. “I don’t have that type of security, that importance. Your father could get rid of me easily.”
Her hazel eyes widen with fear. “But… but he wouldn’t…”
“He would,” I say grimly. “Your father isn’t someone to be trifled with. We can’t just run away and expect everything to work out.”
Tears start to fall from her eyes again. “Then what are we supposed to do? I can’t marry that Russian, Dante. I can’t .”
I pull her close again, my mind racing. “We’ll find another way,” I promise, running my hands through her silken hair.
But I don’t have any idea what that way might be. “We’ll find something that won’t put us in danger or make your father our enemy.”
As I hold her, I can feel her trembling. The weight of our situation presses down on us both, and for the first time, I truly understand the danger we’re in. We’re not just fighting for our love anymore—we’re fighting against one of the most powerful men in the country.
And I have no idea how we’re going to win.
Cupping Chiara’s face in my hands again, I wipe away any last remaining tears. She tips her chin up, and our eyes meet. In that moment, all the fear and uncertainty melt away. I lean in, pressing my lips to hers in a tender, bittersweet kiss.
The taste of her tears mingles with the softness of her lips, and I pour all my love and devotion into this one gesture. It’s a promise—a vow that no matter what comes, we’ll face it together.
As we part, I rest my forehead against hers, our breaths mingling. “I love you, Chiarina,” I whisper. “We’ll figure this out, I swear it.”
She nods. “I love you too, Dante. More than anything.”
My heart aches for her, for us, for the uncertainty that looms over our future. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?” I ask, my thumb brushing over her cheek.
Her eyes, still glistening with unshed tears, meet mine with a sudden intensity. “Yes,” she says, her voice firmer now. “Make love to me.”
The raw vulnerability in her request stirs something deep within me. I don’t need to be asked twice. I lean in, capturing her lips in a kiss that quickly deepens, our need for each other eclipsing everything else. She moves, climbing onto my lap and straddling me, her warmth pressing against me.
The world outside may be chaos, but here, in this moment, we have each other. And for now, that has to be enough.