Page 53 of Skating Towards Danger

My tears fall, and he wipes them away and admits, “I hated you because I knew I would end it all for you. I knew the moment we locked eyes that you were my one, and I wasn’t ready for you, so I punished you,” he smiles a little, “Only to fall madly in love with you.”

“H-how do I know you’re telling me the truth?” I choke.

I want to believe his words, I do. The fact that he’s mafia isn’t my main problem right now—don’t get me wrong it is high up there, and I know he came to tell me the truth at the rink. I heard his words, I heard him go at my uncle for not telling me, but he made me fall in love with him, and he was only supposed to watch out for me.

How do I know he wants me for me and not because I’m like a job for him.

Giving me a sad smile, he says, “You’re going to hate me for this, and honestly, I’m not going to apologize because it means you're always going to be mine….” I furrow my brows, and he admits, “We’re married Paige,” and my mouth parts in shock because the man has gone crazy.

We never had a wedding…

“The only way for Cartel to leave you alone was for you to be married to a higher-level made man, and what better than the second to the Don, his blood brother? I didn’t hesitate when Dad and Roman brought it up, instead, I signed the license and got you to sign it using Coach as an excuse.”

“Coach wants your autograph.”

His words come back to me and anger shoots through me, and without thinking, I move quickly to punch him in the face, but he sees it coming and grabs my fist before pulling me over his body until I’m straddling him. Then he holds my hands behind my back, and I try my hardest not to melt as we lock eyes, instead I struggle against him.

The ass is looking at me full of love, but it won’t work. He married me, fricking married me!

“There’s my fighter,” he rasps with a smirk, and I struggle against his hold, but he tightens it and murmurs, “I love you, Paige, so fucking much that I was ready to hang up my skates,” I still at his words in shock knowing how much the ice means to him, the game means to him, and we lock eyes, “I wasn’t going to allow the Cartel to take you. I would do everything to keep you safe, and the fact your uncle refused to allow you to know the truth, keeping you in the dark, meaning you were in more danger, I couldn’t have that. I went to the arena to tell you the truth before I realized a shooter was there,” he moves my hold into one of his hands and then cups my cheek, “You are my wife, Paige Marino, and I love you so fucking much. I can’t see my life without you. I know it is scary, I know it’s fast, but when you know, baby, you know, and as much as I tried to fight it, we were always going to be end game.”

Tears soak my cheeks, and he lets go of my arms, wraps his around my waist, and begs, “Say something baby, please?”

“I don’t know what to say,” I admit, "Everyone has lied to me. I feel like my whole life has been a lie, and meeting you…”

I shake my head, and he grips my cheek tighter, looks at me firmly, and states, “We have not been fake, we were not a lie, my feelings for you are not a lie, and if you know me like I believe you do, know my past with women, if we were a lie, I wouldn’t have ensured we were married.”

He places his forehead against mine and rasps, “I love you, Paige. Please, if you believe anything, believe that, and I am never going to let you go because I can’t breathe without you. Little fairy, you control the demon I have deep inside of me, always wanting to break free since I was forced to train. You center me, calm me,” he gently kisses my lips and whispers, “You complete me.”

He moves his face into the crook of my neck, and my tears fall.

I want to believe him, but I just don’t know how. My head is a mess, and my emotions are all over the place.

My dad was in the mafia.

My family was killed because of me.

Dante only wanted me because he had no choice but to watch over me.

I’m apparently married.

I apparently have a bounty on my head.

Everyone lied to me.

How can I get past this?

Chapter 22

Paige

I look out the window of Dante’s car as he drives towards his father’s country mansion, trying not to resent him for forcing me back.

After Dante finally made himself known at the cemetery two nights ago, he told me it was time to come home and that my uncle needed to explain everything about that day and the arrangement.

I didn’t want to come with him. I mean, let’s forget about the fact he isn’t just a hockey player and a mafia-made man, but the ass married us without my knowledge, so why would I want to be around him? He didn’t exactly give me a choice, and honestly, I haven’t spoken to him since the cemetery and the fact I know it’s pissing him off makes me a little bit happy.

Nearly twenty-seven hours in a car with him and four hours in a motel and nothing, which at the moment is for the best, otherwise, I may castrate him.

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