Page 14 of Stolen Kisses
“Why? That’s not important for the question I asked.”
“Same old Maria. Five years later, she’s still sexy as hell and full of fire.” He chuckled.
I had to wonder if he was seriously talking about me. Me who looked and felt like shit.
Did he seriously call me sexy as hell?
I actually almost turned and looked behind me to see if he was talking about someone else.
“Whatever,” I just shook my head. Better to do that than entertain such comments. “Clearly you don’t know the owner as well as you say, but then you were always full of shit, what did I expect.”
He laughed. “Same old Maria, can’t see what’s in front of her.”
“I can see just fine thank you very much.”
“No, I’m right. You can’t see for damn shit doll, never could. I’m him.” He nodded.
I narrowed my eyes not quite understanding. “You’rehimwhat?”
His smile widened. “I’m him, the owner.”
I laughed a little. It felt like so long ago that it felt weird, me laughing. “You? Really?”
“Don’t believe me? Don’t worry, I’m a long way away from being insulted.”
I would have said something else, but the girl I’d previously spoken to at the bar rushed up to us and handed him a set of keys.
“Hey boss, I’m off for the night. Janine’s running late. She’ll be here in ten minutes.” She bubbled, of course looking at him dreamingly. “I can stay though if you want.”
“No, it’s cool. You go.” Dante told her.
She gave him a little smile and left us, putting me right in my place.
Dante jingled the keys in front of me and smiled. “So, what was this important meeting we had?”
I just looked at him. I really looked at him, blinked and shook my head.
I would do anything to take care of my baby.Fucking hell, I had even found my miserable self actually considering Aunt Vira’s offer to work in her brothel. That was a new low I’d sunken to—a whole new low. And, when I thought of the past, I might even prefer to consider working there than with him.
It was the same reason why I couldn’t speak to him for too long, or even look at him properly after his sister’s death.
It was the same reason why I couldn’t work here either.
Christina’s death.Her murder.
It was always the answer when it came to me and him.
“I have to go,” was all I said. I made a move to go, but he caught my arm.
“What’s going on with you Maria?” He looked me over.
The light-hearted mood left his face and something dark flashed in his gaze when his eyes landed on my neck.
I knew what he was looking at. It was the scar Franco gave me when he had hit me with a rolling pin. I was trying to walk away from a fight and he hit me.
Dante pulled me closer and lifted the lock of hair that had curled just under my ear. Franco hit me so hard I had to have stiches. We told the doctors I slipped and fell down the stairs. Anyone who took a closer look at my ear could probably see it was a lie.
Anyone looking the way Dante was would have seen that it was the scar of someone who’d been hit with something.
