Page 106 of Shadows of Steel
I shift on my feet, suddenly feeling very fucking small. My cheeks heat.
Mattia clears his throat. “Harlow really wants lychee.”
Dante’s brows lift, but before he can reply, one of his Capos, Adriano Esposito, steps forward, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. “It’s good to see you again, Mrs. Salvatore.” His tone is smooth, laced with amusement.
I hold his gaze, unimpressed. “Likewise, Mr. Esposito.”
Dante’s jaw tightens, a flicker of restrained impatience in his expression. “You are dismissed.”
The men nod in silent acknowledgment before turning away, heading toward their cars without another word.
Dante’s gaze snaps back to me, sharp and expectant. “We have a door, wife.”
I cross my arms, mirroring his stance. “I am well aware.”
He opens his mouth, about to ask something, but I lift a hand, cutting him off. “Please don’t ask.”
His lips press into a thin line before he exhales slowly. “I trust you weren’t planning to go off alone.”
I roll my eyes. “Dante, I’m not reckless. I would never jeopardize my safety, let alone Mattia’s.” My voice is firm. “I was going to take one of the guards from the gate. I simply didn’t want to make a spectacle of it.”
Before Dante can respond, Leonardo lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “Ah, yes. Because sneaking off in the dead of night, dropping from balconies like some runaway heiress, is the height of subtlety.” His smirk is sharp, laced with amusement. “If that wasn’t a spectacle, I’d love to see what you consider one.”
Before I can fire back, Dante exhales slowly, a dark smile curving at the corner of his lips. “You should have told me.” His voice is smooth, but there’s an edge to it, a quiet warning beneath the words.
I exhale, exasperated but refusing to escalate the conversation further. “I just wanted a damn piece of fruit. Can we move on from this now?”
Beside me, Mattia, bless him, chooses that exact moment to interject. “Yeah, she’s on her period.”
Silence.
Absolute. Unrelenting. Silence.
Dante blinks, his entire posture going rigid.
Leonardo snorts, barely containing his laughter.
Mario turns his back, shoulders shaking as he tries, and fails, to hide his amusement.
I whirl on Mattia, staring at him like he’s just announced something truly groundbreaking. “How on earth do you even know that?”
He shrugs, completely unfazed. “I heard it in a movie once.” Then, with all the confidence of an eight-year-old who thinks he knows everything, he adds, “And at school. The girls talk about gross stuff.” He makes a face, then puffs out his chest. “But I told you—I’m a big boy. And you were acting weird all day.”
I press a hand to my temple. “Right.”
Dante exhales slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose as if summoning patience from the depths of hell. His tone is clipped, brokering no argument. “You two, get in the car.”
I hesitate.
“Now.”
With an exhale, I turn toward the vehicle. Mattia follows without a care in the world, entirely too cheerful given the circumstances.
Dante falls into step beside me, his voice low, edged with something darkly amused. “You’d best hope that lychee was worth it, wife.”
A shiver runs down my spine.
Oh, fuck.
