Page 808 of One More Kiss

Until that moment, I hadn’t realized the car had stopped. It had probably been stopped for a while. The trip from the stockyards to downtown wasn’t that long. Dante stepped out of the car and addressed the driver, who had circled round to greet him. The driver jumped to do his bidding. The trunk opened, then closed. The driver handed something to Dante.

Dante then leaned into the car's interior and ordered me out.

Seeing no other option, I clambered up onto the seat cushion then slid across to the open door, trying to hold both the bodice and the skirt of my sundress closed, despite knowing I was hopelessly exposed. Feeling as if my very bones had melted, my knees almost gave out as I gripped the door frame for leverage and climbed out.

As I exited the car, Dante’s large body blocked me from the view of both the driver and the curious doorman. He draped a large suit jacket over my shoulders. I pushed my arms through the sleeves and then pulled the lapels closed around me.

Gripping my chin, he tilted my head back. “If you make a single sound, the tiniest gesture. If you do anything to make me think you are signaling someone for help, I will put a bullet straight into your pretty little skull. Do you understand me?”

Eyes wide, I nodded.

He stroked my cheek with the back of his knuckles, “I’m going to need to hear you say it, cara mia.”

I swallowed past the dry fear in my throat. “I understand.”

“I understand, Dante,” he corrected.

I dutifully repeated, “I understand, Dante.”

He gave a curl resting over my shoulder a playful tug. “Good girl.”

He then gripped my hand and led me inside the hotel.

Although I couldn’t help wondering if I was actually following Dante into Hell.

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