Page 8 of Reckless Sinner
When I reached the booth, I thought my legs would give out. I’d never been stared at like this, like he wanted to throw me down onto the table and fuck me in front of everyone if I gave him permission.
“You look like you’ve had a good day,” I said, sliding into the booth.
“And you look…” His voice trailed off into a dark chuckle. “Stunning.”
My face immediately flooded with heat. He was probably just saying that to flatter me—but it didn’t sound like he was. He sounded genuine. “Thank you.”
The server came by and Dante asked what sort of wines the man would recommend with the meal Dante intended to order.
That also surprised me. In my experience, alpha males like Dante wanted to show off their knowledge. They’d pick the wine themselves, even if they didn’t know as much about wine as they thought they did.
Dante asked for a glass of one of the reds the server suggested, and then both men looked at me expectantly.
My cheeks felt like they were on fire as I realized that I’d expected Dante to order my drink for me, as my father and other dates always did. “Um. I’ll have a glass of the same thing he’s having, please.”
“Are you sure?” Dante asked.
I nodded. I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t want to scour the menu like an idiot while I tried to figure out what I wanted instead.
The server left and Dante softened a little. “You know you don’t need to order the same thing as I do to impress me,” he said, his voice pitched low and intimate.
“That wasn’t why,” I assured him, because it wasn’t. Desperate to change the subject, I said, “How do you feel about the promotion?”
“Like it’s a miracle,” Dante replied honestly. “I deserve it. Whether the others at the firm would let me get what I deserve is another matter. But your father’s generous.”
“He can be,” I replied. “I’m glad that your worth is being appreciated. You’re one of the best closers we’ve got.”
Dante grinned at me, and I shivered. It was such a powerful smile, radiating confidence. I wondered if he’d have that same power and confidence with me in the bedroom. I hoped so.
“You really pay attention to the goings-on at your father’s firm,” he said, pulling me from my inappropriate thoughts. “Are you interested in law?”
“Somewhat. I’m not really sure what I’m interested in.” I’d never even finished college. “But I kind of act as my father’s de facto plus one to things, since my mom died when I was a child. So I hear and see a lot.”
“My condolences, about your mother,” Dante said.
It was years ago, so I didn’t really feel… I no longer felt that gigantic ache inside of my chest, that horrible desire to almost cry in my throat, when people talked about my mom. But I still appreciated the genuine sincerity that I heard in Dante’s voice.
“Your mother died a few years ago, didn’t she?” I replied. “I’m sorry about your loss, too.”
“It was when we were teenagers. I don’t think I was as young as you were. But it hit me hard.” Dante shrugged. “She was the only one in the family who really understood me, so losing that was difficult. But I like to think I’ve made her proud.”
“You’re one of the best lawyers in the city and you broke away from a mafia family, that’s definitely something to make a mom proud.”
“Not sure she’d like the fact that my dad and I don’t speak,” Dante said with a playful smirk.
He seemed unconcerned about the state of his relationship with his father. Was that because he really didn’t care all that much? Or because he secretly wasn’t as detached from him as he wanted everyone to think?
“My father and I are really close,” I said. “I’m sorry you don’t have that.”
The server brought our drinks and I quickly scanned the menu, ordering something for myself so I wouldn’t be caught off-guard again. It was happy hour, so the plates were less expensive but smaller—but I was glad. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to eat a full meal with how my nerves jangled inside my stomach.
I should be excited. Elated. I was having drinks and a date, basically, with Dante Russo. But I was also here to pump him for information.
The wine, when I took a sip, tasted horribly sour in my mouth.
Dante noticed. “Do you even like wine?”
“It’s all I drink, really. Of alcohol, I mean. Dad’s very big on wine.”
