“Maybe if Dante—”
“It’s got nothing to do with Dante, and I’d appreciate it if you kept this conversation to yourself.”
“What? Since when do you keep things from Dante?”
“I’m not keeping anything from him. It’s just not important enough to talk about. The conversation is done.”
“You'll see,” I said smugly. “I'll find out who this Gabriella is, and I'll return her to you.”
“She’s not lost, Rachel. She doesn’t need returning. She knows exactly where I am. She’s as much a part of this decision as I am. We both knew it was for the best.”
“We’ll see.”
He simply laughed.
I meant it, though.
Vienna deserved happiness, and this was such a small thing I could do for him.
We fell into a silence, both of us thinking about Gabriella. It was clear Vienna was reminiscing about her, and I just hoped I hadn't hurt him by insisting he talked about her.
I looked out the window at the darkness, watching the trees as we sped past them.
One, then two, then one, then three.
How many times had the trees seen this exact scene play out? What wisdom would they give us if they were blessed with the ability to talk?
Or would they simply mock us for making mistakes a dozen or more people had made before us?
The trees were wankers.
“What the fuck?” Vienna hissed, making me snap my head around to look at him as he slammed on the brakes.
“What? What is it?” I asked, following where his eyes were looking.
“Is that Dante?” I gasped, seeing a huge behemoth of a man marching down the street. “And is that fuckingCallum?!”
Chapter 10
Rachel
We both scrambled out of the car as soon as it came to a stop and flew at Dante. I wanted to throw myself in his arms and both slap him for being so stupid as to allow himself to be taken, and fuck him senseless for getting himself out of there.
My heart was hammering in my chest, and I’d be a bigger idiot than I suspected if I couldn’t own up to the fact it was because I was anxious to see him and relieved that he was okay.
As well as an overwhelming sense of relief for myself that I hadn’t had to go flying into the lion's den.
I wouldn't admit it to anyone other than myself, but the thought of going to Alex's and Ben's club had filled me with nothing but anxiety. I knew it was a new location, but it was filled with the same people, the same atmosphere, the same everything. I knew it would do nothing but bring up bad memories that I had done everything in my power to suppress.
Just another example of how much Dante has come to mean to you.My inner voice mocked me, and I mentally kicked myself.
Just whose side was I on, anyway?
“Get this piece of shit away from me before I slice his throat in the middle of the fucking street and shit down his useless neck.”
A million emotions and questions rushed through me.
Relief.
