My knee-jerk reaction is to reach for her and pull her back to me, but she’s already four steps ahead, smoothing her hair. I follow her toward Dante’s voice, seeing his ugly mug pop up as he reaches the top of the stairs.
I grab Gretchen’s elbow, pulling her to a stop, and spin her around to look at me. Looking over her shoulder, I hold up a hand to Dante.
“I’ll be down in a minute.”
He nods and turns back around, then disappears, like the bubble Gretchen and I were wrapped in. I can feel it, reality crashing in, bringing with it complications and excuses. She’s going to run from me, from what’s happening between us.
She takes a deep breath and says the words I don’t want to hear, not after I kissed her with everything inside of me.
“Luca, this was a mistake. We can’t. I won’t. I’m saying no.” Her eyes are sorrowful as she backs up and turns down the stairs.
Fuck.
“Hey, dick, snap out of it.” Dante snaps his fingers in front of my face, and I blink over at him.
“What?” I shrug, irritated at being caught in my daydream.
The minute I came downstairs, Gretchen had already said her goodbyes and was headed out the door. And I’ve been sitting here drowning my sorrows outside with my brothers.
“Answer my question,” he says amused, and I laugh because I don’t know what the hell he’s asked.
“What question?” I look between him and Dom, and they both laugh too.
“Jesus, Luca. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were hung up on a woman.” Dante’s face is too inquisitive.
“It’s the dreamy expression.” Dom nods to Dante.
Dante puts his hand on his heart. “And the way he writes her name with little hearts in his notebook.”
“Fuck you both.” I push Dom’s shoulder sideways.Asshole brothers.
“You sure you know what you’re doing with this woman? Are you sure things are over between you and Shelby?” Dante questions.
He knows the least about what’s going on. Having only met Dante a few months ago, sometimes I’m forgetful about including him in my life.
“I have no loyalty or obligation to Shelby, but I’m not divorcing her just yet.” I say, taking another sip of my scotch.
“I know you, Luca, and I know you won’t let Shelby go without taking a pound of flesh, but there are complications…” My brow furrows at Dom’s words, and I lean in.
Dom nods to Dante, giving him the okay to say what he needs to.
“Shelby’s been hanging around in places she shouldn’t, with people she shouldn’t. They know she’s your wife and they’ll use her to get to you. To get to all of us.”
Interesting.Shelby’s been locking down her plan B with someone she thinks can take me on, someone that’s “family.”
“When were you two going to tell me this?” I question, irritated they’ve been keeping this from me.
“We’re telling you now,” Dante says levelly.
I take a deep breath and look up to the sky.
“Well, it looks like she just made this little arrangement of ours more interesting. Find out who she’s in bed with. I’ll be happy to add his name next to hers on my list.”
Dom shakes his head. “This ends badly, Luca. But I think you already know that.”
“I do,” I answer honestly. There’s only one way for me and Shelby to end, and none of those ways are amicable. “But I’ll never let this bullshit touch any of you.”
“Why bother with her?” Dante questions. “Just cut her loose. Who cares if she fucked half of Chicago?”
