“I think the mob should stop underestimating women.”
Dante gave me a sideways glance. “Maybe you can convince them.”
Did he really believe that? A question burnt on the tip of my tongue. “Did your first wife work?”
His expression darkened. “No. She kept busy with social engagements as most women in our world do.”
“Oh, of course.” I wondered if despite having offered me a job in the casino, he was unhappy with my desire to work. Would he prefer a trophy wife? Someone who looked good at parties, who warmed his bed and who kept the staff in check? I decided to change the topic. “My mother invited me over. I assume you have work to do?”
“Yes, I do. But I can drive you to your parents’ house if you want. It’s on the way. I can tell Enzo or Taft to pick you up when you’re done.”
“My mother will be delighted,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Would you rather we drive home and you drive to your parents without me?”
“No,” I said quickly. “I wasn’t joking. My mother will be giddy with pleasure over seeing you again.”
“Your father is one of my underbosses. It’s not like your mother hasn’t met me countless times.”
“But not as her son-in-law. I’ve never seen her happier than when she found out you were stooping to marry me.”
Dante’s brows drew together. “Because you were married before?”
“Of course. I was damaged goods by our standards. Not a pure, innocent girl like Gianna or the many other girls fawning over you at parties.”
“Believe me, I’m more than happy that I didn’t agree to marry Gianna. She’s a troublemaker. I don’t have the patience for someone like her. And I don’t pay much attention to girls at parties.”
I huffed. “You are a man. How can you not notice their smoldering glances?”
“Smoldering?” Dante asked with a hint of amusement. “And I didn’t say I didn’t notice. I make sure to always be aware of everything going on in a room around me, but I’m not interested in their silly attempts at flirting. They fawn over an image they have of me, but I’m not that man.”
“I don’t know. Girls think you’re sexy because you are powerful and aloof. The ice prince whose heart they want to melt.”
Dante shook his head, then something changed on his face and he slanted me another glance. “So your mother didn’t know you never consummated your first marriage?”
“Of course not. I don’t talk to her about things like that. And believe me, she would have found a way to tell you about my virginity because it would have increased my worth. She’d die from happiness if she found out you are the man who took my virtue.” I froze. “You’re not going to tell anyone about Antonio, are you?”
Dante narrowed his eyes in thought. “I don’t see how that would help anyone. Of course, it would make my search for Antonio’s lover easier if I could involve my men.”
“I’m not going to tell you his name,” I interjected, knowing where this was going, and really hoping he wouldn’t get angry again.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Dante pulled up in front of my old home and turned off the engine before he faced me. “I assumed as much. I still don’t understand why. That man you’re protecting, he’s not your blood and from what I gather you were never close. After all, he stole your husband, so why do you insist on choosing him over me?”
“I don’t choose him over you,” I said, honestly shocked. “But I know what you’re going to do to him, what you have to do to protect the Outfit, and I can’t condemn him to death. If you swear that he won’t come to any harm, then I might change my mind.”
“You know as well as I do that I can’t swear it. There are rules for a reason. We have to protect the secrets of the Outfit. If details about our structures, our business, or traditions went public, many people you know would go to jail, me and your father included.”
“He would never tell anyone about the Outfit. Antonio told him about our oaths.”
“But he isn’t bound by them. We all keep the silence because we’re bound by honor and duty, and because we would all pay the price if we didn’t, but that man has no reason to keep our secrets now that Antonio is dead. Not everyone honors a dead man’s wish as much as you do.”
“But he loved Antonio.”
“How can you know that? But if it were the case, wouldn’t that make him hate our world even more?”
“What do you mean?”
“Because of the rules of the Outfit, Antonio couldn’t be open about his sexuality. He had to hide his desires and his lover, and ultimately he died because he was a Made Man. The Russians killed him because he was one of us. You see, the man you’re protecting has a lot of reasons to despise our world and want it gone.”
I’d never considered it from that standpoint, and was seriously freaked. What if Dante was right? I hadn’t seen Frank since I’d told him about Antonio’s death a year ago. He’d left quickly, silent and out of it. He hadn’t tried to contact me, and I had only known his mobile number, but that had stopped working shortly after the funeral. I’d simply assumed Frank had wanted to cut off anything that linked him to the mob. Had he talked to anyone about Antonio? About the Outfit? I didn’t want to believe it. He had reason to detest the Outfit and its ways. Not only had he been forced to hide his relationship with Antonio, but he didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye to him. Neither had I. All that had been left of Antonio was a burned corpse. I’d never seen it—Father had forbidden me from doing so. He’d said there was nothing left for me to recognize. The Russians had even cut his head off before they’d set him on fire. The Outfit never found it.
Dante watched me closely. Or was he trying to manipulate me? Even so, what he’d said was the truth.
“Will you come to the door to say hi to my mother? She’ll be disappointed if you stay in the car,” I said to distract him.
Dante wore a knowing look but didn’t try to push the topic of Antonio’s lover. He got out of the Mercedes, walked around the hood and opened my door for me. His hand found its usual spot on my lower back as we walked to the front door. I’d barely rung the bell when the door was already opened and my mother beamed at us. She’d probably been spying on us through the windows.
“Dante, I didn’t expect you to come. How wonderful of you to pay us a visit,” she said with a wide smile. She pulled Dante into an embrace. He remained stiff but briefly patted her back. At least he was against public displays of affection in general, and not just with me.
“I’m only here to drop Valentina off. I don’t have time to stay. There’s still much work to do.” He straightened and Mamma had no choice but to release him.
Her face fell. “Of course. Now that you’re Capo, you have many responsibilities. How wonderful of you to take time out of your busy schedule to drive Valentina around town.” Mamma smiled at me. “You got yourself a gentleman.”
I gave Dante an I-told-you-so look. A flicker of something softer filled his eyes before he excused himself and headed back to his car. The moment he’d driven off, Mamma closed the door, gripped my arm and practically dragged me into the living room. “Giovanni! Valentina is here!” she screamed.