Page 66 of Poisoned Promise
“Out,” she spits again, lifting her glass to her lips. “I wanted to stay out and you dragged me back in!”
I turn my back on her and place my coat on the desk. A second later, that crystal glass flies over my shoulder and shattered on the wall in front of me.
“Don’t turn your back on me!”
“I’m sorry.” Turning back to her, I find her a foot away with her chest heaving and rage burning in her eyes. “Dove, you dragged yourself back in.”
“Bullshit!”
“You killed Tee. You killed the Rossis. You brought yourself back into this world, not me. But I’m trying to protect you from what you weren’t prepared for.”
“No!” She yells again and she surges forward, lifting both her hands and throwing her fists at my chest. “I was out! I was going to run and leave and we were going to start a new life but you’ve trapped me here! You did this!”
“You can’t run from Caterina.” Or me. “I’m sorry, Dove.”
“No, fuck you! If you hadn’t locked me up here,” she snarls, thumping her fists against my chest again. “Alex and I would be on a plane on our way to somewhere safe. I would still be his Mom. And he would remain innocent but no, you fucked things up! Just like you always do!”
Hold on a second.
“Dove, what happened?”
“You happened!” Her hand flies up and despite the drunken nature of her slap, it still stings when her palm collides with my face. “You’ve imprisoned both of us so I had to tell him the truth!”
“The truth?”
Her hair flies around her face as she lunges at me and tries to slap me again. This time, I catch her wrist gently and use that grip to pull her in against me.
“What truth, Dove?”
“Everything,” she growls and then a soft, pained sob escapes her. “I had to tell Alex everything. About me. You. My family. My life before. The Mafia. Everything!” Sadness floods her eyes but as soon as it’s there, it’s gone and she starts wrestling against my grip. “Because of you, you bastard. I never wanted this! I never wanted him to know!”
“I’m sorry, Dove. But we both know how this world works. You can’t escape. Not ever. Sure, you can pretend but you can’t leave. We’re in this for life and that’s why I’m going to protect you, okay? You’re safe with me.”
“I hate you!” She yells in my face, giving up on pulling herself away and instead shoving back into me until I hit the desk behind me. “I hate you!”
“I know,” I reply with a smile. “I’m okay with it.”
Our eyes meet and Dove growls, then her eyes dart down to my lips and a second later, her mouth collides painfully with mine.
19
FELIX
Our mouths collide and for a long moment, excitement overwhelms me.
Dove in my arms, her heart thundering so hard that her pulse is flying against my palm when I cup her neck, and her lips against mine.
Heaven is real.
Suddenly, she draws back as if she’s changed her mind but before I can speak, she slaps me again.
This time, I draw her back in until we’re nose to nose and I gaze deep into her wide, wild eyes.
“Finished?” I demand in a low voice while my cheek tingles and smarts from the blow.
Her jaw clicks as her teeth snap together and she jerks away from me, but is unable to escape my grip.
As her wrist twists in my hand and her palm flexes as if itching to hit me again, her eyes dart back down to my mouth and I smirk.
