I was never going to be able to sneak out if they talked about him. I was pretty sure he was guarding this place as well from the way that my father had praised him several times since the shooting. Even going as far as to say he should have had me betrothed to a real man in the first place.

“The hot guy who got us all to a car and safe.” Tessa said as I rolled my eyes, watching Becca’s eyebrow pop up.

“He’s the guy who was outside the balcony earlier.” Becca added to the conversation, her cheeks pinkened slightly before she shoved the chocolate into her mouth.

Why had she noticed him and why was he outside my balcony?

We all looked at each other before it was a race and we were jostling to look over to see if we could see him there. As if he would still be there at one in the morning.

Sammie grabbed me as we hit the balcony dissolving into a fit of giggles as he turned the corner checking the area that surrounded the house before pulling out his phone and not even bothering to look up. All of us were peeking out and wondering if he had seen us trying to find him and then diving down when he finally looked up like he sensed us all watching him.

The prick would probably let it go right to his head.

“He’s so hot.” Sammie whispered as I elbowed her in the ribs, getting a grunt out of her but I watched to see him turn the corner of the house, not even looking back at us. ‘

“All the dangerous ones are.” Becca muttered, she sounds bitter as she says it like she wants nothing and everything to do with him.

Crawling over the railing I started making my way down the ladder, having to jump about four feet because when we ordered it we had done the wrong size.

As soon as my feet connected with the dirt the ladder was being pulled back up and I heard them all laughing as they went back inside my room to watch the next show.

I missed them already but I needed to see what the fuck was up with Dante.

I stick to the shadows as I head for the garage. Pausing when I see Francesco talking to someone on the back of a bike. My eyes narrowed as I realized that it was Dante.

That piece of shit couldn’t answer a text but he was making a house visit.

“...she’s been smoking and eating takeout delivery all day. Her friends are all loud. Very loud and all have an opinion on everything. Loud opinions.”

He was giving him a report on me.

Francesco was a spy.

“Keep an eye on her, okay? I need to deal with the Cartel and may have to leave town for a few days. But you will make details with her friends for us all to go on the trip to Vegas. I want us all in the same Suite or floor. Book a whole hotel if you need to.”

My hands were in fists and before I knew what I was doing I was storming over, two hands shoving Dante as he nearly lost balance falling off his bike.

His eyes were on me, annoyed as he saw me standing there, a sneer on his lips. I had disrespected him in front of someone and I knew that was something that should never be done.

But I was furious.

“You fucking asshole.”

I went to shove him again but Francesco caught be around my waist, pulling me up and off my feet as I lifted my leg, kicking at Dante’s bike. My fury was unmatched as he dismounted, pulling his helmet off.

Fuck.

He looked good in jeans and a leather jacket, his hair falling in his eyes as he smoothed it back like it was a minor inconvenience. His eyes locked on mine as his displeasure clearly illuminated his feelings.

“Looks like the princess escaped her tower. Off to go find a new prince?”

Francesco held me too tight as Dante talked down to me and I was growing more agitated by the second. And then I was overwhelmed.

All of it being too much.

A marriage contract.

Moving out of the house.

The Cartel shooting up our party.

Dante and I not being able to communicate.

Francesco’s hand on my throat on the roof.

My friends giving me looks all day that were on the border of pity.

My life was a mess and every time I tried to put the pieces together it shattered again. It was the most out of control I’ve ever been.

My body went slack and they exchanged a look before I let out a sob.

Francesco let go of me like I was made of fire, his hands going up in a surrender pose as he looked at Dante for what to do.

My hand slides around one of my arms as I sniffed, looking at the man I was supposed to marry in a week.

“I texted you. I asked if you were okay and you didn’t answer me. You let me go twenty four hours not knowing what was going on, locked away at my fathers house like a child without a text back? What’s wrong with you? Hunh? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I went to shove him again but Dante wrapped his arms around me, dragging me to him as I breathed in the scent of him, holding onto him as I fisted his shirt, sobbing against him as he smothered my hair, trying to make soft sounds to calm me.

But I couldn’t be calmed.

My legs buckled and Dante kneels down on the ground as I scream into his chest, letting out a sound so feral, aching with pain in his shirt as he tightens his grip on me, making sure I couldn’t move an inch as I shattered.

“Principessa…”

I howled.

Broken.

This man had managed to break me. After everything that I had been through this was what finally gave into my grief, unable to control myself as I let my emotions take over so violently.

I gave up my control.

“Take her, Francesco.”

My heart is breaking as he rejects me. Pulling me away from him as I tried to adjust to what is happening.

I am being lifted up from the ground, handed over into another man’s arms as Dante let me go.