HELENA'S POV
"Mama said the wedding should be in three weeks, it's only logical" my sister said to me at lunch in downtown restaurant just across from the dance studio I had just registered in. It was a breath of fresh air, being able to raise my legs above my head with other people who understand the arts of dance and not spank me afterwards for it.
"Mama always wants everything to be logical" I said back to her, taking a sip from my chocolate milkshake and still side eyeing the diamond ring Dante had slipped on my finger earlier, it still felt like a blinding shock to me and I couldn't understand why.
"According to her, she doesn't think it's quite logical for you to be living with a man you're not married to"
"I was once married to him"
"And divorced – brutally" she added the last part like an adlib to a song and I snickered, I should've been offended but Vivianna could be effortlessly funny when she didn't mean to. Then she took a bite from her greasy burger and my picked my hand with the ring to peer at it.
"So you're just telling me he just randomly gave this to you this morning, a bright diamond ring" she said, her mouth full and her grease staining my hand but she was careful enough to avoid the ring.
"Shocking, isn't it?"
"I won't lie, it's kinda hot. How did he do it though? Did he go on one knee and said in the most endearing deep voice – marry me Helena"
I rolled eyes mockingly "Oh you wish, I made him put it on my finger and then he said – you're properly mine now"
A loud squeal escaped Vivianna's mouth, nearly knocking her iced cola off the table "I'm sorry – I'm sorry – " she added in between fits of hysteric giggles "But Paulo has been so stressed with the whole Tony Anotti thing and I have to live vicariously through you – I didn't know Dante had game like that"
But I wasn't listening anymore, I was stuck on the whole Tony Anotti she said so I paused "What Tony Anotti thing?"
Then she looked at me, an eyebrow arched in confusion "You don't know?"
"Know what?" I wished she'd get to the point faster "I thought the debt was paid, we shouldn't be hearing about the Anottis anymore"
"Yes but Tony doesn't want the money – he wants you"
I froze, and the bling from the diamond ring suddenly blinding me and in some kind of fucked up way, it was beginning to make sense why Dante had suddenly decided to lay claims on me, and it was just dawning on me that I never really asked Dante what happened at the club the previous night, I had been so caught up trying to hide my own mortification from throwing myself at him and forgetting why it had happened in the first place.
"But you know you don't have to worry about anything right, Dante is going to take care of it and you're not going to end up as an Anotti" she said, trying to soothe whatever thoughts were conjuring in my brain because I was sure it was evident on my face.
"I wasn't worried about that but it all suddenly makes sense – why he gave me this ring"
"Oh come on Helena, he's a D'angelo and a Don. They're possessive men"
That was true, but Dante would have never done that if he didn't think there was a potential threat and it made me question everything, what was I even thinking? That there was a possibility he liked me enough to give me an engagement ring.
"Well I don't care, it's not a real marriage anyways. He needs a wife and our family needs protections"
"You seem a bit – disappointed" she pointed out, well no shit Sherlock. Vivianna could be annoying at times. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything"
"Cut it out" I bit at her
"Wait" she stopped me "Do you perhaps still – like him"
No!
But the words didn't leave my mouth as quickly as I had answered it in my head and the slight hesitation caused Vivianna to raise a questioning brow at me. She was so infuriating and I didn't want to look at her judgmental and slightly amused face, so I picked my drink off the table not minding that I hadn't finished my food.
"I'm out of here" I said
"You didn't answer the question Helena" she said to my back but I didn't turn around, I was so angry with myself, so immersed in my own self-pity as I left the restaurant that I hadn't seen the man approaching me that I recklessly bumped into him spilling my drink all over his crisp white shirt.
"Oh shit – I'm so sorry" the words were barely out of my mouth when I looked up to find Christian the man my mother had tried to link me up with at my sister's engagement party staring at me with a mortified look on his face – but the moment he saw that it was me I saw his the smooth lines on his face relax a bit.
"Helena" he called.
"Oh my God – Christian, I'm so sorry I wasn't looking"
"Never mind about it, it wasn't an original anyways" it was a lie, I could see the designer logo properly hidden at the collar of the shirt but I let it go.
"I heard about your dad and brother – I'm so sorry Helena" he said and my lips thinned into a tight lipped smile with a brief nod.
I was about to excuse myself, desperate to escape the awkwardness, when Christian suddenly spoke up again. "Wait. Would you like to grab a drink sometime? Maybe we can catch up. It's been a while."
My first instinct was to decline, and the words were on the tip of my tongue. But before I could speak, I felt a hand wrap around my wrist, firm and commanding. I whipped my head around, startled, only to see Dante standing there, his eyes burning with anger.
Without a word, he pulled me away, his grip tight but not painful. The heat of his hand against my skin sent a shiver down my spine, even as I bristled at his possessiveness.
"Dante, what are you-?" I began, but my words were cut off as Christian grabbed my other arm, refusing to let go and I stared in horror at him. What the hell was he doing?
"I wasn't done talking to her," Christian said, his voice steady but with a hint of tension. His grip on my arm tightened, and I felt like a rag doll being tugged between the two of them.
Dante turned slowly, his face a mask of fury. His jaw was clenched, and I could see the veins in his neck standing out as he stared Christian down. "You want her so bad?" he asked, his voice dripping with menace. "Then have her."
Before I could register what was happening, Dante shoved me-hard. The force of his push sent me crashing into a woman carrying a tray of food. Plates clattered to the ground, and the woman let out a startled yelp as I stumbled into her, knocking her off balance – and me falling to the ground.
My heart pounded in my chest and humiliation burned in my throat, Dante's eyes were cold and hard, like polished steel but there was a hint of regret in his eyes when he saw me hit the ground, but Christian was quick, stretching his hands out to me to help me up, that would have been less complicated if Dante hadn't walked up to me too with outstretched hands.
I was caught in the middle, helpless and torn.