Chapter 54: THE WAREHOUSE… AGAIN

MIA

The warehouse smelled like rust and old concrete which reminded me of the warehouse where Dante had seen me for the first time which changed both our lives.

Lin moved fast once the decision was made, barking instructions in a mix of English and something else while her men responded without questions and I stayed out of the way. We had left the safe house and come here and now, I was being moved to another place as she told me to get into the car, keep my head down and not ask any questions.

It turned out we were going to a warehouse in Red Hook.

"Is this a joke," I said when I saw it.

"It has the best coverage," Lin said. "Plus we own this building so we know every entrance, every exit and every sight line. It's the right call."

I didn't argue because I didn't have a better idea and also because she was the one with the men, the weapons and the three-year plan so I walked in and stood where she put me which was in the center of the main floor under a single overhead light that made me feel like I was on a stage.

Which I was at this point.

"He needs to see you immediately when he comes in," she said. "Don't move from this spot and don't go toward him no matter what he says. Just keep him talking."

"For how long?"

"Until my men have everyone else contained."

I looked around at the shadows where her soldiers had already positioned themselves, dark shapes against the shadows, and remembered Dante saying nothing about tonight would go the way Lin planned and tried not to think about it too hard.

We waited twenty minutes.

I knew because I counted in my head to stop myself from panicking. Soon, I could see headlights through the windows and the sound of car engines pulling up outside open by one, making my stomach drop in fear and anticipation of who was about to walk through that door.

Then the side door opened and Dante walked in first.

Marco came in behind him and then four more men fanning out on either side. I counted and came up with six total not including Dante and I thought about Lin's numbers and hoped she had done the same or even more men.

Dante’s eyes eventually landed on me and his eyes softened a bit then he walked towards me slowly.

"Mia." His voice was back to being warm. "Come here."

I didn't move.

He stopped maybe ten feet away, eyes scanning my body before coming back to my face.

"You're cold," he said, because I was shivering a little, the warehouse was freezing. "Come here, let me—"

"I'm fine."

"Mia." His voice was still warm but a bit firmer underneath. "I'm not asking."

"I know you're not." I said. "That's the whole problem."

He tilted his head slightly, thinking of how to handle me when Lin stepped forward from the shadows to his left.

"She's not yours anymore," Lin said.

He turned his head slowly and looked at her with a frown.

"Linda," he said. "I knew you were behind this."

"Of course. I've been after you for three years," she said. "You just didn't know it yet."

They had a staring contest then Dante looked back at me like she didn't exist any more.

"Don't make me come get you," he said.

"I'm not going with you."

"You are." He said. "You're cold, you're scared and you're standing in the middle of a warehouse in your robe because someone convinced you this was a good idea and it wasn't." He took half a step forward. "I know what Lin wants from you.”

“Dante, what I want is different from what she wants and what I want right now is for you to leave me alone.”

He stopped walking. “You don't want that, baby. That's just what she has convinced you to want. Answer this, even when you may have been suspecting me, did you for once think you would leave even if you found anything strange?”

I swallowed. I didn't actually maybe—

No, Mia. Don't let him manipulate you. My eyes slid to Lin. Or was she the one manipulating me now?

"Just come with me and we can talk about everything. I'll explain. I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

"You had months to tell me."

"I know." A look of regret flashed on his face. "I know I did. I'm sorry I didn't. But I need you to come with me right now and we can fix this."

"There's nothing to fix, Dante."

He looked at me for a long moment and the warmth started to go out of his expression then he took a step toward me.

On both sides of the warehouse I heard the sound of weapons being raised.

Marco's men did the same.

Dante didn't stop walking or look at anything other than me.

"Mia. Last chance. Come with me now, or this gets very ugly."