Chapter 167: Dinner Date

Isabella POV

I wore tight blue jeans with a black top and a white sweater. Black booties were on my feet, and I had a red scarf around my neck.

Dante wore black slacks and a gray collared shirt, his dress clothes fitting his muscular body. We stepped inside the elevator and rode it to the lobby. Dante didn’t show his displeasure over our dinner plans even though he was probably dreading them.

Anytime he was with my father, he turned into a punching bag for insults. I looked at him, seeing him display the same indifferent exterior hebalways had plastered on his face. “Thanks for doing this…”

The doors opened, and he stepped out first. “Don’t overthink it."

We got into his truck then headed down the road. The restaurant we were going to was close by but the closer we got to the restaurant, the more my heart started to palpitate.

I needed my family to accept him, but unless I held a gun to their head and forced them, I didn’t think it was possible.

Dante parked the truck in the parking lot then turned to me. “You need to relax, baby"

“I didn’t say anything,” I said defensively.

“You don’t need to say anything to tell me how you feel. You’re wound up so tight you might snap in half.” He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips to kiss it. “Be yourself, they are your parents."

“Let’s go.” He killed the engine, and we hopped out of the truck. Dante didn’t hold my hand or show me any kind of affection. All he did was open the door for me and we walked into the restaurant.

My parents had a table in the corner, with significant space around it as if, it was a table they gave to customers who required a lot of privacy. The other tables were filled with families and couples enjoying wine and their dinner.

Dante let me walk first, and I headed to the table with dread in my heart. My father didn’t even look at me because he was too busy staring at Dante, like he suspected he would make a sudden movement and kill everyone

in the restaurant and that made me sick.

My mother rose from her seat and greeted me with a hug, nothing could stop her from smiling at me and regardless of how she felt about the man standing behind me.

My mother's eyes glowed with happiness anytime she looked at me, like she always missed me and no matter what our circumstances were. “Hey, sweetheart.”

“Hey, Mama.”

She squeezed my arm before she stepped aside so I could greet my father. She looked at Dante like she didn’t know what to do. She stared at him with her own blue eyes, examining him not with hatred but reluctance. “I feel rude not shaking your hand, but I’m just not ready for that yet…”

Dante didn’t seem the least bit offended. “I understand.”

My father hugged me next, embracing me the way he always did. He squeezed me and kissed me on the forehead, treasuring me with his unconditional love. He hated the man I was sleeping with and thought I was stupid for being with him, but that would never change the way he felt about me. “My dear, you look nice.”

“Thanks, Father.”

When my father looked at Dante, his affection disappeared instantly. The only greeting he gave him was a cold look and Dante didn’t wait for the handshake that wasn’t coming. He pulled out the chair so I could sit down and took a seat in the other chair.

“It’s nice to see both of you,” Dante said politely but my father stared at him like he’d just heard an insult instead of a greeting.

My mother was the only one who could say something back. “Thank.you.” She grabbed her menu and looked down at it.

Dante didn’t seem to care about the cold response. He would normally have his arm resting on the back of my chair or his hand on my thigh, but he didn’t do either of those things. He kept his hands in his lap, taking up as little space as possible. He was by far the most handsome man in the room and if I weren’t so involved in the situation, I would

be pissed about all the women making eyes at him.

My father sat directly across from Dante with the menu in his hands. He barely looked at the menu for more than a few seconds before he looked at Dante again, like he might miss something important.

Things seemed to be getting worse rather than better. “What are you getting?” I asked Damon as I held my menu for him to read. “Salmon.”

“You always eat fish.”

He shrugged. “I like it.”

“Well, I’m getting the lasagna.” I shut my menu then grabbed a piece of.bread from the basket..“Good choice,” he said.

My mother shut her menu then grabbed her glass of red wine. “So…how.are you?” There was no good way to break the ice between all of us. This was a terrible situation which was very uncomfortable for everyone.

“Good,” I answered. “I’ve been working on my artwork. Cassian has been working in his office a lot.”

“Are you painting at his place?” Mom asked quizzically and a part of me wanted to lie, but I knew we had to be honest about everything. “Cassian made me an art studio at his place and It has a large window that overlooks the city, and it has the perfect morning light. It has enough room for all my supplies.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Mom said. “That explains how you can fit all those paintings somewhere.”

My father set down his menu and stared at Dante without blinking. Dante also held his gaze, maintaining the standoff. God, this was bad.

“Are you two living together?” Mom asked, her eyebrow raised.

“No,” I said quickly. “I just spend a lot of time there. After that guy broke into my apartment, it has never felt the same.”

My father’s eyes shifted to me. “Why didn’t you tell me that? I could have gotten you a better place. I could have bought you anything you wanted....”

“I didn’t tell you because I knew that was exactly what you would say,” I said quickly. “I don’t want your money, Father. I’ve already taken enough from you.”

“I don’t mind giving you money or anything you want, bella,” he said. “I would much rather you

take my money than stay with trash like him.”