Chapter 33 A Dripping Visit
Dante's POV
Why would she? How could she? I know we didn't have the best of history together, but could it have gotten that bad?
I gripped the wheel tighter now, feeling my knuckles grow white. I didn't care, I floored the pedal as the SUV tore through the streets. I kept the tires rolling into corners, blowing past red lights without a second thought.
Fuck the rules, fuck the cops. My heart pounded heavily, matching the ticking in my skull. My mind was racing faster than the car.
How the hell did I miss this? Isabella shows up out of nowhere, all flirty and clingy, gets to me alone in the restaurant. That whole act, the laughs, the teasing, dropping on my lap like old times. They were all distractions.
They had to be. All to plant the tracker while I was busy thinking with my dick. She must be working for Romano now. The crash happened right after I dropped her, the timing was way too perfect to be a coincidence.
But why? Could it be revenge for dumping her ass years ago? Or maybe it could be deeper. Could be tied all the way back to our families, maybe she's playing both sides now.
Her mother had Romano ties anyway, maybe she's finally embracing that side of hers since it didn't work for her in my family.
"Damn it," I cursed aloud, hitting the steering with a fist and swerving around a slow truck, flashing past it as all he could do was blare his horn at me. I couldn't care any less, I had to confront her, to get answers, to find out the truth. If she did this... she'd pay slowly.
I pulled up at her high-rise garage with an exaggerated swerve. Then jumped out, leaving the engine running. I stormed towards the door and banged it with enough force to wake the neighborhood.
I waited but got nothing. So I pounded it again, harder this time as I could see the frame shaking.
Then, I heard her voice yelling from inside. "Coming!" She sounded like she was in a hurry. Her footsteps followed till it got closer to the door.
That Spanish accent hit me again, like always. It stirred up old shit I didn't need. I hated how it got under my skin even till now.
The door flung open a second later and she stood at the other end with her eyes wide and a white towel wrapped tightly around her body. Her hair was dripping wet, suggesting she was fresh from the shower.
"Expecting someone?" I asked in a flat voice as I looked her over.
She stuttered, shaking her head quickly. "N-no."
"And anyone home?" I asked with a raised brow.
"No, just me," she replied slowly.
I stepped in without waiting, brushing past her into her living room. The place smelled like her, her perfume and shampoo mixed together.
She closed the door softly after me and turned around with a slightly gaped mouth. "I'm surprised to see you so soon."
"This isn't a pleasant visit," I replied bluntly, pacing left and right, trying to keep the anger caged. My body shook slightly as I clenched my fists tightly.
She ran a hand through her wet hair, pushing it back. "You should've called. Now what will I offer you? It's not every day the biggest mafia lord magically drops at your front door," she exclaimed.
I spun on her suddenly, grabbing her by her shoulders and shoving her back against the wall.
"Ouch. You are hurting me," she whined.
I didn't bother, I pinned her on either side with my arms, caging her between them. She yelped with widened eyes. "What—what happened?"
I growled in a low and held back manner. "You know anything about the tracker in my car last night?"
"Tracker?" She asked with her brows drawn together and lips quivering.
Bullshit. Just another one of her tricks.
"Don't play dumb with me, Issabella!" I yelled and shook her shoulders hard and slammed them against the wall. "Don't fuck with me."
"You're hurting me!" She cried out rather.
"And you got them to hurt me last night!" I growled back, regretting the words immediately.
She went still for a second before dropping her voice to a soft and caring tone. "What happened? Are you alright?"
"Quit the act. Tell me what I need to know," I shot back.
"How do you expect me to tell you anything like this?" She replied while struggling under my grip.
I took a deep breath, frustration boiling over. Then walked away slowly, letting her go while I turned my back to her. "I was attacked last night," I admitted in a barely audible voice.
"Tell me more about it," she simply replied, and for some reason, I obeyed.
"Someone ran into my car last night."
She gasped faintly. "Do you know who?"
I shook my head. "No, only that it's a Romano."
"The Romanos?" She called after me. "The same fellas that always showed up at your casino every night?"
I ran a hand through my hair, turning to the door.
"When did issues break out between you guys?" She asked.
I had said too much. "That's not the point here!" I yelled in reply.
"It is," she countered immediately with no fear. She went still for a few seconds before, "oh... oh oh."
I walked away a bit, raking my hair with my hand again.
Then she continued in a mocking tone. "This is about that girl right?"
I lunged forward and pushed her back to the wall hard again, pinning her again. "Tell me who sent you to plant the tracker!"
"Plant? I didn't—why would I?"
"Bullshit. You were in the car and you distracted me. That was all a perfect setup."
She shook her head frantically. "No! I wouldn't do that to you. After everything?"
"Everything? You mean the ten years I wasted, then dropped you immediately I found out? Yeah, great motive."
"Am I hurt? Yes. But kill you? Never. I loved you, Dante."
"Okay, that's sweet. Loved? Past tense. Very easy to flip to hate."
She pushed back. "Hate? I came back cause I missed you! Why would I set you up right after... after last night?"
"All that was a cover. You wanted to get close to plant it, then call your Romano pals."
"Why would I? I have no reason to!" She shot back, still struggling under my grip.
"Liar!" I yelled.
"No!" She yelled right back in my face. "I wanted you, not your death," she said softly.
Frustration grew within me, her defiance was pissing me off at this point. I instinctively loosened my grip slightly, taking a step back.
She noticed and seductively leaned in immediately. "You know you miss my touch from last night."
"Don't fucking go there!" I growled.
She didn't answer me, she just flashed me her signature smirk that always signaled the beginning of one of her crazy ideas. Then shifted her hand slightly, her next move taking me by surprise.