Five Star Hotel

28. Tampons

"She's somewhere down here too." He replied. "I'm not sure which room though."

"Where are we?" I needed to ask one question at a time. I wanted to start off with the simple ones.

"Still the hotel." He replied. "Anthony had made this underground basement thing out of paranoia. He got involved with... the business, and felt the need to have a backup plan."

"Business?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "What are you in the Mafia or something?" I didn't think that was going to be the answer, but the look on his face told me that it was. "Oh." I said, scared all over again. I didn't know what to say.

"Skyla, that's why I came here. I came to escape. I mean there really isn't an escape when your father is head of the Italian Mafia, but I still tried."

"So you, you're part of it?" I don't think I was processing this properly.

"To a certain degree, yes. I try to stay out of it. I haven't found myself in a situation like this is years. I'm supposed to be kept secret so that no one uses me as bait."

"W-why are we here? What is this situation?" I was about to have a panic attack.

"Nick. He wants to settle things with my father. He has connections that put us in danger. I brought you here because I figured that you'd be the first one he'd want to get. I just needed to know you were safe."

"Nick." Of course. "I was just talking to him." I said, trying really hard to hold back tears. "Yesterday, and today. He told me to leave. He told me to get away from the hotel. He said Silvio was going to kill him."

Dante's body went stiff. He was trying to keep it together, but it was clear that he was furious. "What did you tell him?"

"Nothing." I responded honestly. "I didn't know what to tell him. Is Silvio really going to kill him?"

"I don't know." Dante said like he couldn't care less. "I don't get involved in his business. I did once when I was fifteen. It ended with me getting shot twice." My eyes widened. So those were the scars on his leg.

"Shot?" I asked. "Why?"

"I shot first. I was just a stupid kid."

"You've shot someone before?" The longer this conversation went on, the worse I felt. "Have you killed?" My words came out tight. I already knew the answer.

"Not on purpose." Dante responded honestly. "They were after me, trying to kill me. I didn't really have another choice." I couldn't believe those hands that I felt safe in also took someone's life.

This was Dante. I hated him. I hated him so much, but that was my brain. My heart was opened to him. It was drawing me to him. I needed to ignore it.

"Sean!" I said. "What– Jade said something about Sean! Where is he?" Panic flooded my voice.

"Hospital." Dante said looking at the floor. "Some guys took him. Tortured the sh!t out of him trying to get information. He doesn't know anything though." I could hear the pain in his voice. "I don't know what's going to happen with that though. I haven't heard anything yet."

Dante had cuts on his hands and some on his face that were closed with butterfly stitches. "What happened to you?" I gently ran my finger across his messed up hand.

"I had to get him out." He said. "It wasn't easy."

We stayed quiet. Neither one of us said anything until his phone rang. He answered it. The whole conversation was in Italian.

My hormones were currently up the roof. Listening to him talk really turned me on. I mean, I had to reposition my legs a few times by how much he was killing me. It disgusted me. I still wanted this man. I wanted him so badly.

He's killed. I would think. But then I thought, to protect himself. I'd probably do the same. It's instinct.

He hung up and said, "I need to go."

"What? No no no. You can't just keep me locked up in here!" I yelled, suddenly realizing the situation. He didn't kidnap me to tell me the truth. He planned on keeping me here! I had work and responsibilities.

"What do you want me to tell you, Skyla. I need to keep you safe. My best friend got put into a coma. I'm not about to let that happen to you too."

"Ok, says the man who was holding a gun to my head." I frowned.

"Please. You actually think I was going to do anything with it? The safety was still on. It was just part of the plan. I didn't want to make a scene. I figured the gun would stun you long enough to get in the car."

"I appreciate you trying to protect me, but I have responsibilities –"

"Skyla, you can hate me if you want. You can leave here when the coast is clear and never talk to me again. You can shoot me in the legs right now, but I am not going to put you in danger. Your life is much more valuable than a job. Than anything."

I wasn't sure what to say so I said, "Well I'm a girl. You need to supply me with things."

"Things?" He asked.

"Yeah. Like tampons and bras and clothes. I mean you probably don't understand, because you don't get a period but I do–"

"Ok. I'll get you some." With that he left.

• Toccala e oi ti uccido —> Touch her and I'll kill you.

• Sta 'zitto —> Shut up

• Che cosa le hai fatto —> What did you do to her?

• Niente. Lo giuro. E appena svenuta. —> Nothing. I swear. She just passed out.