Chapter 33
Dante Valentino
morning of wedding
I lightly shook Cali awake. She wasn't the one to mess with in the morning so I took precautions in waking her. She groaned and opened and eye, peeking up at me, "I've got something to do but I promise I'll be back in time to take you to the wedding."
She mumbled something and turned on her stomach, pushing her face into the pillow. I rubbed my hand tenderly up her bare arm and placed a kiss on her forehead, not liking that I was doing something behind her back. But, it was necessary and had to be done. I was a man of high power and needed to keep tabs on everyone, even if it was the girl I was quickly falling for.
I pulled my blanket higher up her body, trying to cage her in warmth. She sighed into my pillow, but didn't move. Leaving, I slowly closed the door behind me. Zeus was walking down the steps when he heard me, turning around he ran towards me, tail wagging.
He nudged my bedroom door.
I laughed lightly while opening the door and allowing him to go in, he padded in quietly. Jumping on the bed skillfully, not touching Cali, he laid his head against her stomach and stretched out on the bed. At least while I was gone she had protection.
~
"What'd you find?" I asked Daniel.
He placed down his coffee and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had been up all night trying to find some sort of lead to why Cody wanted Cali so bad, "I found something all right."
I sat next to him, eager to see what he found. He scrolled through some files on his laptop until coming upon a document from four years ago, "This was three years before Calista's parents split. Her father was charged with murder on first degree."
I sat up taller, studying the report on the computer screen, "Shouldn't this have came up earlier?"
Daniel nodded, "It would have but it looks like her father had some good friends. All Chargers were dropped and forgotten, her father got away with murder."
I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion, "How could a murder be forgotten? Who'd he kill?"
"That was pretty hard to find too but it came up in a missing person website. His name was Drake Johnson, thirty year old gang member."
"So no one cared." I whispered to myself.
Gang members usually sold themselves to their group. Dropping all contact with family and friends, basically going off the radar. It wasn't surprising if one died and no one cared, "Who dropped the charges?"
Daniel scrolled down the page farther until he came to the end, where it listed Calista's name and her mothers, "Calista would've been a minor. Why is her name on the police report?"
"That was exactly what I was thinking," Daniel spoke, "My guesses are he used this against the court. Her name shouldn't of ended up on her so he took advantage of it."
My jaw ticked in anger, "So he used his only child to get out of his bloody messes."
Daniel nodded again, exiting out of the police report, "Seems that way."
I gulped as I asked the next question. I felt like I was betraying her, not confronting her first but doing it behind her back. For once in my life it felt completely wrong to do this, "And what about Cali. What'd you find on her?"
Daniels eyes dropped in exhaustion but he continued to scroll down the list until coming upon a photo. It was a teenage girl on the front page of the newspaper. Her hair was brown and reached past her back, sweeping across her back as she ran from something. The picture was blurry but I had no doubt that it was Cali.
"She ran from cops after breaking a guy's arm. Sources from this paper said that she snapped it clean," Daniel nudged me, "It took us years to know that."
I ran my hand across my forehead, "How old was she?"
Daniel squinted his eyes as he read the lines of the newspaper, he zoomed in on the picture, "She was eighteen."
I sighed, "So last year?"
Daniel nodded, "Says she was caught sneaking around abandoned buildings that are banned from the public. Some guy tried to get her away and she broke his arm and ran."
I stared at the picture in disbelief. Cali seemed so fragile and innocent to me, but after growing up quickly I learned that looks can be deceiving. She had a past, and I wondered when she was going to tell me about it, "What was she looking for?"
Daniel shook his head, "No idea," He looked over at me, "That's something you'll have to ask her."
I avoided his eye contact and looked back at the computer, "Give me everything you got on John Woods. Then go home to Lily and head to my house. Tell Cali I'll be a little late."
Daniel nodded, skimming through articles and reports. After an hour he was gone and heading out to get some rest. I hadn't got much sleep last night either, I was up thinking about Roy and the business he brought here. It was risky and he knew it, so why bring it to your son? That didn't matter now though, what mattered was figuring out what Cali has been hiding.
Cali Woods
Present
Dante's eyes snapped towards mine in a predatory look. He was pissed now, but would could I do? Let him kill a man right in from of all these people? At a wedding?
Luckily the couple were already gone and heading towards the food and main party. Only a few people were left in the church area, looking at me with concern.
I flicked my gaze to them and ushered them out, "It was a spider."
The nodded there heads and were soon gone.
I pulled my hand out of Lily's who was urging me out the door, but I wouldn't go. I couldn't let Dante die, or anyone, because of me. I ran towards Dante and reached for the gun in his hand, "Dante, no."
"Yes, Dante. Don't listen to her; just shoot me. See where it gets you." Cody was only feet from us now, having stepped down from the stage. His eyes were blood shot like he hadn't slept in days and his white undershirt was untucked in the back.
Dante made a noise in the back of his throat and went to stand in front of me. His massive body hiding me.
"Maybe I should. You're of no need to me, so why shouldn't I?"
Cody shrugged, "Everyone you know dies? I have men stationed outside this church, and they be more than happy to kill a Valentino." Cody spit out the name like a kid saying their first curse word.
Dante's jaw ticked but he remained silent, listening to Cody as he teased on, "They'd start with her," he said, peeking of Dante's shoulder at me, "I'd allow them to do anything. Rape her, cut her, break some bones. And the best of all," he paused to read Dante's poker face, "It'd be torture to you as you watched helplessly."
"No." I whimpered, fearing for Dante more than myself. I was grown up to face situations like this. My father said to put the ones you love always first: I knew he'd still do anything for my mom and I.
Dante tightened his hand around my wrist and pushed me against his back, "And if I kill them all too?"
"If," Cody teased, "you get that chance. I'm sure your father would destroy you to save himself."
Something in Dante changed as he lunged for Cody, knocking him against the chairs. Lily cried out as Daniel hoisted her in his arms and ran out, he was protecting the one he loved, so should I.
I grabbed for the gun that Dante held moments earlier and held it in the direction of the fighting boys. Dante landed multiple punched to Cody's face, Cody took every hit with a smile. It wasn't then till he noticed me and laughed, "Woods has your gun. Your girl might finish your business for you."
Dante froze, his fist stopped in mid air. His dark eyes drifted to me in slow motion. Like he didn't want to look. A tear ran down my face as a flashback came.
"Daddy," I whispered helplessly, "I can't."
My father looked up at me with a furious expression. He pushed the guys face against the concrete and spoke hoarsely, "Do it. He's a bad guy, baby. Just do it."
I slowly lifted the gun back up, pointing it at the mans chest. Daddy had said he killed a lot of people and needed to die, so he gave me the gun as he pinned him down.
I had first learned to shoot a gun a year ago. I was now twelve and expertly handling a gun. Daddy said this would happen soon, but I didn't want to believe him.
"Do it!" My father screamed, landing another punch to the guy.
"I can't, Daddy! I want mommy!" I screams back, tears furiously running down my face.
My fathers jaw clocked, the tattoo covering his arm flexing along with his bicep, "Mommy's at work. Now shoot!"
Mommy wouldn't of wanted this. She had even told me that she didn't like me shooting a gun but daddy always said I needed to learn in self-defense. He never said I'd have to kill someone for him.
"No!"
"Shoot it goddammit!" He screamed back, a bien in his neck bulging.
I feared my father in that moment. Straddling a wailing man to the concrete. Blood ran from my fathers nose, his hair dirty and knuckles bloody. The guy was innocent, I hadn't seen him doing anything. But daddy said he was bad and that we needed to finish business. Daddy said the guy hurt little girls like me.
Anger pulsates through me at the thought. Maybe it was okay, the guy was bad anyways.
My brain was fighting my heart as my finger hovered over the trigger.
The gun jerked without myself even comprehending what I had done.
That time a loved one told me to shoot, and now a loved one looked at me with fear and told me to stop.
"Cali, baby. Drop the gun." Dante said, all of his attention on me.
Cody spluttered up blood as Dante took his weight off of him and stood to his feet. He held his hands up in surrender, slowly walking towards me.
The gun in my hand was shaking as I aimed it at Cody. Cody lied on the ground with pleading eyes. Begging me to shoot and mess everything up. It only made me angrier.
I lifted the gun higher, a sob escaping my lips, "He's a bad guy, Dante. You said so yourself, he hurts people. He deserves the pain and fear he brings!"
Dante he's softened as he watched me closely. Studying my movements. My father had done this to the men that came into our home to deal with business. It was scary watching then and being on the receiving end was more frightening.
"He is," Dante soothed, "But killing him would end it all and make our lives hell. You'd live in regret-"
"Like I do now?" I questioned, referring to the man I had shot when I was twelve.
Dante dropped his hands, looking sad worried.
He knew.
"Keep Cody alive and let him suffer; instead of doing what he wants. If he dies now it'll only put us in more danger."
"Us?" I whispered, wiping at my eyes.
His eyes softened, now standing only inches from me, "I'm not leaving you, Calista."
In that moment I broke. Dropping the gun to the ground and collapsing against Dante. He held me tightly to his chest, holding the back of my head.
A soft thud sounded behind us, the door being opened.
"Daniel." Dante said, tilting his head towards an unconscious Cody.
Daniel came into my view along with some of the groomsman. One man hoisted Cody up from under his arms and dragged him out the back door.
The rest ignored us and exited, listening closely to Daniel's commands.
"You're okay now." Dante whispered.
I had trouble believing that.
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