Chapter 36
Cali Woods
The gravel crunched underneath my feet as we walked to an unknown place, at least to me. Dante walked a little in front of me, walking tall and stiff. A few days ago he walked with ease and familiarity and now it was the complete opposite, scaring me.
I watched as his hand clutched my bag, his knuckles white and veins bulging. His jaw was locked tight, making his growing scruff more visible. His brown eyes were cold, as if holding no life and on a dangerous mission. He only got this way when someone was speaking of Cody.
I wanted so badly to reach out and hold his hand, wrapping his strong, Italian arms around me. To feel him touch me one last time.
I had yet to know exactly where I was going, I figured a safe house somewhere to get me away from him, but he didn't do anything to help my assumptions.
"Dante," I whispered, continuing when he tensed, "Where am I going?"
He didn't turn to look at me, only quickened his pace. A car honk sounded in the distance causing me to jump and speed up. I matched his pace and looked over at him.
Dante refused to look at me, "Somewhere safer, you won't be in any trouble. It'll just take some getting used to."
I felt tears prickle my eyes for no reason, "You know you're being a total dick."
Dante suddenly stopped, facing me with an unhappy frown, "It's for the best. You're not safe with me."
I stomped my foot, my blood boiling. I had never been particularly angry with but at this time I saw red. My life was normal before this, if it wasn't for him if be at school still studying to be a vet, a normal small town girl with a too big dream. But ever since I laid my eyes on him at the school, his hazel eyes piercing me I couldn't exactly scratch the itch. I had claimed his as mind, and I didn't have to piss on him to make everyone believe it.
I grew even more angrier thinking of another girl on his arm.
"Quit being a cliché bastard and tell me what's happening, now!" Tears spilled from my eyes now, my fingers clenched into fists.
He stood motionless, letting me pathetically fall apart. I wanted to go back to normal, I had my my own normal life after my parents split. I wanted to for guilt of killing a man so young. My father had urged me to do it but nothing and nobody could have made me done it, only myself.
"You think you're the only one being left here but it's not true, I'm not some girl you can show affection and love to and then just dump me like some whøre! We've carved ourselves into each other's mind so don't act like I'm nothing. You're about to leave me forever and you won't even hold my fūcking hand!"
Dante reached out and grabbed my hand, stopping me from jerking away from him, "Piccolo, why are you just now telling me all of this?"
"Because I lo-"
"Well, well, well, earlier than I expected, but welcome," Cody's voice left a sickening feeling in my stomach, "Calista Woods, or should I call you Calista Adami?"
My mouth dropped open, "What?" This horror was certainly not real.
I gripped Dante to tell if I was dreaming, he squeezed my fingers only telling me that this was too real.
"You see," Cody continued, "You didn't think we'd let you go that easily. Did you?" Cody circled around me, Dante slowly drifting away from me, "Your father owes me a lot of things, you being one. I'm here to collect. With Dante's permission of course."
I looked to Dante, who couldn't meet my eye. Which only infuriated me. I tightened my fingers into my fist and gritted my teeth, tearing my ready eyes away from him.
"Why not go after my father? He's alive and well." I suggested, not even realizing what I was implying.
If course I didn't want him to take my father, he was a hard man to grow up with but he was still my father.
Cody shook his head, stepping closer to me, "It's not just money I will take from him, it's you. His prize possession, his dirty work," Cody snickered, "Face it sweetheart, you were his machine with a cute mask. You only killed one man but how many do you recall torturing?"
Tears streamed from my face as memories from my past began to resurface-the ones I had kicked and beaten to the back of my mind.
"You do," Cody said, watching my face, "Quite sad, don't you think Dante? You've been fucking a person who's tormented more people than you and your bastard of a father combined."
I gulped and looked towards Dante, seeing pity in his eyes as he looked over at me. I wanted nothing more than to reach out and hug him, kiss him. But I understood, I understood why he was getting rid of me. I was a ticking time bomb, my therapist had told me when I was fifteen. I'd only destroy his operations and business.
I dropped my head, defeated. This was it.
"Well, bet my left nut. Is this Adami's offspring. He did a well job huh, Calista. Too bad he's about to be dead."
My head shot to the new voice along with everyone else's, "Dad?"
My father nodded and bowed his head towards Dante, "Thank your lover, for he knows what he's doing."
I looked at Dante who smiled wickedly at me, I was beyond confused and Cody's face seemed to match mine, "What?"
"You set me up." Cody spoke suddenly, turning his head violently towards me, "You set me up." He lunged for me only to be tackled down by Dante, Cody's fingernails left long red lines down my arm. I clutched it and watched as Dante had Cody by the neck, straddling him on the gravel.
Cody's men had there guns pointed towards Dante who seemed oblivious to it all. I screamed as one gun shot went off and then another, and then another. The last thing I remember was pain shooting up my abdomen and then my name being yelled.
~
"What's taking so long?" A husky voice asked, denting the bed I was lying on.
Another gruff voice answered but I couldn't quiet grasp the words. I groaned, turning my face to the side to avoid the beating light above me. A pair of large hands gripped my own trembling ones, "Cali, please open your eyes."
I groaned again raising my hand to block the light and slowly opened my eyes. Dante's unshaven fave greeted me first. His eyes were blood shot and his clothes were wrinkled. He smiled weakly at me and brought my hands to his lips, "You're awake."
I tried smiling back and sitting up but whimpered when a sharp pain traveled up my chest. Dante scooter closer to me and gripped my upper arm, "Don't move okay, I'll incline the bed."
I nodded my head and dropped my head against the rough pillow beneath me, it didn't feel like Dante's silky one at all, making me finally open up my eyes and see my surroundings. An old box tv was sat on a counter in front of me against white walls that were peeling from years of abuse. I blinked and looked to my right where I could see two shadows of men who were talking outside, the curtain of the window blocked them from me.
I hand on my thigh brought me back to Dante, who was looking at me expectantly, "You were shot in the stomach but it missed all your major organs. You lost a lot of blood, piccolo. You've been out for days."
I looked down, examining my wrapped torso, a single tear falling and hitting my hands, "What happened?"
Dante's head dropped, "It's all my fault."
I reached out and placed my hand on his jaw, lifting his head and bringing his eyes to me, "Tell me."
"After I tackled Cody your dad fired first, signaling the others. A fallen man shit one last time and it hit you, knocking you out." Dante's voice dropped and came out thicker, "I thought you were dead."
I brought his head to my chest and held him tight, combing my fingers through his hair, "Is he dead?"
Dante shook his head, "They're holding him in your fathers cells, they still want to know why he wanted you so much."
"What are we going to do now then?"
+