Dante by Eden Butler

Author:Eden Butler [Butler, Eden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eden Butler
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Dante

The apartment on Frontman Street had once been the first firehouse in Cuoricino. It was only three stories high, and the renovations took six months, but it was mine now and gave me the quiet I craved away from my folks’ busy brownstone next to the restaurant. My place was just a few blocks from the town center, right across from Dimitri and Maggie’s building, but an entire world away from the noise and chaos constantly surrounding our family.

It had remained empty for years, had even been the spot most kids snuck away to for quiet, drunken parties because it edged the end of town center. Turned out, the fire escape on the third floor held the darkest shadows, which is where Kat and I hid when we were sneaking bottles of my father’s bourbon and didn’t want my brothers to find out about it or Kat’s to tag along.

It was that same fire escape I stood on now, watching the town below me—my father escorting Mrs. Aoki in the direction of Chinatown, her hanging onto his arm as he chatted away, never mind she didn’t understand a thing he said.

Dimitri’s men flanked each corner of town, every block covered as the small Sunday night crowd dispersed from church or yoga under the park gazebo. Dino and Rickey directed a group of guys, Drew, Kat’s brother among them, away from the park, and in the middle of the crowd, Kat walked right toward my building, her pace steady, her expression determined.

I knew that look. Hell, I could practically read her mind, but I wouldn’t put too much stock into what I hoped that expression meant. She’d seen me getting pissed at Luca, had seen Toni doing her best to settle things between us.

The man had his secrets. He had put me in the middle of those secrets, and once again, had reminded me what was at stake if I let those secret loose.

“I’m not saying lie to anyone.” Luca had said the last word with a quick glance at Kat. “I’m just reminding you of what’s on the line.”

“You think I don’t know?” I’d leaned on the bar, fighting to keep from looking at Kat. “You think I could ever forget?”

“Luca just wants you to be careful,” Toni said, touching my back. “No one would ever understand what we’re doing…or why.”

“If we just explained…” I tried, but Toni cut me off with a shake of her head.

“We can’t risk it.”

Kat knew the way to the fire escape. We’d walked it a dozen times as kids. She didn’t need to ask for me to lower the ladder because I did it without a word or a welcome. She’d never need one, no matter what place I called home.

She stepped back as the ladder lowered and took it quickly, the noise of her small body rattling the fire escape. We didn’t speak when I helped her off the ladder and next to me in front of the open window, or when I nodded her inside.

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