Through Dantes eyes

DANTE

“She’s good man. Fuck knows what they did to her, but I and Rebecca are the most compatible that we have ever been.” I tap my fingers on the black leather chair in Kenzos study that he had built with the new mansion. His previous place was demolished after it was blown down by the Mexicans. I’m glad to see the end of last year because that was one hell of a roller coaster. It’s a shame really because Kenzo started to love his new place and finding out about Rex took its toll on him, Rebecca and Trish. When Trish was found, there wasn’t much of her left and Kenzo had to make the important decision to send her off to Derby to get some serious counselling. I wouldn’t mind, but I became fond of her. At least Kenzos learned his lesson and will never turn his back on Rebecca again, or let her go for that matter. Not that he would want to do that considering she’s exactly what he needs and he is what she needs.

“I’m sorry brother. I truly am, but you need to let her live her life now. She’s been through enough torment and torture in one lifetime, you can’t go adding to that.” I lean back in my seat and Kenzo lays his head down in his hands. The connection between the Rebecca and Trisha was intense and for her to be changed, it was a shock that neither of us expected.

“At least she’s getting the help that she needs now. She’s in safe hands with Derby just think about it that way.”

“I guess you’re right.” He stands up and walks out the door with an old-style book in his hands. I shrug my shoulders and exit his study because there’s no reason for me to be in there.

Entering his kitchen, I lean up against the door frame and wait for Kenzo to acknowledge me.

“Right, I’m shooting off bro.” He nods his head and I grab my keys and exit his house. Sliding in the driver’s seat of my BMW M3, I drive out of the gates not talking to the new security guards that are on duty. I’m shattered and need to get back to see my Mum. She was horrified when I fell into a coma last year and I remember how she held me crying, begging me to wake up. It still breaks my heart to this day and I’ll always remember her face. Just because it didn’t seem as if I wasn’t there doesn’t mean that I wasn’t.

Pulling up outside, I use my keys to enter through the front door and take my blazer jacket off before hanging it up. Placing my keys down on the cabinet, I listen to see if any of the women are taking about anything that I need to know. Pulling my pistol out of my inside pocket, I push it in my black slacks and enter the living room. For fucks sake, whats Hazel doing here again! I’m sure that girl lives at this house. I gave up with her because she kept on sending me mixed signals, all talk and zero movements. She was too much work for me to handle so I deleted her number and cancelled her out of my life. It’s safe to say that shes no longer in my life even if she is almost twenty now.

Rolling my eyes, I check my phone and place it on silent before entering the room.

Stopping, I stare at Hazel sitting on the couch. I should have expected her to be here if I'm honest because she's always staying over night in the spare bedroom. I wouldn't mind, but I don't know why. I do suspect that she's having some trouble at home not that she would talk to me about it.

“Hey, Mum.” I say entering the room confidently with bouncing strides. I cannot help the way that I present myself. It does look as though I make a great appearance by the way that Hazel is staring at the floor. You shouldn't do that I think to myself as I glare over at her giving my mum a kiss on the cheek. This is my way to show her that I am respectful.

“We’re all going out for tea tonight.” My mum shouts in a cheery voice. It's too high pitched for me but I nod and take a seat directly opposite Hazel. I want to have a small chat with her to see if I can figure out what the hell is going on with her and why she's always in my personal space.

She doesn't dare to look up at me and I think it's rather interesting if I say so myself. She looks petrified which takes me by surprise. What have I done to her exactly? I tried to make her mine, she refused my proposal and I left her to it and that is that. Shouldn't I be the one who feels uncomfortable considering I was the one who was rejected?

“You coming?” I ask her staring at her. I want to make her feel as uncomfortable as I possibly can. Why shouldn't I? I can't even have a meal with my family without her being there. Now don't get me wrong, I have no problems with girls coming along especially when they're Chloes friends but when you've been rejected it kinda hurts.

"Yes" she mumbles. I can just about hear what she's saying. She's nervous, it radiates off her. I can smell the discomfort.

Chloe stands up with my mum who's going to go and get her purse from the kitchen. I have a feeling that Chloe wants to ask for some money to go out with her puff she calls a boyfriend or clubbing tonight. I know what she's doing because she always asks my mum out of the way of me. She thinks that she's being careful but I can tell just by watching her follow behind my mum like a small mouse wanting cheese. In my opinion, I know that I should give her boyfriend a chance but I'm too protective and won't give him the time of day.

“Am I that ugly?” I decide to put her on the spot and she shakes her head. Can she do anything? Look at me, speak up, smile? Anything at all would be a bonus. She's definitely not a submissive type, I know that because she's just too quiet for my liking. I'm feeling relieved that I let her go now.

“Look at me then.” I demand keeping my eyes pinned on hers. She breathes in deeply, it's uneven and shaky. Hazel eyes to go with the name Hazel.

Turning my head on the side, I watch as she twists her body around to face the window playing with her fingers as she sweeps her brown long wavy hair over her shoulder. Let's change that to extremely nervous and impossible to approach. Hard work and definitely not my type of personality.

“Have you told your Mum?” I ask her. Could her mum be causing her problems at home? She shakes her head and I throw my head back for a second at snapping point.

“I’d advise you to tell one of your parents at least Hazel. They need to know where you are.”

“Why would you suddenly ask me a question like that?” She snaps at me and I know that I've hit a sensitive nerve. So that's one problem figured out. She's having trouble with her mum. I shrug my shoulders and pretend that I haven't figured out anything about her and her background. My guess is that her mum fucked off just by the way that she shouted back at me. “It’s a normal question, is it not?”

“Yeah. I guess so, but my Mum will understand.” She looks over my attire and I sit there with my eblows on my knees. It's comfortable if I'm honest.

“Or will she?” I decide to keep the conversation going. She looks away from me. A million thoughts are running through her head at once. There's more going on behind the scenes. I know there is. She's got that look in her eyes. She looks haunted by something that terrifies her at night when she wants to go to sleep.

I hear footsteps and my mum enters the room. “Dante. Leave the poor girl alone" she tells me and I wonder what she knows. The poor girl? Not once has she mentioned that word when she's spoken about Chloe, even when she's been underneath my foot in a fight against me. She was always on the losing end of it. Hazel looks relieved and I squint my eyes trying to piece together my complicated puzzle of what the fuck is going on. Still, just because my mum told me to leave her alone, that doesn't mean that I'm going to stop.

“Yes but her parents need to know that she’s going to be out until at least one.”

“That is none of your business. We have arranged for Hazel to sleep here tonight.” She's sleeping here again tonight? Well that's interesting.

“Seriously?” I keep my cover up and my mum crosses her arms snapping back at me “yes seriously" as chloe enters the room with a smile covering her face. She's got the money then I see. Which will it be, meeting the boyfriend or going the club?

What is it with women and shouting? Can't they just sit down and have a calm discussion without screaming? I guess not.

“Actually we’re going clubbing,” Chloe states confidently and I narrow my eyes. Bitch knows not to try it but she still does and by telling me she's expecting me to grant her permission because mum is standing in the room. Hazel stares at Chloe looking confused. My guess is that Chloe has arranged it and Hazel didn't have a clue about it until now. I do hope that she's not as stupid as my sister and will stay behind.

“Hell, you are!” I stand up glaring at Chloe walking over to the window. Lighting up a cigarette, I open the window and turn around with my arms crossed sitting on the window ledge.

“You’re never usually bothered.”

Chloe falls back on the couch with her arms crossed and Hazel turns her head to looking at her. I can see how she's begging for her not to say something. At least we agree on one thing.

“Well, I am tonight. There's not a chance in hell that you’re going out clubbing Chloe. I don’t care if Mum said that you could or not, there are all sorts of weird shit that happens in town on Saturdays.”

“Argh go and get a life.” Chloe rolls her eyes and I clamp my teeth together. There's something about girls and rolling their eyes. It digs deep and tries to yank the demon out of me.

“Already have one little sis. That’s why I can advise you.” I tell her honestly. I do have a life. One that's as big a pain in the ass as my sister. The people hanging around those streets are horrible fuckers who would rape anyone just to get a couple of golden coins to spend inside a sweet shop.

“Yeah because you are the big bad man.” Yes I am actually little sis. I have a heavy machine gun sitting off inside the wall underneath them stairs. I could blow up an entire army and disarm every single police officer down at the station. Not that you need to know that information but thank you for thinking so little of me. At least I blend in.

“I sure am.” I need to go upstairs and check my phone but before doing that I mess up Chloes hair and walk up the stairs smirking. My mum has placed her headphones in so that she doesn't need to listen to us bicker. She started doing that when I was fifteen because I always told Chloe what I thought of her and her skanky mates. She didn't like it and we got into an argument about it every single day. Especially when she talks about her horrible close friend. Nothing can explain how much I hate that girl. She gets on my nerves and no I'm not talking about Hazel. I think her names Rhiannon or something. Fuck knows.

After checking my phone, I get a quick shower and get dressed. Spraying my Cardio aftershave, I drag my black trench coat over my shoulders and walk out to the car. Surely the girls will be ready in a minute.

After an hour and a half, I finally get some food in my system. Why do women take so fucking long to get ready man?

I sit at the table opposite Hazel and Chloe, my mum sits next to me. My mum told the girls that they need a glass of wine when I wasn't fucking there! I had to take a last minute call and she got them one, so now I'm sat here more pissed off then I was about bringing Hazel to dinner with us.

I watch as the waiter walks towards us. A young sixteen year old who has more manners then your average adult. Good on him. He will go far in life, I know he will. My mum opens up her bag and I grab her hand before placing my hand inside my pocket dragging out atleast three grand. I will never let a woman pay. Ever. It's a big fucking no! Take a girl on a date and the man pays, your mum takes you out and still you pay. It's the way that I've been brought up. My dad always told me that the man should pay. He was decent, good working man who sadly lost his life in the Societa Oscura. My mum always said that she didn't want me to get dragged into the lifestyle and here I am but I need to keep it a secret or she will have my head for breakfast. Still, Kenzo doesn't know shit all about my dad and thinks that I was taken in when I wasn't. The secrets go deeper. All I can say is that he was Italian.

“A gentleman will always pay for the meal no matter the price. Get yourself a dress or something.”

My mum nods her head and I smile. Good girl. I will not allow a woman to pay for my food or hers. What surprises me is when she throws the money across the table to Hazel. Now my eyebrows knit together as I try to figure out what the fuck is actually going on. Since when has my mum been supplying Hazel with funds? Now I know that what's happening runs deeper than her mum leaving. She doesn't want to go home, she has meals with us and she now takes money. Could my mum have adopted her and kept it to herself?. No, I would know minutes after it entered the system so that cannot be it.

“No no. I can’t take this Annette. Thank you though.” Passing it back across the table to my mum, she takes a sip of wine but what catches my attention is how her hand is shaking. My mum stands up and walks around the table to her. She looks adamant that she wants Hazel to have the money. She needs help financially. That must be it. She cannot get a job so she needs help to get by. Possibly, I think. Oh I don't fucking know. I'll put it down as that for now.

“Open up your hand Hazel.” My mum crouches down next to her gritting her teeth. Hazel shakes her head refusing to take it.

“I said... Open your god damn hand woman. You are to take this and I mean it. You need it, I don’t. Simple.”

Stop saying no!

I don't like it when she says no. It's irritating me. Standing up, I walk around to stand behind her as my mum tells her to take the money. She shakes her head and I grab her wrist in a loose hold, it may feel tight to her. She turns her head to look up at me and I stare down at her.

Innocence is all that I see. I'm this man who runs riot in the world of darkness and here we have a woman who struggles to get by daily. I'm the one who should live with Karma, but she seems to get it. Forcing her hand open, I take some of the money out of my pocket and drop it in hers before closing her palm. I don't know how much is there, but I'm sure it will help her get by.

If she says no to me now then I'm going to lose my shit and go all psychotic on her ass.

“Mum you keep your money and you take that money, Hazel. No more arguments.” I demand walking around the table to go and sit down. I take a sip of my beer and raise my eyebrows waiting for either one of them to try and argue with me. My mum takes her seat again while Chloe smiles, Hazel stares at the table.

“No Son. You need it.” My mum comments. I'm bored of this conversation. Can we end it already? It's dragging out! I stare at her smirking. I need that money? There's a wad of cash sitting on the edge of the table. I'm sure I don't need a couple of hundred. I have around fourteen grand on the inside of my suit jacket. I don't even count it anymore so it could be forty grand for all I know.

“Do I yeah?” I ask my mum who nods her head. I laugh out loud throwing my head back before leaning forwards, my arms leaning on the table, a smirk on my face.

“If I ended up in a coma from a car crashing with bullets all over the body structure, do you really think that I’m earning minimum wage?” Yeah, my mum thinks I'm some security guard or some shit. I never did ask her what she thought I did, but I know that she would ask more questions so I guess that's why I never brought it up.

“Well yeah.” She snarls at me knowing that I am right and can pay for her and Chloe. Why would I leave her to struggle if I have more cash than sense? Still, she's keeping the argument going.

Leaning back in the most uncomfortable chair I've ever sat in, I twist my back and enjoy the click. I won't be eating here again that's for sure. A grin covers my face when I find that Hazel is staring at me.

This is the problem with taking my family out. If I take them somewhere I love to eat then my work then my cover will be blown. The last thing I want to do is drag my mum into all of this again especially after it took her so long to get out of it.

“Really?”

Again she nods and he I pull out a stack of notes wrapped up with a gold band keeping it together. I prefer to use gold bands because elastic goes right through me. I guess it's my preference.

“Far from it.” I slam my hand down on the table and laugh. Pushing the wrapped up notes across the table to Chloe I watch as both my mums and Hazel's eyes widen. My mums mouth falls open and I shrug my shoulders. Pushing my hand inside my suit jacket, I pull out another wrap and push it across the table to my mum to try and shut her up. When she starts, she doesn't stop so I'm hoping that by passing her the money it will shut her up!

“Seven thousand enough for shopping?” I raise my right eyebrow glancing at my mum and Chloe before taking another sip of my beer. They both nod and I know that I can finally enjoy my beer in silence. I do regret giving Chloe that money. I know that she's going to go and spend it at the club.

I look at Hazel to see what she's doing and find her looking around the room. Basically anywhere other than at me. Leaning on the table I ask her a basic question. Simple and straight to the point.

“So tell me. Why is my Mum handing you money, giving you a place to stay and welcoming you into our house all of the time. What’s going on at home?” She has this habit where she will look around playing with her fingers. Nervous habit maybe?

“Dante you can’t ask that,” My mum interrupts me. For the love of God can you back off woman! You have food, a drink and seven grand in cash. Let me speak to the woman who's baffling my head and let me get to the bottom of it.

I turn to face her. “I can and I will.” I state. I'm not going to allow her to fuck up my plan. I need to find out what's going on so that I can help her if she needs it. I'm not sure why I want to help. I watch people lose their lives everyday and here I am wanting to help the woman who fucking rejected me. Come on Dante sort your head out will you!