Indebted to the Mafia King
Diamonds Are a Girl's Worst Enemy

Eleni

A few days later, I'm lazing in front of the TV and wondering when Dante's going to get home. He's been out a lot lately, combing the streets for any sign of Luca. According to him, his plan-which he doesn't want to tell me about yet, in case I think I can do it my own way-works best if he already knows where Luca is. I sigh and change the channel. Without studying to occupy me, I've been alternating between channel-surfing and visiting Seb in the "doctor's office" behind the hair salon a few blocks away. He's getting better, but he broke a few ribs, so the doctor, a nice man who goes by the name Dr. Domino, won't let him go yet. Apparently, my visits are the highlights of his days, because everybody else is too busy to check in. Though he's also dreading getting out because his worried nonna is going to stuff him so full of food that he starts bleeding marinara.

The door opens, and I jump.

"Shit!" I hiss. I don't know when I started cursing, but I have to stop before Mama comes back.

The thought flies out of my mind as Dante leans into the living room doorway. His tie is slightly askew, and I can see a sliver of skin and chest hair.

"Should I be jealous?" I ask.

"Of who?" He frowns.

"Whoever got to tug on your tie." I gesture to his front.

He looks down and smiles sheepishly. "Unless you'd really like to be a low-level drug-runner, I doubt it." He enters the room properly and sits on the couch next to me.

"You got into a fight?" I search him for injuries and replace none.

"Barely." He shakes his head. "I knocked his head against the pavement and asked a few questions. The grabbing was him getting back up."

I flick off the TV and cross my arms. "I know I'm safe in here and all, but I wish you'd take me with you. I'm never going to get any better at defending myself if I don't practice."

"You want to practice?" Dante checks his watch. "Let's go practice. The range is still open."

"Not like that.” I huff. "When I actually had my shot, I couldn't take it because I didn't know what real shooting was going to be like. My hands were sweaty and shaky and there were people trying to stop me and-" He cups my face. "El. You don't need that kind of practice."

I tug out of his hold. "Yes, I do! I practice, or I die, right? Wasn't that the point of the whole dating-a-mafioso speech?"

Dating and potentially marrying a mafioso, a voice in the back of my brain adds. I dismiss it. Dante seemed very confident he doesn't want to marry me right now.

"The point of that speech was that you should be careful." He leans back.

"And so should you!" I gesture wildly, just like Baba always did when he got frustrated.

Dante grabs one of my hands. "I didn't come home to fight. I even brought you a present."

That quiets me. My last present was my own set of lingerie, lacy pieces like I see in Gianna's closet, that we broke in that very night. Even frustrated with Dante, I can't deny how hot he is in his suits. Maybe I even like the suits better when I'm frustrated.

"That's what I thought." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a long, velvet box.

I accept the box and open it. Inside, glistening on a soft pad, is one of the most beautiful necklaces I've ever seen in my life. A thin golden chain holds a shining diamond about the size of my thumbnail, surrounded by a ring of sapphires, in a simple setting. I lift the pendant and feel something on the back. When I flip it over, the metal is inscribed with a simple message. I love you, El.

Tears sting my eyes. It's the most expensive thing I've ever been given, except for the promised car. It's spectacular. And I still haven't said I love him yet. I don't know what my hesitation is, really. I think I love him. I've certainly never felt this way about anyone before. But there's a voice in the back of my mind that sounds a lot like Mama and keeps reminding me not to fall for the first man who pays attention to me. I don't think Dante is using me. But that voice keeps me too scared to get my heart broken.

"I picked the sapphires to match your eyes," he murmurs.

"It's beautiful." I run my thumb over the back and feel a little more texture. I peer closer and see, nearly hidden under the inscription, what looks like a hatch. "And GPS-enabled."

He winces slightly. "The thing about the sapphires is true."

I shut the box. "I promised to think about it. That means getting to make a decision, not being tricked with luxury jewelry."

Dante cups my hands around the box before I can put it down. "Please, El. I was going to tell you as soon as we got through the tearful, what-a-sweet-present part. You're just smarter than me."

I swallow a smile. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"It seems like it might get me somewhere." He smirks.

"Nope." I force myself to scowl. I don't doubt he was going to tell me, and I had already mostly decided to wear the tracker, if only to get out of the house more often. But I liked his puppy-dog look. "I'm going to need more." "You're stunning. Inspiring. I love waking up next to you," he says.

"All good," I incline my head. "But I was thinking something a little more literal."

He blinks at me.

"If I have to wear a tracker"-I open the box again-"you wear one too."

"Easy." He starts pulling the necklace out of the box.

"And I get one of those feeds on my fancy new phone," I say.

He smiles. "Have I spoiled you already?"

"I'm just getting started." I smirk.

He lifts the necklace off the cushion and gestures for me to spin around. "I should've known you'd be trouble."

"Why is that?" I lift my hair.

"You were a brat from the moment I met you." He clasps the jewelry around my neck.

It hangs more heavily than I expected, like a collar tethering me to him, but I don't mind the feeling. I like being attached to Dante.

"I am not," I say through the wash of emotions.

"Oh yeah?" He straightens the necklace and slides his hand down my chest, under the neck of my shirt, to cup one of my breasts.

I nod instead of gasping and lean back against him. He twirls my nipple between two fingers.

"Prove it," he whispers in my ear.