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“This is good.”

“Dante, talk to me.”

“I can’t. It’s different now. Too much has happened. We’ve already pulled you in more than you should be.” He turned to look at me, and the regret in his eyes had mine tearing up. “I had no idea you were connected to the club. I’m so sorry.”

My hand landed on his forearm, and I rubbed it, trying to comfort this sweet man I had gotten to know so well. Some might say I should be just as angry at him as I was at Danny, but I couldn’t find it in me.

Dante only left because Danny was in trouble. He didn’t leave his daughter to help the club. He left her with someone he trusted to help his husband.

That was love.

Dante had been put in an impossible position, forcing him to choose between the love of his life and the daughter he had just found. Danika was safe. Danny had not been.

“I knew you didn’t know. When you told me about the clubs and who you both were, I assumed Danny had looked into me. But the way you talked about Ellie being connected to the club but never mentioned my brother, told me you had no idea.”

“Just one more thing Danny lied to me about.” He lifted the glass to his lips and took a heavy drink. I leaned my head on Dante’s shoulder and smiled.

“Fuck him. Divorce him and marry me. We can have a lavender marriage.”

Dante looked down at me, seeing the smile on my face, and threw his head back and laughed.

“God, I needed to laugh. Problem is, he’s great in bed.”

“Fine, keep him as a side piece,” I offered.

“And Ghost will be your side piece?” he asked.

Sitting up, I looked at Dante. “What are you talking about? There is nothing between me and Ghost.”

Dante tilted his head, lifting a brow. “He calls you princess.”

A heavy breath swished out of my lungs. The glass of wine in front of me suddenly becoming perversely important.

Bumping my shoulder, Dante pressed, “Talk to me.”

“We met in November at a bar. We had a... moment in the bathroom.” Searing heat crept up my neck as Dante grinned, clearly understanding my inference. “When we left, and I saw the motorcycle, I ran.”

“Because he was in your brother’s club?”

“I didn’t even know then he was in a club, much less that it was my brother’s club. He didn’t wear his cut. I just assumed he rode. But even that was enough to have me running for the hills.”

“So now what?” he asked.

“What do you mean? There is no what.”

“You don’t think it means something that all this shit brought you back together?”

“Dante Sharpe, are you a closeted romantic?”

“Melissa, I have never been a closeted anything,” he scoffed. “He clearly has feelings for you.”

Hiding behind my closed eyes, I shook my head. “Doesn’t matter. I can’t be with a biker.”

“You just asked me to marry you two minutes ago.”

“That was purely selfish.” I gave him a weak smile.

We were both quiet for a moment before Dante spoke again.