Dangerous Melodies - Chapter 27: Chapter 27

MARISOL
I scanned the room one final time, making sure I hadn’t forgotten anything.
My suitcase stood packed and ready by the door. A restless flutter stirred in my chest, equal parts excitement and dread. The afternoon had been a whirlwind. After the intimate wedding, I spent hours shopping for honeymoon attire.
A few hours earlier, I remembered Dante handing me his black card.
"Buy anything you want," he had said, his tone casual but his gaze sharp, like he was studying my reaction.
I took the card, unable to hide the twinkle in my eye. I locked eyes with him, a quiet challenge in my smile.
"Oh, I know how to use this. You’ll be proud."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. He started to turn, then paused.
"Maria will help you pick out some sexy lingerie sets," he added, voice smooth. "For the honeymoon."
Color flared in my cheeks before I could stop it. Damn him.
My stomach flipped. Appropriate? I could only imagine what that meant.
Now, standing alone in the quiet room, I glanced back at the bed. The bags were spread out like a high-end yard sale, tags still on, receipts tucked neatly inside.
Some I’d bought because I liked them. Most I’d bought because I knew how to flip them. That was the game. Post, sell, collect. I wasn’t new to this.
I snapped photos, uploaded listings, and angled a pair of sunglasses just right on the pillow for better lighting.
Dante hadn’t returned the money he took. Not yet. He might. He might not. But I wasn’t about to sit around with empty hands.
If something goes wrong, I’ll need cash. A buffer. A way out.
It wouldn’t be the first time I built from scratch, but I was hoping it’d be the last.
As I made my way downstairs, the scent of cumin and simmering chiles drifted up from the kitchen, rich and grounding.
It reminded me of home. Not a perfect home, but one where the food was always hot and someone always asked if you were hungry before they asked anything else.
Sunday mornings with my mom flashed through my mind. Salsa bubbling on the stove, bolillos crisping in the oven, the air thick with spice and warmth.
For a moment, the memory wrapped around me like a hug. Comforting. Familiar.
Maria was different, but not entirely. There was a comfort in her presence I hadn’t expected. Warm, familiar in a way I hadn’t let myself feel in years. Something about her cooking made me feel like I wasn’t so far from the girl I used to be.
She looked up from the stove when I stepped in.
"Can I ask you a favor?" I said, keeping my tone casual. "While we’re on our honeymoon... some people might reach out about a few things I’m selling. If they message, could you help coordinate?"
Maria wiped her hands on her apron.
"You’re selling clothes?"
I gave a little shrug.
"Just a few things I listed. Designer pieces. There’s a note with everything on the bed. If anyone picks something up, could you just put the cash in the box in my nightstand?"
She tilted her head, not judging, but not entirely without questions.
"I’ve done it before," I added. "It’s just easier than returns."
She gave a small nod.
"Of course. I’ll keep an eye on it."
"You running a side business already?"
I turned, startled. Felix stood just inside the doorway, arms crossed, watching us with that unreadable expression he wore like armor.
How long had he been standing there? In a house this big, silence traveled farther than sound.
"It’s not like that," I said, keeping my tone light. "I’m just making room. Besides, returns go back to Dante’s card. Cash is easier."
He didn’t say anything right away. Then he asked,
"You want me to handle the drop-offs?"
I blinked.
"You’d do that?"
He shrugged.
"Someone should make sure no one shady comes to the door while you’re gone."
I glanced at Maria, who nodded again, quieter this time.
"Thanks," I said, voice softer. "The instructions are all on my bed. Everything’s labeled."
He gave a short nod.
"I’ll take care of it. But if this turns into a full-time gig, I’m taking commission."
The corner of my mouth lifted, but the smile didn’t fully land. He was teasing, but he’d stepped in without hesitation. That meant something.
We’d danced at the wedding. Awkward at first, but not hostile. It had shifted something between us, a sliver of respect, maybe. Still, I knew better than to assume we were good.
Felix might not like me, but I needed him on my side. Not just for Dante. For me. This world I’d married into was layered with power plays and silent allegiances, and Felix was more than Dante’s second-in-command. He was a gatekeeper. An observer. I wasn’t naive enough to think I could survive here alone.
"Felix," I said, keeping my voice soft, gentle with intent. "I’m really sorry we got off to a rocky start."
My gaze dropped, and a quiet knot of vulnerability tightened in my chest.
"I just… I really hate being called a ‘good girl.’ It makes me feel like… a dog on a leash."
Heat crawled up my neck.
"I’ve been controlled my whole life, and I don’t want to feel like that anymore."
I hesitated, then looked up at him, heart pounding. If he throws this in my face, fine. At least I’ll know I tried.
"I’m sorry I hurt you like that. I shouldn’t have kicked you. Will you forgive me?"
His expression shifted. That guarded look softened, and something flickered in his eyes. Something I hadn’t seen before.
He swallowed, almost thoughtful. Like he was recalibrating the way he saw me. Then he exhaled, slow and controlled, like he was letting something go.
He nodded, his voice quieter than I’d expected.
"I understand."
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"But trust me, I’ll never call you that again. I value my balls too much."
Relief washed over me.
"Thank you, Felix."
He shook his head with a wry grin, taking the papers.
"Just remember, it’s only this once. You owe me."
I couldn’t help but smile brighter.
"You’re the best!"
DANTE
Felix was waiting just inside the doorway when I turned the corner.
He quickly relayed Marisol’s plan to sell some things, his tone casual but efficient. I couldn’t help the flicker of amusement. Old habits die hard.
I didn’t answer right away. She was building herself a way out, stacking dollars like stepping stones in case she had to run.
She didn’t have to say it. She still didn’t trust me. Not fully.
I shook my head, letting the hint of a smirk show.
"Leave the bags. Maria can put them away. No need to return anything."
Felix gave a casual shrug, but his eyes tracked something behind me.
I turned just in time to catch Marisol crossing the hallway, her hips swaying with effortless confidence, like every step was deliberate. She didn’t look at me. Didn’t even know she had the power to gut me with a glance withheld.
She moved like she belonged to herself. But tonight, she’d belong to me, and I’d have to be careful not to ruin her.
I couldn’t stop staring at the curve of her ass—full, perfect, made to be held. Need hit hard and low, brutal. The image burned in: taking her from behind, sinking deep, slow, and claiming.
One wrong move and I’ll break her. And fuck me, I’ve never wanted to be careful with anyone, until now.
I’m going to have her. Every way I want: slow, deep, until she forgets how to run. I’ll strip every wall she’s built until she comes undone in my hands.
Need gripped me, sharp and low, my jaw locking to contain it. It wasn’t just the way she moved, though that alone could undo a weaker man. It was the quiet strength in her, the sharp edge of survival, the softness she didn’t know she carried.
She has no clue what it’ll take for me to go slow, no clue what it’ll cost me not to claim her the way I want.
She doesn’t even know the damage she’s done. And God help me, I can’t bear the thought of her learning it from someone else.
She’d be mine. The first I’d take like this. And tonight, she’d know it.
"Jeez, Dante, get a grip. You gonna make it to the jet without embarrassing both of us?" Felix muttered, not bothering to hide his smirk.
I didn’t take my eyes off the hallway.
"Shut up."
His laugh was soft, under his breath.
"Didn’t say it was a bad thing."
The amusement in his eyes faded, replaced by something sharper. He tapped the earpiece at his temple, head tilting slightly as he listened. A beat later, he nodded.
"We have the green light. First part of the plan’s in motion. Time to head to the jet. We’ll need to move quickly and stay off radar."
I pulled myself out of the heat curling low, locking it down as I stepped into the role I couldn’t afford to screw up.
My mind ran through the checklist, turning over every risk. No gaps. Not today.
I met Felix’s eyes.
"No mistakes. We can’t afford slip-ups. Especially not today."
He nodded, all business now.
"Understood. Phase Two initiates once we’re airborne. We’re ready when you are."
I gave a single nod, the weight of it already pressing between my shoulders.
"This has to go clean. You know what’s at stake."
Felix left, the room falling silent. But my mind didn’t follow.
It stayed with her, the sway of her hips, the echo of her scent, the silence burning in her eyes.
She didn’t trust me yet.
But she would.
The danger wasn’t me losing control. It was me learning how not to.