Dangerous Melodies - Chapter 67: Chapter 67
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DANTE
I hadn’t slept. Not even a minute.
I still couldn’t believe Marisol was alive. Alive. Sitting across from her at dinner last night had felt like some kind of dream. Or maybe a trick of grief. Her laugh hadn’t changed. Not really. It still had that little catch at the end, like she was trying not to lose herself completely in it. I’d forgotten the sound of it until I heard it again, and then it was like no time had passed at all. Except it had. Six years. Six years of silence.
And now she was back like the world hadn’t cracked open when she disappeared.
She’d smiled when Lucas brought up Carlos T., her whole face shifting. Eyes bright. Shoulders loose. Her body leaned into the moment like nothing was heavy. Like nothing had been lost. I’d nodded, forced the corners of my mouth to rise, and played it off.
But something cold had started settling in my gut.
And now… now she was glowing in his presence.
My post was in the control room, but my eyes never left her.
She didn’t know I was watching. Didn’t know what it did to me to see her like this. Soft, alive, and just... her. She moved through the studio like she belonged to it, confident and in control. But I caught the flicker of nerves too. The way she smoothed her shirt. The pause before stepping into the booth. I knew her tells. Even if she didn’t remember me, I remembered everything.
I wanted to go to her. Just take her in my arms. Feel her heartbeat against mine. But I couldn’t. She didn’t know who I was. Not what we’d been. What we’d lost.
Instead, I stood there, still as stone, watching her get ready to sing with someone who clearly saw her magic and wasn’t afraid to act on it.
Carlos hadn’t even walked through the door yet, and I already hated the way she smiled when she said his name.
Lucas spoke nearby. “Carlos should be here soon. We’re making sure everything’s perfect.” I barely registered the words.
She nodded, scanning the room with those sharp, focused eyes, letting herself find her rhythm. She stepped into the booth, her fingers grazing the music stand, calm and centered. God, I missed her.
Then the door opened. I didn’t have to look. The air shifted.
Carlos walked in like he owned the damn place. Charm rolled off him in waves. He knew exactly what he was doing. Everyone did. Marisol stepped forward, and I had to fight not to move.
She smiled at him.
Not the smile she gave everyone else. The one she used to give me.
I stood frozen behind the glass, jaw locked tight. Couldn’t hear a word, but I didn’t need to. Her posture. His eyes. The way he lifted her hand to his lips. What the hell is this?
She flushed. Laughed a little. Said something I’d probably remember at 3 a.m. when I couldn’t sleep. Then they stood there, just talking. Close. Too close.
Carlos didn’t let go of her hand. Not right away. His thumb moved along her skin. And she let him.
My hands curled into fists at my sides.
She was still mine, even if she didn’t remember it. But I couldn’t stake that claim, not without breaking the fragile reality she was living in now. She was here, breathing and smiling and alive. That should’ve been enough. But watching him touch her like that, hearing the way she said yes to dinner... it wasn’t.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I walked into the booth without thinking, needing to break whatever that moment was before it dug any deeper.
She jumped a little. “Dante?”
Her voice had concern in it. ”Is everything okay?”
I couldn’t look at her for too long. “Fine,” I said, forcing the word past gritted teeth. “Just checking in.”
And before I did something stupid, I turned and walked out.
The door clicked behind me. Clean. Controlled. Unlike me.
MARISOL
I stepped into the living room, the afternoon sun pouring through the windows in soft, golden streaks. The light warmed the hardwood floors and gave everything a sleepy kind of glow. Nina was curled up on the couch, flipping through a magazine, her legs tucked beneath her like she belonged there.
The air smelled faintly of fresh flowers, something clean and comforting. After the rush of the session, the calm felt like a gentle exhale.
I felt lighter than I had in days, and it must’ve shown. My smile came easily. “Hey, Nina.”
She looked up, her face brightening. “Hey. Luzie’s in her room having a tea party with her dolls,” she said, then paused as her gaze scanned me more closely. “Wait... you’re done already?”
“Yep.” I couldn’t hold back the pride in my voice. “We nailed it in one take.”
Nina sat up straighter, curiosity blooming across her face. Her eyes narrowed just slightly, and a grin tugged at her lips. “Okay... spill. You’ve got that look.”
I bit back a laugh. “What look?”
“The ‘I-have-a-secret-and-it’s-good’ look. Come on.”
My grin turned shameless. “Guess who has a date with Carlos T. tonight?”
Her jaw dropped. The magazine slid right out of her hands. “He asked you out?”
I nodded, my excitement bubbling up again, this time tangled with a little nervous flutter. “Yep. Right after we finished recording. He just... asked.”
Nina squealed, practically bouncing off the couch. “Oh my God, Marisol! That’s amazing. He’s so hot. Tell me everything. Where are you going? What are you wearing?”
Laughing, I flopped down beside her. “Dinner. He’s picking me up after I put Luzie to bed. I was thinking of something cute but low-key. You know, not over the top.”
Nina’s face twisted into instant disapproval. “Casual? No. Absolutely not. This is Carlos T. we’re talking about. You need to wear something sexy, something that’ll make his jaw drop the second he sees you.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “You think? I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.”
She gave me a look. “Trying too hard? Girl, please. That man practically radiates confidence. You have to meet him at that level. But don’t go full red carpet either. Just something that’s you, with a little wow.” She winked. “Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”
I rolled my eyes, but I was already giving in. “Alright. Sexy it is. But you’re helping me pick it out.”
“Deal.” She grinned like she’d just won a prize. “Now let’s find something that’ll make him forget his own name.”
We got up, our voices rising with excitement as we headed toward my closet. My heart fluttered with anticipation, both excited and curious about where the night could lead. It wasn’t just a date. It felt like the beginning of something new.
And I was ready.
I hadn’t slept. Not even a minute.
I still couldn’t believe Marisol was alive. Alive. Sitting across from her at dinner last night had felt like some kind of dream. Or maybe a trick of grief. Her laugh hadn’t changed. Not really. It still had that little catch at the end, like she was trying not to lose herself completely in it. I’d forgotten the sound of it until I heard it again, and then it was like no time had passed at all. Except it had. Six years. Six years of silence.
And now she was back like the world hadn’t cracked open when she disappeared.
She’d smiled when Lucas brought up Carlos T., her whole face shifting. Eyes bright. Shoulders loose. Her body leaned into the moment like nothing was heavy. Like nothing had been lost. I’d nodded, forced the corners of my mouth to rise, and played it off.
But something cold had started settling in my gut.
And now… now she was glowing in his presence.
My post was in the control room, but my eyes never left her.
She didn’t know I was watching. Didn’t know what it did to me to see her like this. Soft, alive, and just... her. She moved through the studio like she belonged to it, confident and in control. But I caught the flicker of nerves too. The way she smoothed her shirt. The pause before stepping into the booth. I knew her tells. Even if she didn’t remember me, I remembered everything.
I wanted to go to her. Just take her in my arms. Feel her heartbeat against mine. But I couldn’t. She didn’t know who I was. Not what we’d been. What we’d lost.
Instead, I stood there, still as stone, watching her get ready to sing with someone who clearly saw her magic and wasn’t afraid to act on it.
Carlos hadn’t even walked through the door yet, and I already hated the way she smiled when she said his name.
Lucas spoke nearby. “Carlos should be here soon. We’re making sure everything’s perfect.” I barely registered the words.
She nodded, scanning the room with those sharp, focused eyes, letting herself find her rhythm. She stepped into the booth, her fingers grazing the music stand, calm and centered. God, I missed her.
Then the door opened. I didn’t have to look. The air shifted.
Carlos walked in like he owned the damn place. Charm rolled off him in waves. He knew exactly what he was doing. Everyone did. Marisol stepped forward, and I had to fight not to move.
She smiled at him.
Not the smile she gave everyone else. The one she used to give me.
I stood frozen behind the glass, jaw locked tight. Couldn’t hear a word, but I didn’t need to. Her posture. His eyes. The way he lifted her hand to his lips. What the hell is this?
She flushed. Laughed a little. Said something I’d probably remember at 3 a.m. when I couldn’t sleep. Then they stood there, just talking. Close. Too close.
Carlos didn’t let go of her hand. Not right away. His thumb moved along her skin. And she let him.
My hands curled into fists at my sides.
She was still mine, even if she didn’t remember it. But I couldn’t stake that claim, not without breaking the fragile reality she was living in now. She was here, breathing and smiling and alive. That should’ve been enough. But watching him touch her like that, hearing the way she said yes to dinner... it wasn’t.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I walked into the booth without thinking, needing to break whatever that moment was before it dug any deeper.
She jumped a little. “Dante?”
Her voice had concern in it. ”Is everything okay?”
I couldn’t look at her for too long. “Fine,” I said, forcing the word past gritted teeth. “Just checking in.”
And before I did something stupid, I turned and walked out.
The door clicked behind me. Clean. Controlled. Unlike me.
MARISOL
I stepped into the living room, the afternoon sun pouring through the windows in soft, golden streaks. The light warmed the hardwood floors and gave everything a sleepy kind of glow. Nina was curled up on the couch, flipping through a magazine, her legs tucked beneath her like she belonged there.
The air smelled faintly of fresh flowers, something clean and comforting. After the rush of the session, the calm felt like a gentle exhale.
I felt lighter than I had in days, and it must’ve shown. My smile came easily. “Hey, Nina.”
She looked up, her face brightening. “Hey. Luzie’s in her room having a tea party with her dolls,” she said, then paused as her gaze scanned me more closely. “Wait... you’re done already?”
“Yep.” I couldn’t hold back the pride in my voice. “We nailed it in one take.”
Nina sat up straighter, curiosity blooming across her face. Her eyes narrowed just slightly, and a grin tugged at her lips. “Okay... spill. You’ve got that look.”
I bit back a laugh. “What look?”
“The ‘I-have-a-secret-and-it’s-good’ look. Come on.”
My grin turned shameless. “Guess who has a date with Carlos T. tonight?”
Her jaw dropped. The magazine slid right out of her hands. “He asked you out?”
I nodded, my excitement bubbling up again, this time tangled with a little nervous flutter. “Yep. Right after we finished recording. He just... asked.”
Nina squealed, practically bouncing off the couch. “Oh my God, Marisol! That’s amazing. He’s so hot. Tell me everything. Where are you going? What are you wearing?”
Laughing, I flopped down beside her. “Dinner. He’s picking me up after I put Luzie to bed. I was thinking of something cute but low-key. You know, not over the top.”
Nina’s face twisted into instant disapproval. “Casual? No. Absolutely not. This is Carlos T. we’re talking about. You need to wear something sexy, something that’ll make his jaw drop the second he sees you.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “You think? I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.”
She gave me a look. “Trying too hard? Girl, please. That man practically radiates confidence. You have to meet him at that level. But don’t go full red carpet either. Just something that’s you, with a little wow.” She winked. “Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”
I rolled my eyes, but I was already giving in. “Alright. Sexy it is. But you’re helping me pick it out.”
“Deal.” She grinned like she’d just won a prize. “Now let’s find something that’ll make him forget his own name.”
We got up, our voices rising with excitement as we headed toward my closet. My heart fluttered with anticipation, both excited and curious about where the night could lead. It wasn’t just a date. It felt like the beginning of something new.
And I was ready.
End of Dangerous Melodies Chapter 67. Continue reading Chapter 68 or return to Dangerous Melodies book page.