“No, no joke. I'm Cara Savio of the Savio Family.”
He blinks twice and then turns and walks away.
Chapter 9
He doesn't look back as he walks out of the hotel. I can see him pause as he sees Ethan in his limo, the final confirmation that this isn't an elaborate prank. He looks back at me with teenage anger in his eyes. I have betrayed him and he hates me for it. Then he heads down the block, walking with an enraged energy away from the hotel.
Ethan gets out of the limo. "Mr. Russo!" he calls after Dante. Dante doesn't even look back. He doesn't even pause. Ethan looks over at me, a question on his lips. He takes one last look down the street, but I can't see Dante anymore and I doubt Ethan will be able to much longer.
My brave face crumbles and my knees buckle. Ethan rushes over to me and practically has to catch me to keep me from falling on the floor. Everything is ruined. I'm struggling to breathe, to find the will to live. I haven't felt this way in a decade. Not since...
I push that thought out of my mind. Ethan wraps his arms around me, steadying me. "What happened?" he asked. His gruff voice is gentle. He doesn't know that this is all my fault.
I shake my head, unable to talk for the moment and unwilling to tell him anyway. Ethan holds me for a moment, waiting for me to answer, but then seems to notice all the eyes on us. "Come on, I'll help you to the car."
I stagger to the limo. I must look terrible, I think to myself. My makeup is smeared around my eyes, and my legs still shaky underneath me. We'll be lucky if hotel security doesn't stop us on the way out.
Nobody questions us, and Ethan opens the door for me, allowing me to collapse into the car. Ethan quickly runs around to the driver door, letting himself in and driving us away.
"Now, you're going to tell me exactly what just happened," he says, his voice full of authority. I can see his eyes in the rear-view mirror and I look away. I know I shouldn't defy him at this point, but I can't help it.
"Just take me home," I plead, burying my face into the seat cushion.
I hear a long, exaggerated sigh. Then the locks click. "I'll driving you home, but you're not leaving this car until you tell me what just happened."
The car starts to move and I sob against the seat, unaware of how much time is passing. All I know is that what might have been my one chance at love is gone, gone because of this job. I had something wonderful, but it was based on a lie.
It's my life on repeat yet again.
Soon, I'm aware that the car has stopped near my apartment building. The engine is still on but we're not moving. Ethan is giving me a moment. I look up and he's looking at me. "I was serious, Cara. I have to tell Miss White something."
I open my mouth to talk, then close it quickly. "I can't," I say.
"You can and you will, or else I'll drive you to Aunt Sophia's home right now. Trust me when I say you don't want that."
I know I don't want that. That's the last thing in the world I want. I've failed my family.
I curl into a miserable ball in the back seat. I don't want to move. The shame of how much I just screwed up is overwhelming.
“Stay in the car,” Ethan says. I hear the car door open.
I listen for the driver's side door to shut, but it doesn't. Instead, I hear voices.
"Mr. Russo. I didn't expect to see you here."
There's a pause. My heart is racing like a scared rabbit's. What is he doing here?
"I don't think we've officially met. Can I see Cara?" There's a pause and I can only imagine what Ethan is thinking about Dante. Dante's voice is all confidence as he asks, "Is there a problem?"
"No, no problem at all." Ethan takes his time opening the door. I see his eyes as he leans in and whispers, "Get out. You can still save this."
I compose myself quickly, wiping my hands under my eyes to try and remove some of the mascara runoff. I know my tears have mostly ruined my makeup, but there's nothing I can do about that now. I get out of the limo with practiced grace and see Dante, looking a little sheepish. His expression seems to melt a bit as he sees what a mess I am.
“You can tell me how he knows where you live later,” Ethan whispers to me as he helps me out of the limo. In a much louder voice he says, "Have a good evening, Mr. Russo."
"Thank you," Dante replies, his eyes never leaving me. He extends an arm and I eagerly wrap my own arm around it. It feels so warm in the cold December air and just touching him makes me feel better. Hope that things are going to work out is starting to bubble in my stomach, though I do my best to keep it down. I take one last look back before we enter the doors of my building to see Ethan. He's watching us, arms crossed and face stony.
The two of us go up the elevator in silence. I can tell Dante wants to say something, but I can wait. I secretly dread what he has to say but at this point, I don't even care as long as he's with me. It's almost sick how happy I am to have him here right now. I have no idea what he is going to say, or do, but I don't care. Right now, he's not walking away from me anymore.