The First Line Crossed

The way Dante touched me carried a certain element of danger.

The way a predator weighs its prey before determining whether to eat it whole is different from how a man holds a weapon or a threat.

Long after he had released his grip, I could still feel the warmth of his fingers against my skin. An unspoken assertion. A caution. A game.

I was still playing, too.

The Road Back

The only sound between us as the Maserati sliced through the deserted city streets was the engine's low purr. My thoughts were sharp, and I kept my hands steady on the wheel.

Dante sat quietly in the passenger seat, watching the streetlights go by with his head cocked to the side. His inked forearms were shadowed by the dim glow, which cut sharp angles into his face. His shirt was half-unbuttoned, revealing only a small portion of his collarbone.

I made myself pay attention to the road. Not him. Never him.

There was a long pause before Dante finally said anything. "You are liked by Levin."

"That counts as one of us."

Dante chuckled quietly. "You did a good job managing yourself tonight."

I tightened my hold on the wheel. "It was not challenging."

"Is that correct?"

His eyes were blazing into the side of my face as he turned slightly. Even though I did not look at him, I could feel the pressure and testing of it.

I let out a slow breath. "Did not you know he was going to test me?"

Dante grinned. "Obviously."

"So, what made you intervene?"

Silence for a beat. Then—

"I didn't."

I scowled. "Your hand touched me."

Amused, Dante hummed. "And?"

Something dark curled in my chest, but I maintained a neutral expression. He was teasing me.

At a red light, I finally turned to face him as I slowed the car to a stop. "What was the intended meaning of that?"

Dante's dark eyes were unreadable as he cocked his head slightly. He was too near. It was close enough that I could smell him, smoke, whiskey, and something that was definitely him.

"Luca, you are doing fine," he whispered. "You think quickly. You do not wince. However, I wonder.

The light changed to green.

I swallowed and pushed the gas pedal harder than I should have, bringing my focus back to the road. "What do you wonder?"

Dante's mouth curled a little. "The extent of your willingness to go."

The Second Examination

I ought to have realized that tonight was not over.

We arrived at a deserted warehouse by the docks, the sort of place where people made deals in whispers and bodies vanished without a word.

Dante exited the vehicle with slow, methodical steps. I followed, maintaining a relaxed yet vigilant stance. The faint hum of the distant city behind us was accompanied by the smell of salt and rust in the air.

Three of Dante's men were waiting inside. Additionally, between them—

Blood was flowing from the man's temple to his ripped shirt as he lay on his knees, gagged and bound.

One more test.

After letting out a breath and stroking his hair, Dante turned to face me. "Are you familiar with this person?"

I looked at the man. Hands bound behind his back, mid-forties, sharp features now twisted in pain. The watch on his wrist was worth more than most people's annual income, but his pricey suit was marred by blood.

I said, "Someone important."

Dante gave a slow, icy smile. "Aware."

The man coughed violently and spat blood on the ground after one of his men tore the gag from his mouth. Notwithstanding the bruises, his piercing, defiant eyes were fixed on Dante with unadulterated hate.

"You are doing something wrong," the man growled.

Dante rolled up his sleeves and sighed. "I am not prone to errors."

"This is not how your father would have handled it."

Quiet.

The room's temperature dropped.

I kept my face unreadable, but I saw it—the slight clench of Dante’s jaw, the way his fingers curled into a fist before relaxing.

His dad. It was a tender spot.

Dante crouched in front of the man and took a slow step forward. "Do you think you will be saved by bringing up my father?"

Despite having a split lip, the man grinned. "No. But it demonstrates that you are merely a boy acting like a king.

incorrect response.

I hardly noticed Dante because he moved so quickly. A sickening crunch reverberated throughout the warehouse as his fist struck the man's jaw. The man groaned as he fell to the ground.

I did not respond. I was unable to.

Dante looked at me after slowly exhaling and shaking out his hand. "Luca."

I looked into his eyes and waited.

His face was unreadable as he cocked his head in the man's direction. "Complete this."

The words were straightforward. The meaning, however, wasn't.

It was a line. An irreversible point. I was in if I crossed it. Totally.

I took the gun that one of Dante's men offered me and moved forward. The cold metal pressed against my palm felt familiar.

The man on the ground had trouble breathing and coughed. His mouth gushed blood onto the ground.

He rasped, "Please."

I paused.

Just a split second.

Dante, however, noticed it.

His tone was gentle, almost playful. "Luca, is something wrong?"

Do not think twice. Stay true to your character.

I steadied my voice by shifting my hold on the gun. "No."

The man trembled, his gaze flitting between Dante and me. He muttered, "You do not have to do this."

I didn't.

I could stop this right now—disclose who I was, get help, and leave before it was too late.

However, Dante's voice was quiet and confident.

He declared, "You do not belong here if you can not do this."

A caution. A danger.

I let out a slow breath.

And I decided.

I shot him in the leg after turning the gun.

The man's body jerked violently against the restraints as he screamed. The concrete underneath him was stained by the blood that poured from the wound.

Dante's men did not even react. They had witnessed worse.

However, Dante—

He grinned.

And it was not sarcastic or demeaning for the first time.

It was approving.

He moved forward and took the gun away from me. “See?” he whispered, in a tone that was almost loving. "I had faith that you would change."

Then, without thinking, he pulled the trigger and shot the man in the skull.

The ensuing silence was deafening.

With a sigh, Dante turned the safety back on and put the gun in his holster. Then he faced me, looking into my dark eyes.

"Luca, you are full of surprises."

I did not respond. I was unable to.

Since I had just stepped over the first real boundary.

Dante Valenci was aware of it.