Skating Towards Danger: A Mafia Hockey Romance – Dante’s Book (Mafia Hockey Series 2)

“I’ll meet you by my car, Paige,” Andrew calls out breathlessly as I put the mop and bucket in the storage room. I don’t reply, instead, I roll my eyes and walk back into the main diner and behind the counter. I grab my bag, quickly put my tips inside before he can try and take them like last week claiming they were his and then put on my jacket.

I am adamant about just catching the subway home or walking before he leaves the office. It’s only a few blocks and much better than being anywhere near him.

He wants in my panties, but it’s not going to happen, especially when I know he’s currently getting a blow job from Marie. She’s another waitress who knows we’re seeing each other, in the office right now, an office that does have cameras so hopefully when Diane the owner sees what he’s been up to when she checks the feeds at the end of the month he’ll be fired which will make my life a hell of a lot easier.

I caught them a few days ago screwing in the storeroom, not that they noticed me, but she was fake moaning while he looked to be in pain.

His face was screwed up tight while he begged her to put her finger in his ass, and I may have vomited a little when they walked out, and Marie sucked on her finger.

I wasn’t hurt, which says a lot, really, if anything, I was disgusted.

Maybe I’m just better on my own. It’s not like I deserve to be happy in a relationship anyway. My parents aren’t happy and in love anymore, they’re dead, and Royal, he’s never going to fall in love and get married, heck, even have his first kiss.

I’m better off being alone.

I hear a moan from the back, and Andrew’s, “Fuck yes, wiggle that finger in my ass baby,” shout which echoes in the silent diner, and I gag as Matt looks out the server window in shock, his silver eyes wide.

“Please tell me that fucker isn’t cheating on you with you right here?” he snaps, and I shrug and reply, “Don’t sweat it, Matt, by the sounds of things, Marie has just done me a massive favor.”

He grunts, a scowl marring his wrinkly face, and I wave at him and walk out of the diner, not shocked that Andrew thought I would be oblivious to what he’s up to because the man thinks he’s all that.

Jackass…

He didn’t even check everyone had left before he pulled his pants down.

Shaking my head, I zip my jacket up and begin to walk to the left, thinking maybe a walk will do me some good, but I stop when I notice a fancy car that isn’t Andrew’s, Matt’s, and definitely not Marie’s, or mine because well I don’t have one something Uncle Rocco is not aware of before I notice two men leaning against it, one I recognize in a suit and another in a woolly jumper and jeans who is the spitting image of Roman.

Crap…

I swallow hard and suddenly wish I’d just waited until Andrew got his rocks off and gotten him to drive me home before I maimed into him.

I make eye contact with Roman, and he raises a brow seeing my reaction to them there. I wince when he says, “You know, you could run, but all that will do is get your uncle on your back and Rhett in your ear.”

I narrow my eyes at his threat and he grins so I know he’ll rat me out for not being polite and grumble, “Damn stupid men….” Which I think he hears by the chuckle that travels over me.

Huffing, I hitch up my bag and walk over to the two intimidating men watching my every move, knowing Roman wouldn’t have spoken to me if he didn’t want a chat, heck, he wouldn’t even be here otherwise.

When close, I ensure I don’t look at the man standing next to him. While Roman is intimidating, the man standing beside him is even more so, a man I recognize.

Dante Marino, the left winger for the Jaguars and their new captain who apparently gets around with the puck bunnies.

I know Roman was captain when he was playing, something Rhett rambled on about when I didn’t talk to him yesterday when he showed up at the rink while I was meeting with the director of the committee in charge of the tribute for Mama during the semi-finals. He also stated Roman retired six months ago after they won the Stanley Cup, handing the captain patch over to his blood brother.

I stop before the men and ask Roman, “What can I do for you?”

He smiles gently, and instead of answering my question, he asks, “Are you sure you’re alright with my daughter having your old toys?”

Ah crap, I should have known he wouldn’t let it go because, let’s face it, Uncle Rocco would have explained exactly what those toys meant to me.

I swallow hard and look behind me when I hear a door open. I pray it isn’t Andrew, and I sigh, seeing it’s Matt taking out the trash. I look back at Roman and admit, “I am. She looks like she loved them, and they deserve to be played with.”

He nods his eyes assessing me then states, “I’ll see they stay in good condition and return them once she’s finished.”

I smile gently and reply, “Uncle Rocco said you may be having another girl. She may like ice as well, so keep them.”

He sighs and looks at his brother before looking back at me and replying, “They were your childhood toys. Surely you’d want to keep them?”

I flinch but shuffle on my feet to hide it, then clear my throat and state, “They’re just toys. I promise it’s fine. She can keep them. Anyhow, somehow, I doubt you came all this way to discuss toys that I am way too old to even play with, being twenty-two and all that.”

He smiles and nods, admitting, “You’re right, I didn’t,” then he pulls a check from his pocket and hands it to me.

I eye it with confusion and gingerly take it from him before looking at it, and my eyes widen.

$768,987,001

What the… ?

I look at Roman in shock, my mouth is parted, my eyes are wide, and his look softens.

He admits, “That was what your father left you in a trust. Rocco believed you might decline it if he offered it, so I volunteered to deliver it instead.”

Wait, my father…

What?

I look down again in confusion because come on, my dad worked within construction and no way he’d have this amount of money for me but low and behold, in the corner is my father’s signature with his name below it and my eyes tear up seeing his handwriting for the first time in years.

I don’t understand how he’d have this amount of money. We lived in a modest three-bedroom townhouse with no drive and a small garden. If Dad had this kind of money, he would have given Momma the countryside cottage she always wanted, and yet, it’s his handwriting.noveldrama

It doesn’t make sense…

Clearing my throat before swallowing hard to try and control the urge to sob like a baby, I look back at Roman and hold the check out to him. He furrows his brows in confusion but takes it from me slowly.

I give him a slight smile and mutter, “Thank you for coming out here to show me that, but Uncle Rocco is right, I don’t want it. My father worked in construction, and there is no way he could have saved that amount of money or for it to even accumulate to that amount over fifteen years,” I sniff hard to stop my tears from falling and take a step back. I admit, “I don’t want the money, it won’t bring my family back.”

Roman’s mouth parts in shock as he looks me over to where I work and then back at me, but I don’t back down.

I may not have two cents to rub together because of the life choices I have made over the years since losing my family, but I’m trying, I really am, and that kind of money I don’t deserve.

“Paige,” he tries but shuts his mouth when Andrew shouts, “Alright baby, let’s go,” and I look his way and raise a brow. He’s next to his car, doing his belt up while Marie walks towards the subway, sashaying her hips, and of course, he watches before he clears his throat and looks my way.

What an idiot.

He freezes, seeing he has my whole attention meaning I noticed him checking Marie out and doing his jeans up, but his entire body stills noticing the two intimidating men next to me, and instead of walking over to make sure I’m alright, he stays exactly where he is like a pussy.

I roll my eyes. Seriously, why in the hell did I think it was alright to try with him, of all people? The guy is a sleaze.

Maybe I’m still not out of those bad decision-making days, huh?

“Roman,” I hear Matt shout and I turn to see him holding the door open, so I turn back to Roman and give him a slight smile and walk towards where the jackass is so I can finally end things once and for all, but before I can take two steps, a warm hand grabs mine sending a shockwave throughout me. I quickly turn and lock eyes with the darkest blue ones I’ve ever seen, and I suck in a breath and suddenly it’s like he’s all I can see.

My whole attention is on these dark blue eyes. My body, unable to pull away from the feeling I’ve never felt. It consumes me while electric volts flow through my bloodstream, and fear instantly hits.

“One day, my sweetest girl, you’ll meet a man who will consume you,” Momma whispers as she gently strokes my hair.

She’d just read Cinderella to me, which is my favorite story ever and I want a prince just like him.

“You will get a feeling of electric shocks and instantly know that he is your prince.”

I swallow hard as the feeling of a million electric shocks shooting up my arm hits me hard before Dante lowers his head so his mouth is near my ear, and a musky earth scent fills my nostrils, making my clit pulse. That’s something that has never happened before and my fear goes into overdrive as he whispers, “Don’t tarnish what he worked so hard for to give you a better life,” and I flinch as I feel him shove the check into my bag then backs away, his touch burning me then leaving me cold when he lets go.

“Paige?” I hear Andrew again, and I swallow hard before turning away and walking away without looking back with my heart in my throat.

“What was all that about?” Andrew questions when I get to him before leaning down and kissing my cheek, and I quickly pull back a little with a raised brow.

“You did not just kiss me like I’m your world when you allowed Marie to suck you off while I was still inside the diner for the second time in the space of two weeks?” I snap, and his eyes widen.

“I-I-I….” he stutters, and I scoff and turn to walk home. I notice the Marino brothers have gone, but their car is still there, and I swallow hard, hoping they’re not going to jeopardize my job because I need it. I won’t leach off my aunt and uncle, not now, not ever.

“Paige baby, it was a mistake, please,” Andrew calls, but I lift my middle finger while clutching my bag as I walk home, the check now my main concern.

Maybe I can rip it up, and hopefully, I’ll never have to see Dante again. That feeling, the one Momma spoke about after reading my favorite childhood story, I felt it. I was pulled to jump into his arms, a man I don’t even know and ask him never to let me go, but I don’t deserve it, or well, I don’t feel like I deserve it anyhow, and besides, he’s the biggest man whore on the team.

Yeah, I’m going to avoid seeing him again…at all costs.