Chapter Fifteen

DANTE

I’m outside, Joey’s text read. Either tell the security goon to let me in or get your ass out here.

What the actual fuck?

And then Joey sent an Instagram picture of Dante and Emma kissing at the roller derby ring.

“Fuck,” Dante said. There was no way he was going to let Joey into Couture and make a scene here. Not only would it be a disaster, if Joey started getting loud about Dante being a Dom, he didn’t want Emma to be hurt or embarrassed by the fight that was now inevitable between him and Joey.

He met Joey at the front door and grabbed him by the arm. “Not here.”

“Let go of me.” Joey shook him off.

“Follow me,” Dante said, not waiting to see if Joey would get into his car.

Joey got into his own car instead of Dante’s, but did follow him out of Couture’s manicured driveway and front lawn area. Dante pulled onto the highway and took the first exit and pulled into a commuter parking lot. Hopefully no one would call the cops on him.

He had barely gotten out of his car when Joey launched himself at him. “Stay away from my sister, you pervert.”

Dante blocked his first punch. He held up his hands in a placating gesture, trying to diffuse Joey’s fury. “Calm down. Let’s talk about this like adults.”

“Talk?” he spat out, his eyes blazing with anger. “What is there to talk about? I trusted you, Dante. I trusted you with my sister!” Joey threw a second punch. With a swift movement, Dante caught Joey’s fist midair and held it firmly, preventing any further attempts at attack.

Dante’s grip tightened just slightly, a warning. “Emma is a grown woman who can make her own choices.”

“She doesn’t know what she’s getting into,” Joey insisted.

“And you think you do? Do you even know what she wants?”

“I don’t want to hear it. I saw the picture. You have no right to involve Emma in your messed-up lifestyle.”

“I need you to listen to me. I love Emma, and she loves me.”

“How long?” Joey wrested his hand out of Dante’s grip. “How long has this been going on?”

“This isn’t about how long. It’s about the fact that we’ve found something in each other that neither of us expected. Something that had been building between us since we were kids.”

“Something? You mean like a secret life where you’re both involved in some kinky shit behind closed doors?”

Dante’s jaw tightened as he fought to keep his temper in check. The last thing they needed was for this confrontation to devolve into a shouting match. “Our relationship is more than just what happens in the bedroom. It’s about trust, understanding, and a connection deeper than either of us could have ever imagined.”

“Trust?” Joey snorted derisively. “How can I trust either of you when you’ve been sneaking around behind my back? How long have you been seeing my sister?”

“About a month,” Dante said.

“And it’s love?” Joey sneered.

“Look, I feel for Emma more than I ever thought possible. Our connection runs deeper than anything I’ve experienced before. I promise you, I would never do anything to intentionally harm her.”

“So you don’t beat the shit out of her like you did Kiki?”

“I didn’t beat the shit out of Kiki,” Dante said.

“This is insane. You’re my best friend. How could you do this to me?”

The words hit Dante like a physical blow, knocking the breath from his lungs. He had known this moment would be difficult, had braced himself for Joey’s anger and betrayal. But hearing the pain in his friend’s voice, seeing the anguish twisting his features, it cut deeper than any knife ever could.

“I didn’t do this to hurt you,” Dante said, his voice rough with emotion. “But I won’t apologize for loving her. Emma is everything to me, Joey. Everything.”

He met Joey’s gaze unflinchingly, willing him to see the truth in his eyes. To understand that this wasn’t some fleeting infatuation or casual fling. That what he and Emma shared was real and raw and worth fighting for.

But Joey only shook his head, his expression hardening into a mask of bitter anger. “How could you?” Joey’s voice came out barely above a whisper, but it was laden with betrayal. It was a question not meant to be answered, as if the very act of Dante and Emma’s union had shattered the foundation of trust they’d built over the years.

Dante chose his words carefully, knowing that one wrong move could sever the fragile ties that still held them together. “This wasn’t something we planned. It just...happened.”

Joey’s jaw clenched. “You took advantage of her. You saw that she had been infatuated with you and used that to get her into bed. You’re going to break her heart when you get tired of this game. And I’m not going to be around to pick up the pieces. I’ll be overseas and I don’t know when I’ll be back. I don’t want her to have to suffer being used and abused by you.”

“I am not going to do that,” Dante said between his teeth.

Joey barked out a harsh laugh. “You forget, I’ve seen you in action. I’ve seen what happens to the girls you discard when you’re bored with playing with them.”

The accusations cut deep into Dante’s core. He hated that Joey thought so little of him, saw him as nothing more than a heartless predator. Taking a step closer to Joey, he locked eyes with his best friend, the pain of their fractured relationship reverberating in the tense silence between them.

“You know me, Joey.” Dante’s voice was low but firm, every word weighted with sincerity. “I would never intentionally hurt Emma or anyone else. She means everything to me, and I would lay down my life before I let any harm come to her.”

“Then prove it,” Joey challenged, his stance unwavering. “Stay away from her. Let her go before you ruin her life.”

Dante’s chest tightened at the ultimatum hanging heavy in the air. He knew Joey was hurting and scared for his sister, but asking Dante to walk away from Emma was like asking him to stop breathing.

“I can’t do that,” Dante admitted, resigned. “I can’t walk away from her and what we have.”

Joey’s eyes darkened, hurt and anger warring in their depths. “You mean you won’t.”

“I won’t.”

“Then we’re done.” The finality in Joey’s tone was heartbreaking. “Stay away from me. Stay away from my parents. And when you destroy my sister’s life, know that I’m going to come for you.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Dante said to Joey’s retreating back.

Joey didn’t look back as he got into his car and drove away.

Dante knew this could have been the consequence of being with Emma. He had warned himself of it and tried to stay away. But he couldn’t when Emma had shown that she had wanted him too. Would Joey come around? Dante hoped so. Maybe after he saw that Dante was serious about being with Emma, it would soften Joey’s opinion.

He knew, though, that if it hadn’t been for Kiki outing him as a Dom, this could have had a chance to have ended differently than it did. The old Dante would have tracked Kiki down for revenge, but the only thing he wanted to do now was go back to Couture and tell Emma what had happened.

***

EMMA

The familiar buzz of Emma’s phone sliced through the air, jolting her out of her daydream of her massage last night. She glanced at the screen and saw Joey’s name.

“Hello?” It wasn’t like Joey to call her during work.

“I need you to meet me at the Parkway Diner. Right now.” He sounded upset.

Ice filled her veins. “What’s wrong? Did you get your new assignment? Are you leaving right now?”

“No, just...please meet me there. It’s important.”

“Okay, I’m on my way.” Grabbing her purse, she poked her head into Colleen’s office. Colleen looked up from her computer, brows furrowing.

“I’m sorry for bothering you. I have a family emergency,” Emma said. “I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

“Of course. Do what you need to do. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Thanks.” Emma gave her a tight smile before rushing out the door, nearly tripping down the steps in her haste. She hoped nothing was wrong with Mom or Dad, but Joey would have said something if that was the case.

Before she got to the elevator, though, her phone vibrated again. This time, Dante’s name came up. It was a text that simply said, I need to see you.

As she rode the elevator down to the lobby, she texted back. I can’t right now. Joey needs me. I’m meeting him at the diner.

There was a pause and three dots danced on her screen. She hurried out to her car. By the time, she got in and was on the highway, Dante replied.

Heads up then. Joey knows. He saw a picture of us kissing. He’s already confronted me and he’s not happy.

“Shit,” Emma said. Of course Joey would find out about her and Dante in the worst possible way.

When she got to the diner, she slid into the booth across from her brother. He had already ordered for her and it was on the table waiting for her: cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate shake.

“Joey, you didn’t have to order for me,” she muttered, picking up a fry and absently dipping it into the milkshake.

“That’s gross,” he told her as she ate the chocolate ice cream coated french fry, but it lacked his usual teasing tone. “Speaking of gross—” Joey thrust his phone toward her. On the screen was the photo of her and Dante kissing passionately at the roller derby ring. She felt her cheeks flush with heat as she saw herself caught in the throes of ecstasy, Dante’s strong arms wrapped around her.

“Since when are you hanging out at roller derby matches? And playing tonsil hockey with my best friend? I don’t even know who you are anymore.”

She flinched at the bewilderment and accusation in his tone. “I’m still me.” She reached for his hand, but he pulled away. “I’m just trying new things.”

He cut her off, his voice sharp as a knife. “Dante shouldn’t be one of those experiments.” As he spoke, his gaze flicked down to her neck, where the black leather collar encircled her throat. His eyes widened in shock. “What the hell is that?”

Emma’s fingers grazed the smooth leather, her heart swelling with the warmth of Dante’s love. A smile spread across her lips. “It’s a piece of jewelry, Joey. I love it.”

He stared at her, uncomprehending, before shuddering in disgust. “That’s just wrong. Dante should be like a brother to you.”

“Well, he’s not.” Her love for Dante was fierce, all-consuming, and she refused to let anyone belittle it. But she also knew she couldn’t dismiss her brother’s concerns outright. Instead, she focused on the truth: her own growth and transformation. The collar around her neck was more than a declaration of her love for Dante; it was a symbol of her journey of self-discovery and exploration.

“The guy’s a player. You’re just his latest conquest.” Joey shook his head, face etched with disappointment. “I thought you were smarter than this.”

“It’s not like that. Dante’s not taking advantage of me.”

“He’s not the one for you.”

“I’ve had a crush on Dante ever since we were teenagers. I never thought I’d have the courage to act on it, but I couldn’t deny my feelings any longer. It was all me, Joey. I pursued Dante, not the other way around. It’s what I wanted—what I needed.”

“You don’t know what you’re getting into,” Joey warned. “You deserve so much better. You need to get out of this now before you lose your heart to him.”

“It’s too late for that,” she said. “Dante and I are in a committed relationship, and we love each other.”

He leaned closer, his voice low and urgent as he asked, “Do you know that Dante is a Dom at a sex club?”

A faint flush spread across Emma’s cheeks, but she held her ground, meeting his gaze head-on. “Yes, I’m aware of that.”

“And that doesn’t bother you?” he said incredulously.

“I trust him.” Her fingers traced the edge of her leather collar.

Joey’s gaze flicked to her neck, his brow furrowing. “I still can’t believe he collared you. Like you’re some kind of...of pet.”

Emma bristled. “It’s not like that. The collar is a symbol of our bond. Of the power I grant him, and the care he takes with it.”

“You grant him?” Joey scoffed. “Listen to yourself. This isn’t you.”

“Maybe it is.” She lifted her chin, defiant. “Maybe this is a side of myself I never let out before. With Dante, I can finally explore what I want. Who I want to be.”

“And who is that? His little puppet? His plaything?”

The words stung, but Emma refused to let it show. “His partner. His submissive.” She leaned forward, holding Joey’s gaze.

“Please tell me you’re not serious about this. That you’re not really involved in whatever this is.”

“I know it’s hard for you to understand. But I’m happy. Happier than I’ve been in a long time. What Dante and I have is special. Real. When I’m with him, I feel alive. Cherished. Seen.”

Joey visibly cringed. “I don’t want to know the details of what kind of sick stuff you two get up to.”

Anger flashed through her at his dismissive tone. As if the intimacy she shared with Dante could be reduced to some tawdry kink. “It’s not sick. It’s beautiful. Powerful.”

“Powerful? The guy gets off on hurting women. Dominating them. Treating them like his personal playthings. You should see what he did to his last girlfriend, Kiki.”

“Kiki wasn’t his girlfriend. She’s a bitch who tried to make my life a living hell.”

“What?”

“She’s not a good person.”

“Dante got her kicked out of Couture.”

“He did?” If Emma wasn’t already in love with him, that would have pushed her right over the edge. “See? He protected me.”

Joey exhaled sharply. “Don’t tell me you can’t see how controlling he is?” Desperation edged his voice, pain etched across his features. “The man gets off on dominating women. What’s to stop him from doing that to you for real? You’re too sweet and naive to see it.”

“I am not naive!” She slapped her palm on the Formica tabletop, the sharp crack drawing curious glances from other diners. How could he think so little of Dante, of her? She wanted to scream, to defend their love, but the fear in her brother’s eyes gave her pause. Swallowing her fury, she searched for the words to make him understand. Lowering her voice, she leaned in. “I appreciate your concern, I do. But I’m a grown woman, Joey. I know what I want, and who I want to be with.”

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” The words came out rough, almost anguished.

“I know.” Emma gentled her tone. “And I feel the same about you. It kills me to think of you putting yourself in danger, deployment after deployment. Never knowing if...” She broke off, throat working. “If you’ll make it back home.”

Joey’s head snapped up. “That’s different.”

“Is it?” She arched an eyebrow, gently challenging him. “We’re both adults who have chosen our own paths. And just like I support you in your decisions, I need you to do the same for me.” She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. “Dante will be coming to Sunday’s family dinner and we’re going to let Mom and Dad know we’re a couple.”

Joey’s eyes widened slightly, the shock evident in his expression. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. At last, he sighed, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. “I don’t want to hear about your love life, Emma. It’s too weird.”

Her lips curved into a wry smile, acknowledging the awkwardness of the situation. “It’s also none of your business,” she said in a sincere, pleasant voice.

Her brother’s shoulders slumped, the fight draining out of him. He met her eyes again, and she could see the resignation in them, mixed with a lingering trace of concern. “Promise me one thing. Don’t lose yourself, Emma. No matter what happens between you and Dante, don’t forget who you are.”

Emma nodded, understanding the depth of his love and concern for her. It was a promise she would keep, not only for Joey, but also for herself. “What you don’t understand is that Dante has helped me find out just who I am and what I’m capable of.”

Joey looked away, clenching his jaw, but remained silent.

“Your friendship means the world to Dante,” Emma said. “I hope in time you can accept our relationship and see how much we care for each other.”

Emma held her breath, waiting for Joey’s response. After a moment, he released a heavy sigh and finally spoke. “I need time. That’s all I can give you right now.”