Page 55 of Roses are Royal

“Belladonna is actually a name commonly used to refer to Atropa bella-donna, which is a flower. That flower is also known as deadly nightshade because it is poisonous. It felt fitting, beautiful but deadly, just like you. I figured you would cause my demise one way or another. Either by controlling my life or my heart. Turns out, you control both. Loving you is like a poison I never want the antidote for.”

Rose isn’t laughing anymore. In fact, her tears from laughter have now morphed into tears of pain. Pain is the last thing I ever want to cause her. I would take her anger over her pain any day.

“I need you to leave, Dante.”

“I can’t leave you. The men who came for you last night won’t stop until they find you. And since they know where you live, it’s not safe here.”

“How do you know that they know where I live?”

“I’ve seen them here before.”

“Okay, well, the building has security and requires a code to get in. So I just won’t leave the building.”

“No, they know which unit is yours. They have been at your door before. You have even spoken to one of them.” I’m trying to convey the danger without tipping my hand and explaining that I watched as her food was delivered by one of them, and that I know all of this because I have cameras set up in her house. Her hidden camera joke from before will no longer be funny.

“How is that possible? This building has some of the best security in the city?”

“They have their ways.”

“Dante, I thought you were past secrets and lies and would answer whatever questions I had. Or was that just another lie?” Okay, that one hurt a little.

“Fine. I will tell you, but I need you to understand that everything I have done and will do is for your safety and protection.”

“Okay, you are starting to really freak me out, Dante. Tell me right now how you know.”

“Do you remember when you came back here after your motel room was trashed?”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, that night you ordered food to be delivered.”

“How do you know that?”

“And when the delivery person arrived, it wasn’t your normal deliveryman. And he didn’t just leave your food outside your door like they usually do.”

“I swear to God, Dante, if you don’t tell me everything right now, I will make good on my threat to call the police. I might as well call the FBI at this point too. There is no possible way you could know all of that.”

“The man who delivered your food that night is a part of a secret underground organization. They are a less-than-legal operation that loosely reports to the government. They usually hire mercenaries to avoid having any individuals being consistently connected to their dealings. They are the biggest rival to the ‘old Mafia,’ as you put it. Their role is to eliminate the Mafia, by any means necessary.”

“Okay, let’s say I believe everything you are telling me, however far-fetched it may sound. That explains who that man was but not how you knew he was here.”

“As I said before, I have been watching you. That includes after we met in person for the first time at my house.”

“Watching me, how exactly?”

“Well, at times I would follow you in person.” I’m trying to drag out the next bit of information because I don’t know how she is going to react to finding out I have cameras…well, everywhere.

“And the other times? Surely, you haven’t been following me twenty-four seven.”

“The other times I would watch you on cameras.” I pause, not sure how much more I want to say, but I know I have to come clean.

“Okay. Like CCTV cameras? I know there are cameras everywhere in this city, and I’m sure with how secure my building is, they have security cameras throughout.”

“Yes, I have gained access to those types of cameras and use them at times when you aren’t in range of any of my…other surveillance devices.”

“Dante, just say it. At this point, you don’t have anything to lose. Tell me everything.”

She’s wrong. I do have something to lose, everything to lose really…her. She is my everything, and I will do anything to keep her.