Tori cringed further as the man's nails dug into her wrist. "What are you doing here?" he inquired with a hard stare. Jensen had proved to be tougher to follow, he'd hoped to grab her before she reached Corinthos's Penthouse Suite, only to be notified she'd left just as he arrived. Despite the fact that Jensen had disappeared, he'd found an interesting catch anyway.
"Screw you!" Tori screeched, struggling to free herself from his grasp.
The man let out a hollow laugh as he pressed against her further into the corner of the elevator. "I'd bet you'd like that," he murmured against her cheek. "Maybe another time."
Tori's angry response was interrupted by the shrilling in her coat pocket. The man's eyes lit up with interest. Tori groaned inwardly, she hadn't waited until getting into the elevator before turning the cell phone back on. She wish she had.
"Answer it."
Tori shivered as the man pressed his glock into her ribcage. "Now," he instructed.
With shaking fingers, Tori flipped the cell phone open and brought it up to the side of her face, her eyes never leaving his. "Yeah?"
"Babe?"
Tears filled Tori's eyes. "Danté?"
"What's wrong? Where are you?" came his panicked voice.
The man tore the cell phone from Tori's grasp before she could answer. With a wink to her, he cleared his throat. "Listen, Tori's kinda busy right now, so I'm going to relay the instructions to you for her."
"Who the fuck is this?" Danté snarled.
"Hold up, there's no need to get upset," the man soothed. "You follow these instructions and she'll be just fine."
His words were interrupted by the ringing of his own phone. "Hang on a second," he said, handing the phone to Tori, pushing the gun a little further against her ribs, making his warning clear.
"Yeah?" he barked into his phone.
As the man conducted his business, Tori clutched the phone. "Danté! Oh god, Danté I'm so sorry," she sobbed into the phone.
"Calm down, don't worry baby, everything's gonna be fine!" Danté insisted to her, his voice tight with his own worry.
Once again the phone was taken from Tori. The elevators door chimed and the two made their way across the foyer, the gun hidden, but still pressed firmly against Tori. Once they were secured in the car, the man turned his attention back to Danté.
"You still there Vitali?" he asked.
"Yes! You hurt her and I'll make you regret you were ever born!" Danté shouted.
The man let out a throaty chuckle. Danté always had a flair for the dramatics as a child. Not much had changed obviously. "It's very simple. I need you to go home and pick something up for me."
Danté's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What?"
The man's eyes flashed coolly at Tori. "Dara Jensen. She's just arrived. I guess she knows your brother better than any of us thought."
******************
Vitali Estates
"Here, this should warm you up."
Dara gave a small smile as Dominik handed her the steaming mug of tea. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to drive through the rain, especially in the state she was in. But somehow, she'd found her way here. As Dominik took a seat adjacent to her, his dark eyes, full of concern, Dara was keenly aware of why she'd chosen his home to seek comfort at.
Taking a sip of the tea, Dara sighed as the hot liquid trailed down her throat, already helping her recover from the treacherous storm outside. Her heart sank at the memory embedded in her mind.
Nothing would cure the storm raging within her.
Dominik averted his eyes, aware that he was staring. She was obviously distressed about something, but if all he could do was be captivated by her beauty, he was going to be no help to her.
Dara stood, placing the half empty mug of tea on the side table. She glanced around the room they were in with sudden interest. Anything to get her mind off her misery.
"This my private library," Dominik spoke up, rising to join her. "I had it made specifically to my needs. I'm an avid reader," he confessed with a smile as his fingers ran along the mahogany colored shelf where books of various sizes and colors sat.
"I love to read as well," Dara said. Her eyes roved over Dominik. Why hadn't she paid more attention to him when they'd first been introduced?
Sonny. Of course.
Get over it, girl, she reminded herself crossly. No use being upset about the past. Pushing all thoughts of Sonny and her pain from her mind, Dara's gaze settled on Dominik's as he turned back to her.
Now was the time to move on to bigger and better things.
"Where does that door go to?" Dara asked, motioning to the far corner.
A faint blush crept into Dominik's face. "Ahh, that leads to my bedroom," he said softly.
Dara clasped her hands together. "Oh, really?" Inwardly, her smile grew. She could do it. Getting over Sonny was becoming easier with every passing second.
*******************
Sonny's PH
"Okay. Right. Just keep looking. Thanks." Jason clicked off his phone silently. "There's nothing new to report, she's not at her place and she's not at Taggert's or the station. They'll keep looking Sonny. We will find her."
Jason's words seemed to have no effect as Sonny continued to pace. His hair was disheveled, his clothes wrinkled, his eyes wild as his hands constantly moved. His entire demeanor was that of a man barely clinging to sanity. Finding Dara would have to be done in the next little while if Jason wanted to keep all of Port Charles safe. Sonny could turn the entire city upside down in a matter of hours if he had his way.
The events of the past few hours flashed through Sonny's mind repeatedly. He was crazy enough to think he could pull this plan off without Dara being involved. He'd done so much damage, he could barely fathom the idea that Dara would never want to speak to him, let alone see him. Pushing those dreaded thoughts from his mind, Sonny turned back to simply finding her.
"You sure it wasn't a set up?"
Sonny snapped to attention. "What?" he asked Jason.
"You sure this whole thing with Tori wasn't a set up on Vitali's part? He's got the support he needed all along. Maybe Dara walking in on it was part of the plan," Jason suggested.
Sonny shook his head. "I don't think so," he mumbled. A million things were racing through his mind, he could barely put any real thought to Jason's suggestion. All he could think of was Dara.
Where are you? he pleaded silently as tears filled his eyes. Just tell me you're okay!
Silence filled the room.
*****************
"Okay, slow down and explain it to me again," Vincent instructed. Danté had rushed from the Warehouse, ready to explode just minutes earlier. Now both men were in Vincent's SUV, tearing down the road to an unknown destination. Danté had babbled his reasoning, but so far Vincent hadn't been able to decipher what was going on.
Danté blinked, barely able to see straight. "Some fuck has Tori! He's gonna kill her if I don't follow his instructions exactly. I know Moreno's behind this," he seethed in his seat.
Vincent's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Everything had gone terribly wrong. "Where are we going?" he said shakily as he pulled off the highway.
"Home."
Vincent glanced at Danté. "Why?"
"Dara Jensen's there. Moreno wants her in exchange for Tori. Go faster," Danté bit out as he looked at the speedometer.
Vincent nodded. With the way things were turning out, it was all he could do.
*******************
Vitali Estates
Dominik offered another silent smile to Dara as she cross the room towards him. Whatever had been bothering her earlier seemed to have vanished. Something new was radiating from her now.
Determination, tinged with what felt like sorrow.
"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked again.
Dara smiled serenely. He was so concerned. He would never dream of hurting her, she could feel it. "I'm fine," she insisted. She paused in front of him, their faces merely inches apart now.
Dominik swallowed, feeling the hairs on his arms rise with anticipation. What this woman could do to him just by looking at him, he marveled at. It almost seemed too good to be true. He had dreamed of a woman like this for so long, and now here she was, looking at him in a way she'd never done before.
"Dominik?" Dara's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Yes?" he replied, barely realizing that he was holding his breath.
"Have you ever felt like such a fool about love?"
Dominik blinked in surprise. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
"Spending so much time looking for the perfect example of love, never realizing that it just might be sitting right in front of you." Dara's gaze locked onto Dominik's. It could be true. Sonny could have been a stepping stone to true love. Perhaps this moment was written in the stars, just as she had once believed as a young girl.
Dominik's dark eyes bored into hers, so desperately wanting to close the gap between them and fulfill the dreams that had tortured him since first meeting her. "I've considered it to be true from time to time," he managed so say in a neutral voice. Anything now, anything could send him reeling over the edge.
Placing her hands against his chest, Dara spoke softly, "are you considering it now?"
And with that, he was gone. They both were as their lips met in a sensuous kiss, at first tentative, but more insistent as time passed.
Dara's arms wrapped around Dominik's neck, and thoughts of Sonny ran through her mind persistently. As the kiss deepened, Dara let the images, feelings and pain float away. She could convince herself he had meant nothing to her, that the pain was only fleeting, it would pass.
Dominik would help her.
**********************
Warehouse on the outskirts of Port Charles
"When Danté gets here, he'll kill you. Every single one of you miserable pigs is dead," Tori boasted, her accusing finger pointing at each guard before settling on the man. "He'll have fun making you scream," she promised.
The man's face crinkled with amusement. What was it with these new kids? Always making declarations about death and revenge. None of them knew the value of silence.
Taking a few steps to where Tori was, the man's expression remain unchanged. "Seems to me," he started, tossing her a wry grin as she fumed in her seat, "the first person Danté's going to pump full of bullets, will be you."
Instantly, the hollow warehouse filled with echoes of Tori's delighted laughter at the man's comment. "Oh, really?" she asked, smiling as she wiped a few tears away. She shook her head at the notion. Danté loved her, he'd never even consider such a thing.
The man nodded. "One thing Danté's got in common with the rest of us is a sense of betrayal and how final it is." Tori's smile faded as the man's tone grew serious. "You were at Corinthos's pad. It doesn't matter what you did or didn't do there, all that he's gonna hear is that you were there. And no matter what he feels, nothing will cure the poison that'll run through his veins when he finds out."
Tori's eyes were as wide as saucers. Fright filled them as the man now regarded her with pity. No way, no way was this guy going to scare her.
"Whatever," she muttered, masking her concern with disinterest.
The man smiled knowingly, he'd hit a nerve. "Too bad really, you seem to have always been a smart girl. Always able to survive a mob hit or being dumped for someone younger and prettier. If anybody climbed the ranks in this business, it was you. I think Danté was the first to actually recognize your talents and try to hang onto it."
Tori bent her head, not wanting to cry in front of the man.
The man sighed, almost sympathizing with her situation. "You've been up and down the Eastern Seaboard the past few years. With the men you shacked up with, I'm betting you know quite a few secrets," he said softly to himself.
"What the fuck is she doing here?" came the irritated voice from behind them. The man turned as Moreno approached the small cluster of people. He regarded Tori with a hard stare before turning to the man, his eyes demanding explanation.
"Found her scurrying out of Corinthos's place. Decided to kill two birds with one stone. Danté thinks we'll do a trade, Tori for Dara Jensen." The man's voice was calming, detailing the events of the past few hours slowly for Moreno to digest.
Moreno shrugged out of his jacket and smiled wickedly at Tori. "Danté wasn't enough for you?" He gazed at her thoughtfully, "you should have never left my bed. I never gave you a reason to sniff at Corinthos."
"Oh Anthony, always bragging aren't you? No wonder your wife couldn't stand," she started viciously before she was silenced by the sharp backhand Moreno dealt her. The mood in the room tensed with the violent act.
"Anything else?" Moreno dared Tori as she brought her head back, the red mark along her cheekbone already bruising. Her eyes burned with rage, ready for anything.
"Why don't you have a beer?" the man asked, his voice appealing to Moreno's weakness for alcohol. Waiting until the older man had snatched the bottle and stalked off with a guard, the man shook his head at Tori.
"You just walk right into those raging infernos don't you?" he questioned her, grasping her chin in his hand and tilted her head to examine the mark. "You keep it up with Moreno, Danté won't get his chance to deal with you."
Tori furrowed her brow angrily. "Do you always get off on guys hitting girls?"
The man shook his head. "I just can't turn away from a car accident that's just about to happen."
*****************
Vitali Estates
Hands roamed, exploring the hills and valleys of a soul they were not familiar with. Lips demanded and offered. Tongues dueled in a battle neither was interested in winning. With each passing minute, the passion between them intensified, building to a white hot frantic call for release.
As Dominik locked the bedroom door behind them, their bodies never parting for more than a few seconds, he yearned to do nothing more than answer that call.
Dara silently backed herself onto the king sized bed, her eyes beckoning Dominik to follow. Eagerly he complied, discarding his white, long sleeved shirt in the process. Dara's eyes lit up, drinking in the well built physique Dominik had sculpted to perfection. He crawled towards her and Dara's hands reached out to examine the rippled chest up close. Once again, their mouths and limbs met in a crashing motion, writhing and twining all at once.
Dominik's mouth nibbled along her earlobe, relishing each shiver he induced with a feathery lick of his tongue. His hands moved down to her jeans, tugging the shirt free. Quickly, it was discarded, allowing Dominik to feast his gaze on her ample bosom.
"God Dara, you are so beautiful," he whispered in adoration.
The words were sincere and loving, full of a promise he intended to fulfill her with tonight. Covering her frame with his, he again began his slow assault of kisses along her jaw line.
Dara blinked, momentarily stunned by his choice of words. Sonny had said those exact words to her many moons ago when they had made love in her apartment. Despite her best efforts, the pain from earlier began to seep back into her heart.
Feeling the change in her demeanor, Dominik asked, "are you alright?"
Dara nodded. She wanted this, right? But the pain was becoming to great for her to control. A sob escaped her and Dominik eased off her.
Feeling the cool air against her skin, Dara knew she had ended their evening. Shame filled her and her hands flew up to cover her eyes as she burst into tears. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed over and over.
Wordlessly, Dominik pulled her into his comforting arms and rocked her gently as she wept.
"It's alright," he offered in a soothing voice until the sobs subsided.
"No, it's not," Dara said insistently. "I'm in love with another man. I can't do this."
The words 'love' and 'another man' hurt Dominik terribly, but his comfort never missed a beat.
"Don't worry, everything will sort itself out." Dominik pulled his arms from around her slim frame gently. Reaching to the floor, he grabbed the two discarded shirts and handed Dara hers.
"I can hardly believe men like you actually exist," Dara said softly, placing a hand on his forearm. "You're a good man Dominik, I'll never forget what you've done for me tonight." Wiping her tears from her face, she smiled at him tenderly.
"I just couldn't allow you to do something you'd regret later on," Dominik replied, his dark eyes filling with relief as the Dara he had grown to care for so deeply, returned.
The peaceful moment was shattered moments later as the bedroom door burst open and light flooded the room, blinding both Dominik and Dara momentarily.
"What the hell?" Dominik demanded as he rose from the bed, his eyes squinting to adjust to the abrupt change.
"Get the fuck off the bed and over here!" demanded the unmistakable voice.
Dominik gasped as his brother's panicked voice filled the room. As his eyes adjusted, he could see Danté's lithe frame flanked by a taller man, undoubtedly Vincent Tyson.
"Danté, what are you doing?" Dominik asked, bewildered by his brother's behavior.
"Stay out of it!" Danté shouted as he narrowed his gaze at Dara, who had so far remained seated on the bed, too stunned to move.
"You," Danté pointed his handgun at Dara, "are coming with me."
His tone was deadly serious, but a consuming wave of panic seemed to overcome him every few seconds. He was definitely not a man to push. Danté approached the bed menacingly and Dara scurried off it, backing from Danté.
"Danté stop!" Dominik shouted, rushing to the other side of the bed. Vincent acted quickly, taking the butt of his gun and smashing it against Dominik's right temple.
"Dominik!" Dara screamed in terror as Dominik crumpled to the floor in a sickening thud. She rushed to his side but was grabbed by Danté's powerful grip. "You heard me," he repeated, his eyes flashing wildly. "Let's go."
Turning to Vincent, he motioned to his now motionless brother. "Stay with him, make sure he's okay when he wakes up." Vincent nodded.
Turning back to Dara, Danté smiled icily. "Let's go doll face, you and I have a date with destiny."