Chapter 10:

After they left the firing range, Ronnie and Dante went to a diner to get some food. "What is really going on with you and Sonny's daughter? I mean you haven't slept with her, have you?" Ronnie asked, as he poured some catsup on his cheese burger.

Dante coughed and didn't answer. He took a sip of his soda-pop.

"You have? Was it only the one time?" Ronnie asked.

"It was one time this morning. But it wasn't the only time," Dante said. "The first time we had sex was a few days after she came into town and many, many more times after that."

"Damn it man! This is bad! You are getting personally involved with someone on this case is bad!" Ronnie scolded. "She is Sonny's daughter! If he finds out that you are boinking his little girl he's going to chop something off of you."

"Yeah I know," Dante grumbled.

Lulu went to Kelly's to meet with Maxie and catch up. Milo was guarding her since Sonny gave Dante the rest of the day off. He stood outside the diner while the woman were inside.

"I thought you got a new guard," Maxie noted as Lulu joined her at her table. "I saw him last night. Why didn't you introduce me to your date and your new guard?"

"Sonny fixed me up with Dr. Matt Hunter. Last night was our first date. He called away so we rescheduled for Saturday night," Lulu explained.

"Your guard, what's his name?"

"Dante."

"Dante didn't look too happy when you were dancing with Matt. In fact it looked to me that he wanted to beat Matt down. He looked jealous to me, very jealous."

"He did not!" Lulu protested.

"He did so," Maxie said. "I think your guard has a thing for you."

"You think so, huh?" Lulu questioned.

"I know so." Maxie leaned forward. "SO….have you two…you know had sex?"

"Me and Dante why would you think something like that?" Lulu asked as she played with her drink straw.

Mike came with their orders. "Good to see you, Lulu. How's school?"

Lulu smiled, she was grateful for the interruption. "School's great, Mike thank you for asking."

"Good to see you, I have to get back. You have to tell me about it later."

"I will," Lulu promised. "It's interesting. I am going to have an internship at Alexis and Diane's law firm in January. I can't wait."

Mike smiled. "That means that you are going to be in town? That's great."

"I am in the process of convincing Sonny to have my own apartment here while I am doing the internship."

"How is that going?"

"I spoke to him about it before the summer began. He said that he will have to think it over," Lulu said.

"That is Sonny's talk for no," Mike said. "Good luck trying to convince him otherwise."

"I will try my best!" Lulu exclaimed.

"I am sure you will, if you two ladies need anything I will be in the kitchen." Mike went back into the kitchen.

"So you never answered my question, Lulu," Maxie pouted. "Have you had sex with Dante?"

Lulu coughed. The door to the diner opened up, Dr. Matt Hunter came inside. His face lit up when he saw.

"Hi Lulu, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting you to be here." He grabbed a chair and joined them. "I'm Matt."

"Maxie."

They shook hands.

"You are the guy Lulu took to the Haunted Star last night," Maxie said. "She told me about you."

"All good stuff I hope. Our date was cut short. I am going to make it up to Lulu by taking her out on Saturday."

"Oooh, doing what?" Maxie pressed.

"It's a surprise," Matt said. "Sorry I can't tell you."

"I love surprises," Lulu said.

"Good to know." Matt kissed her cheek. "Wear something nice but not too fancy."

"Dr. Hunter, here's your order." Mike came out from the kitchen with a takeout bag.

"I have to get back to the hospital; otherwise I would stay," Matt explained. "I'll call you later."

"Looking forward to our date," Lulu said truthfully.

"Me too," Matt smiled. "Do you really have to bring your muscle?"

"Unfortunately Sonny won't let me out of the house without a guard. Didn't you see Milo standing outside?" Lulu said, apologetically.

"We can check him at the door, right?" Matt asked.

"That we can do," Lulu smiled.

"Great! I can't wait until Saturday night." Matt gathered his takeout bags and left the diner.

Maxie watched him leave. She leaned towards Lulu. "He's a nice catch. You are going to be a lawyer and he's a doctor it's a match made in heaven. I bet that Sonny is patting himself on his back on this one."

Dante noticed that he had a text message from Milo on his way back to Port Charles.

"Lulu at Kelly's with the good doctor," Dante read. "Doctor left to go to GH."

He tossed the phone on the passenger seat, angrily. He hated to admit it but Lulu out publicly with another guy made him really jealous. He wanted to be the guy that she was going out with not Matt.

He hated lying to her. If she knew the truth, she might never speak to him again.

Matt had planned to take Lulu out on Saturday night. It would be a date that she would have never forget because Dante was going to do anything in his power to make it memorable in the most unfortunate way.

Matt sat in the doctor's lounge eating the takeout from Kelly's with his brother Patrick. "You seem to be in a better mood since you got back," Patrick noted as he dug in his burger.

"I ran into Lulu at Kelly's."

"No wonder you have a smile on your face," Patrick said. "You really like her, don't you?"

"I've only been out with her once. I hope to know her better on this date, if.."

"If what?"

"If her muscle checks himself at the door," Matt pointed out. "Man I knew Sonny was protective of her but this takes the cake."

"She's his only daughter. He'll do anything to keep her safe," Patrick said. "He's entitled to that."

"True but having a bodyguard glued to her hip is going to make it difficult to get close if you catch my drift."

The next few days that were leading up to Saturday night were the longest of Dante's life. He had to take Lulu to places all things girly to get ready for the big night. She went to get a mani and a pedi as well as her getting her hair trimmed and highlighted. There was that one time she went into the backroom of the salon and the doors were locked, he had no idea what was going on. He could have sworn that he heard tape being ripped and muffled yelps. Lulu limped a little when she left the backroom for the stylist to wash the dye from her hair.

At least she spared him another trip to the mall. He didn't know if he could have taken anymore of her trying on skimpy outfits to go out with another man.

When they got back to Sonny's place, Max and Milo were arm wrestling in the kitchen while Michael and Morgan watched.

"What brought this on?" Lulu asked as she got a bottle of water out of the fridge and back and watched.

"Milo made fun of Max's tie," Morgan said. "Trust me this was the only way for them to settle their disagreement."

"Where were you?" Michael asked. "You got a haircut and highlights for the big date with the doctor?"

Lulu blushed. "It's just a date."

"Just a date? It's what your second date with him? One more date and you know what that means!" Morgan said. "What is Dante going to have to stand in the hallway while you get your freak on?"

"Morgan!" Lulu exclaimed.

"Hey we are all guys here; I am just pointing out the obvious!" Morgan defended himself. "I know we are all thinking it. I am just saying it. We are your brothers after all Lulu. It's our job to protect you."

"What's so obvious?" Dante asked as he came into the kitchen.

"We were just talking about Lulu's date with Dr. Matt," Michael said. "We were just saying this date on Saturday was date number two. She is one date away from date number three. We all know what happens on the third date. We were wondering where you are going to do. Are you going to be in the car or sit out on the sofa while Lulu and the good Doctor are otherwise engaged?"

"That is so inappropriate!" Lulu exclaimed. "You don't have to answer that Dante."

"You have to get through the second date first. Then there will be a third date," Dante said.

Lulu eyes narrowed. The way Dante said that was like he has something up his sleeve. What did Dante have planned?

Saturday night came too fast for Dante. He was tying his tie for his suit; he heard the shower shut off. He was half tempted to barge into the bathroom to see what Lulu was going to wear for the date.

He hated to admit it but Morgan brought up a good point. This was Lulu's second date with Matt even if the first date was cut short. On a third date there was expectations that guys had. He hated the thought that Matt would get that close to Lulu.

He shrugged on his jacket. If Matt thought that he was going to get to third base with Lulu on the second date and hit a homerun on the third date, Matt had something else coming to him.

Dante decided that he was going to bring Lulu to Matt. It would have been easier that way, it will keep Matt from being interrogated by everyone in the house.

He went through the bathroom, he knocked before he entered Lulu's room. She was already dressed much to his dismay. She wore a strapless, backless, short navy blue dress that fell just above her knees. She had a pair of matching navy blue shoes with some black sparkles.

She bent to get something from her bed. It was an onyx and diamond necklace. "Oh can you help me put on this necklace?" she asked.

"Sure, turn around," Dante ordered. "I am going to take you to him; it's easier that way, not making two trips."

"Whatever you think its better." Lulu moved her hair to the side so he was able to clasp the necklace.

Dante took the necklace from her and put it on her. He caressed Lulu shoulders. "Is there anything else I can help you put on?"

Lulu turned around. She playfully slapped Dante on his chest. "I've got that covered, thank you."

"Are you ready?

Lulu nodded. "I just need to get my bag." She bent to get her bag from her bed, of course Dante watched her. She wasn't wearing any panties.

Dante felt himself grow hard instantly. If she kept that up it was going keep that up, he might have some quality time with her in the back of the limo.

He opened the door and Lulu slid inside and settled in. He was about to close the door when Lulu told him to stop.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning in.

"This is embarrassing," she said, flushed.

"What is?" Dante grinned.

"The zipper of my dress is stuck to the seat. I can't reach it; can you help me?" She batted her eyes at him.

"You are kidding me," Dante groaned.

"I wouldn't kid about this. Please?"

Dante climbed in the limo, he kneeled next to Lulu. She tried to lean forward but her stuck zipper made her stay in place. Dante reached behind Lulu to take the zipper off the snag on the seat. He let his fingers linger on her back.

"There you are free. You know I can just close that door and you can forget about your little date with the doctor. And I could have my way with you," Dante said huskily.

"That wouldn't be polite," Lulu said. "I gave Matt my word that I would go out with him tonight. I always keep my word."

"You do? Then you will make it up to me later?" Dante asked. "I can't wait."

Dante rose from the seat and exited the back of the limo only to climb in the driver's side. He slid down the partition. "Let's go pick up the good doctor."

Dante drove the limo to Matt's place. He was waiting on the stoop from him to arrive. Dante got out and opened the door for Matt after Matt spoke to him for a few moments. He was pleasantly surprised to see Lulu in the limo.

"Hey," he smiled, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hi."

He was in a light blue polo shirt with dark dress pants. "You look great, Lulu."

"You look pretty darn fine yourself, doctor," Lulu returned. "Are you going to tell me where are we going?"

Matt shook his head. "Nope it's a surprise. I hope you like to eat, this place has the greatest food."

A few minutes later they arrived at Pozzulo's, Sonny restaurant. Dante tried to hide his smile. Obviously the good doctor didn't realize that. This could be fun especially if Max and Milo were there.

Conon the matra'D greeted them at the door. "Good evening, Miss Lulu and her guest."

"Been here before?" Matt asked.

"Sonny owns this place," Lulu answered.

"We could go somewhere else," Matt responded.

"This place is fine. I love their food here."

Conon picked up two menus. "Follow me to your table,"

He led them to the table in the middle of the empty restaurant. "Can I start you off with a drink?"

Matt held Lulu's chair out for her and scooted the chair in when she sat down. "I will have a club soda with a lime."

"I will have a glass of the house chardonnay, please." Lulu said as Conon handed her the menu then Matt.

"Coming up."

Dante resigned himself to sit at the table by the door. He was soon joined by Max and Milo. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Boss and Jason are going to have a meeting. Besides we are starving too." Milo said. "Of all the places the doctor could take her to, he takes her here?"

"Well now he has six eyes on him rather than two. He better not try any funny stuff," Dante muttered.

Conon appeared at their table with a platter of anti-pasta salad. Then he gave the drinks to Lulu and Matt.

Milo piled a small plate with meat and cheese and handed it to Dante. "Eat something because you look like you are going to pass out."

Dante looked over see Lulu and Dante toasted to something that Matt had said.

"He won't try anything with all of us in the room," Max noted. "Not if he wants to lose an arm."

"You have to admit it Dante. Their date just started and it looks like the Boss's daughter is having a good time. Matt is a good catch. He comes from a good family. He's a doctor. They make a cute couple," Milo pointed out. "She can't do much better than that. He's great husband material."

Dante shoved a piece of cheese in his mouth or the brothers wouldn't like his response.

"You're right, Milo. I hope this fix up works out. The Boss is so protective of Lulu. It's had been hard for her to meet someone on her own."

"She might have someone back East," Milo said.

"Nah, the guard she has watching her would have told the Boss," Max said. "Besides she is too busy learning about all aspects of the law to date anyone."

Good, Dante thought to himself. He was jealous of Lulu out with Matt. It would have been worse if she had someone else back at school.

"Aww, look at that, he's patting her hand," Milo said looking at Lulu's table. "I think that it's a match made in heaven. I had never seen Lulu so happy."

"You like Italian food?" Matt asked.

Lulu nodded. "I spent a semester in Italy, when I was in undergrad."

"You did? Then I should leave the ordering to you."

They watched as Conon took their orders. Lulu and Matt feel into deep conversation until their appetizers came. Lulu ordered sweet potato gnocchi in a brown sage butter sauce and Matt ordered bruscetta "This is really good. Nice choice by the way," Matt said. "Do you want some?"

Lulu nodded. "Sure."

Matt held out one out for her to try with his thumb and forefinger.

Dante was about to lose it as he watched Matt feed it to Lulu across the table. His table companions had another view of it.

"Aw, how cute. He's offering her some of his food," Max said. "And she is doing the same thing."

"It's like 'Lady and the Tramp'," Milo said. "They should get a room, because it is getting hot in here."

Dante took a big bite of the garlic bread what was on the table. He was tempted to stick the loaf of garlic bread down Matt's throat. He couldn't believe that Lulu was encouraging him.

Conon came by to refresh their drinks, poured them some more water, dropped a basket of garlic bread, and cleared away their dirty plates. Dante hoped that they would each eat a large portion of garlic bread and reek of it so that they wouldn't want to be close together.

He watched as Lulu and Matt break the bread and still chatted. Dante got up and walked into the kitchen just as the chef put up their orders. Matt got penne a la rabiatta- spicy marinara sauce. Lulu got spaghetti Carbonara- spaghetti with white sauce.

The chef went into the walk-in cooler and Conon was no where in sight. Dante saw a bottle of chef made chili oil that he sometimes used to give some of the sauces an extra kick if the guest wanted something a little hotter. Milo had dared him to try some when he first started, he had never had eaten anything so hot in his life. It felt like his mouth was on fire.

A light blub went off in his head, and he dabbed a few drops on the pasta and stirred it. There was a shaker of red pepper flakes next to the bottle of oil. He sprinkled some red pepper flakes on top of the pasta for good measure.

Dante came whistling back into the dining room and sat down with Max and Milo.

"What is up with you?" Milo asked.

"Nothing, can't I be happy at work?" Dante asked.

Conon came out of the kitchen with Lulu and Matt's dinner. He placed the plates in front of them. "Enjoy."

Matt leaned to smell is order. "Smells great, I think I am going to like this."

Lulu grabbed her spoon and used her fork to twirl the noodles. She put the fork in her mouth. "Yum," she licked her lips.

"You got a little sauce on your lower lip. Here let me." Matt leaned over the table, carefully brushed the sauce of her lip. He licked the sauce off his thumb. "That's pretty good."

"You should start on yours before it gets cold."

Matt took a bite. As he began to chew he got a quizzically look on his face. "Is it supposed to be so hot?" he breathed.

He continued to chew for another second, before he grabbed his cloth napkin and spat his food in it. He grabbed his glass of water and drank it in one gulp.

Lulu looked over at Dante's table he looked like he was ready to bust out laughing. Max and Milo were laughing out loud at Matt's expense.

"It's supposed to have a kick to it not be hot."

"It's hot!" Matt gasped, coughing as tears formed in his eyes.

Lulu handed him her glass of water. She dug her fork in fork in Matt's pasta. She was just about to take a bite of it when Dante ran up to the table, batting the fork out of her hand. "Some more water, please!" she yelled to Milo.

"The chef sends his apologies some hot got in the sauce by mistake," Dante said, quickly.

Milo came to the table with a pitcher of water. He refilled the glasses, Matt quickly downed them.

"Get him a glass of milk!" Lulu ordered Dante. "It will help more than the water."

Dante walked into the kitchen, so he could laugh. He went to the large walk-in fridge he laughed so hard that he had to wipe away a few tears, and then he got a gallon of milk and headed back to the dining room.

Lulu grabbed the gallon of milk, took an empty wine glass on the set table behind her and poured Matt some. "Drink this. Milk should help more than water."

Matt took the glass, drinking the milk quickly. "Thanks, I feel a little better now."

"How about some cannolis for dessert?" Lulu asked, hoping to lighten the mood. "There shouldn't be a problem with that."

Matt smiled. He was going to respond when his cell phone went off. "Dr. Hunter. I will be right there."

Dante whispered in Lulu's ear. "You can try my cannoli later, babe."

Lulu was going to respond when Matt finished his phone call.

"I have to go," he said somberly. "Sorry. Can I have a rain check on the rain check?"

"Sure, I would like that. Next time I am going to leave the ordering up to you."

Milo cleared his throat. "Your cab is here."

He and his brother retreated to Sonny's office leaving Matt and Dante alone with Lulu in the dining room.

"Will you see that Lulu gets home, safely?" Matt asked Dante.

"Of course it's my job."

Matt kissed Lulu lightly on her lips. "I'll call you later."

"Are you happy?" Lulu seethed when the door shut behind Matt. "He could have been seriously hurt with that little game you played on him!"

"I didn't do anything!" Dante protested.

"Yeah right!" Lulu muttered.

Dante sat down at Matt's seat. "Since Matty-boy is gone, let's get some dessert. You really should try the cannolis here. They are the best. Correction, my cannoli is the best."

"No, I rather not try any cannolis." Lulu remained standing. "I am ready to leave since the date is over."

"It's still early. How about I take you someplace?" Dante offered.

"Fine! If it's going to make you play nice on my next date with Matt, I'll go with you. Where are we going?"

Dante smiled. "It's a surprise."

"I have to say this is a surprise," Lulu said as nibbled on her double scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream, walking through the empty park. Her heels dangled from her other hand. The grass was cool and wet between her toes.

"What is?" Dante nibbled on his double fudge brownie ice cream. Under his arm was a blanket.

"The ice cream and the walk in the park, I thought that you had something kinkier in mind."

"Look who's mind is in the gutter!" Dante said. "I think the way you are thinking."

"Your mind is always in the gutter," Lulu muttered. "I have to think on my toes with you."

"Wait here is a good spot."

He handed her his ice cream as he spread out the blanket. He sat on it. "Are you going to join me or not, Lulu?"

He lay on his back, placing his hand behind his head. Lulu handed him his ice cream back and joined him on the blanket she set her shoes on the grass next to the blanket.

"What did you put in Matt's pasta?" Lulu asked.

"Who says I did anything to the pasta? Maybe Matty-Boy can't handle spicy things. You should think about that, meaning you can't take him to get Mexican food, Thai food, and Indian food. That might seriously out a cramp in your eating out with the good doctor. "

"You so did something to his food. When I was going to try his pasta you all but threw the pasta on the floor. Tell me what did you do to Matt's pasta?"

"Or?" Dante continued to work on his ice cream.

"Just tell me!" Lulu exclaimed exasperated.

"What are you going to do to make me tell you?" Dante asked.

"You are bad." Lulu sat carefully on the blanket.

"You like me bad," Dante pointed out. "You just need to admit it to yourself."

Lulu looked up at the starry inky sky. "I see the Big Dipper," she said.

"Ursa Major," Dante corrected. "It's supposed to be a bear."

"A bear? How did people get those shapes out of those tiny little stars?" Lulu asked.

"Say the girl getting an Ivy League education," Dante teased. "According to Greek mythology, Zeus had a thing for this girl Callisto. Zeus' wife Hera was extremely jealous of Callisto so she turned her into a bear not before Callisto gave birth to a son named Arcas. Her son shoots the Callisto as the bear but Zeus wanted to avert tragedy, he sends them both into the sky forming Ursa Major and Ursa Minor."

"How does a mob solider know about Greek mythology?" Lulu asked as she finished her ice cream cone.

"I paid attention in school," Dante admitted. "The planetarium got really dark… no further comments, Counselor."

"You are not going to turn Matt into a bear, are you?" Lulu asked.

Dante laughed. "I would if I could. But no I am not going to do anything to Matt. I may mess with him a little bit more."

"You should leave Matt alone."

"Only if you stop seeing him," Dante said.

"Why is that, Dante?" Lulu asked. "I was having a good time."

"You'll have a better time with me."

"All we do is have sex."

"What's wrong with that? Everyone does it. Besides I took you out gambling, remember? You had a good time doing that, right? Or was I imaging things?"

"I had a good time." Lulu smiled.

"You had a good time trying to feel me up from under the table," Dante pointed out.

"I was trying to distract you."

"Almost worked," Dante said still staring at the sky. "Because all I could think from the moment I met you in the airport was being with you. I had a mental picture of us on red satin sheets the only thing you had on was a smile."

"Keep dreaming, not going to happen," Lulu muttered.

"Why is that? It's still early we can go to the store and buy some red satin sheets and a little something lacy for you to wear that I can rip off you."

Lulu was going to come back with a snide comment when suddenly there was a deafening boom of thunder followed by a crack of lightning. The drizzle instantly turned into a torrential downpour.

Lulu let out a little shriek as she grabbed her shoes. She jumped up and starting running back to the limo. Dante gathered up the blanket and dashed after Lulu.

He soon caught up to her; he draped the blanket over her head protecting her from the rain that began to blow sideways as the wind began to pick up and it still continued to thunder and lightning.

They reached the limo Dante heard some noise that seem to come whenever thunder boomed as if to mask the sound. He didn't realize what it was before it was too late.

The limo's windows shattered and the doors were riddled with bullets.

Someone was shooting at them!

Dante instinctively dropped the blanket and tried to shield Lulu as glass continued to explode around them and the limo still was being shot at. He didn't know how he did it but he was able to wrench the limo's door open as bullets began to ricochet around them. He practically shoved Lulu inside.

He felt something whiz by his head, hitting the window shattering it and showering Dante with glass. He pulled out his gun. Dante felt something warm slither down his forehead and into his eye.

He strained to look through the sheet of rain that was falling. He could only make out two black figures standing across the street. He did not have a clear shot. A dark Hummer came screeching around the corner and the figures jumped in the car and they sped off.

"Lulu," Dante said, replacing his gun.

No answer.

"Lulu!" Dante said more urgently, shaking her shoulders.

She was lying on her side, he turned her over. There was a dark stain on her upper chest. Dante placed his fingers on it. He hoped it was stained from the rain The stain felt warm and sticky. The stain wasn't from the rain. Dante lifted his hand, his palm was crimson colored.

Lulu had been shot and she was bleeding out on the floor of the limo.

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