Chapter 11

"An Unfortunate Accident"

"There was a time that I loved Logan Hayes," Lulu said, grasping Dante's hand in desperation.

"We were alike in so many ways."

"We were both looking for some kind of redemption and felt misunderstood. He was a war veteran and had just returned from Iraq. I was having problems with my family, the Quartermaines. He was searching for the father that he blamed for everything that had gone wrong in his life. We understood each other."

" I thought that I could trust him, that he loved me." Lulu explained.

"What happened, Lulu?" Dante asked, his thumb stroking the top of her hand.

"It was a bet, a stupid bet that Maxie made with him."

"Maxie," Dante said, not quite sure how she figured into this.

"She told him that he could have her if he got me to sleep with him. He tried to tell me that it didn't matter, that he fell in love with me and that we belonged together. I broke up with him after I found out about his agreement with Maxie.I had moved on and was with johnny. Logan was a part of my past." Lulu continued her eyes reflecting sadness.

"Maxie, said that he blamed her. He said that it was all her fault. He said that we were meant to be together. He showed up at Crimson one night when Maxie was alone," Lulu continued, looking at Dante for comfort.

He could see the terror in her eyes and he pulled her into his arms, offering her solace.

"Lulu, you don't have to go on. Not if you don't want to," he said worried.

"No, I need to. You need to know," she answered, continuing.

"He came at Maxie, all crazed and he started hurting her, choking her," Lulu replied, shaking with emotion. He attacked her and she dropped to the floor. She didn't get up," Lulu said.

"But, how did you?" Dante started to ask.

"I watched from the window of Johnny's Penthouse. I saw what he did to her. Then, he saw me." Lulu said, tears streaming down her face as she relived that night.

"Oh my God, Lulu." Dante said, rocking her as that tears fell faster.

"I tried calling Lucky, but he didn't pick up."

"I called Crimson, praying that Maxie was all right and that it was all some horrible nightmare, but there wasn't an answer. "

"Logan called me and he said that he needed to come up. He said that he needed to explain what happened," Lulu replied, "I was so scared, Dante."

"I tried to leave but as I ran out of Johnny's apartment, he was already there. I was able to get back in the apartment and lock the door."

"I could hear him on the other side. He was desperate. He kept saying that he needed me to open the door so that we could talk. He said that the whole Maxie thing was just a misunderstanding and that she was fine and was just trying to keep us apart," Lulu sobbed into Dante's chest.

"I wouldn't open the door. I picked up something that was on a nearby table, a heavy object I think. I just wanted to protect myself. He was acting so crazy. I wielded it like it was a baseball bat, but I heard a loud sound, like a bang and I fell to the ground."

"Oh God, Dante. He was using an axe against the door, shredding it." Lulu, continued, her body shaking.

"I was so scared. I grabbed a knife and hid behind the sofa in the dark. He broke the door down. He was trying to find me. He kept telling me about how he missed us and how nothing would keep us apart, not the door and not the dark." Lulu cried.

"I tried to make a run for it, but he jumped over the sofa and lunged at me. He had his hand over my mouth and he grabbed me from behind. His hands were wrapped so tightly around me. I was terrified."

"I screamed and I think that I dropped the knife. I just wanted him to let me go. "

"He kept trying to tell me how much he loved me and that we belonged together. I bit him in the hand. He released me and was so angry. He said that he didn't understand why I was doing this and that he couldn't leave because he knew that he would lose me. I tried to pretend that I wanted to try again that I still cared about him, but he knew that it was a lie. We struggled and I fell to the ground."

"I never meant to......the knife was right on the floor beside me, so I grabbed it. I turned around to defend myself," Lulu confided, raising her eyes to Dante's.

"And he ran into it," Dante answered, with grief-stricken eyes. He was so angry at what she had gone through, at how defenseless she felt. He wanted to turn back time and be the one to stop everything before it had even begun.

"Lulu it wasn't your fault. It was self-defense. You did what you had to do to stay alive," Dante told her, his hands holding her face between his. He placed a tender kiss on her lips, trying to erase her pain.

"I could have stopped it. I didn't have to kill him. Maybe I could have pretended better. I could have calmed him down," Lulu answered, feeling guilty and remembering how Logan's death had caused her nervous breakdown.

"You were dealing with a deranged psychopath, Lulu. He would have killed you. You did nothing wrong. Do you hear me?" Dante said, desperate to make her understand.

"You don't hate me?" Lulu questioned, baffled that he didn't look back at her with hatred or disgust for what she had done.

"I am so proud of you, baby," Dante replied, wrapping her in his arms, "I love you so much more than I ever thought possible," he said, continuing to rock her until her sobs began to cease and she fell asleep in his arms. It was only then that Dante revealed the true hatred that he felt. The anger that fueled in his belly for a man that had long since been buried beneath the ground.

Hours later, Lulu awoke to Dante's arms wrapped around her. They lay cuddled on the sofa, an afghan throw covering them. Her head lay on his chest and she could her his steady breathing. She lifted her head, placing a soft kiss on his lips. Dante sighed in his sleep, his arms pulling her in closer. Lulu smiled, rested her head back atop his chest and fell asleep, safe and comfortable in his arms.

It was sometime after 9am and Dante rose from the sofa, careful not to awaken Lulu. He showered and changed, knowing that he needed to make his appointment by 11am. He kissed Lulu's lips and reluctantly pulled away. He placed the note that he had left earlier on the coffee table. He wished that he could tell her where he was going and why. She had shared her secrets and it was time that Dante told her his. He didn't know if she would understand and if she would be angry. This was his demon to put to rest and he needed to face him first, to see him. He had questions that needed answered and only after that could he tell Lulu what skeleton was lurking in his closet.

Lulu awoke to the sound of the door closing. She opened her eyes, groggy from a night of crying. She felt different, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Mmmm, Dante she thought. She was glad that she had shared her secrets with him. She had been worried for nothing. Speaking of Dante, where was he, she thought.

"Dante?" she called, but received no answer. On the table lay a sheet of notebook paper and Lulu glanced over reading the writing upon it.

Hey Beautiful,

You were sleeping so soundly I did not want to awaken you. I have to run a quick errand, but will be back before you know it. I started the coffee for you, just push the brew button.

I miss you already,

Love,

Dante

….......

"How is he?" Dante asked the security guard, upon arriving.

"He is holding his own, this morning," she answered, releasing the alarmed door. Dante entered after he was buzzed through.

"Thanks. I won't be long today," he answered walking alongside the guard as he followed her down the cellblock. They stopped at cell 39 and the female guard yelled, "Hey, Number 39, you got a visitor."

"Detective Falconeri," Anthony Zaccharra said, placing his face against the bars, "well, if it isn't my treasonous goomba. What a pleasant surprise," he said in that insane voice of his.

Anthony Zaccharra yelled to the cell beside him, "Sonny, your son, the rat is here."

….........

Somewhere outside the U.S.

"Are the arrangements in order?" the man asked.

"Nearly. We just have a few more specifications to finish," she answered with a foreign accent.

"That is not acceptable. There is no excuse for untimeliness. It is imperative that all is ready. I want no mistakes. Do you hear me?" he demanded.

"Yes, sir. All will be ready when she arrives. You have my word," the woman answered, knowing that her life depended on it.

"It had better be, or you will answer to me," he replied in an ominous tone, while his hand cradled the cellphone. As he ended the call, he looked down at the signet ring on his finger, the family crest staring back at him. Soon, very soon, his family would begin to reap the destruction that had befallen them so many years before.