MINE!

20: Wind Down Yet Amped Up

A/N: Really long chapter guys since I'm a week late from when I told one of you I'd update. Plus things are going to be mellow/hectic since my school has went back remote but remote homework is usually harder for me to deal with. But I only have nutritional foods, creative writing, & ceramics for classes right now so it should be easier than usual.

Mari's POV

It's been 2 weeks since the incident at the warehouse. I never thought that I'd be in this position in life.

I tried my hardest not to be.

After Ray I promised myself that I'd keep a low-key profile to avoid being noticed. Now here my a** is with the Don of the d*** mafia.

Not to mention the fact that Dante doesn't particularly make that easier in me.

Sitting up out of the bed, I rub my eyes adjusting to the sunlight streaming in through the open curtains. I look over at Dante's peaceful face and I can't help but smile. I lay back down closer to him than I was before and tuck an unruly curl back into the mass of his untamed hair.

I never thought I'd be one of those creepy people who watched their partner while they slept, but Dante in his most vulnerable and peaceful state is truly beautiful. His usual somewhat hard and standoffish demeanor falls away and reveals him a childlike light.

"You gonna kiss me or just stare at me all morning?" He asks blowing his breath in my face and cracking one of his eyes open to look at me.

"Mm, I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Morning breath." I say moving away from his advance.

"I don't care." He says trying to close the space between us.

"But I do," I clarify putting a finger on his puckered lips.

"What are you trying to say, hm?"

"That we both got stank breath and I'd prefer to not know what they taste like together." I answer slipping out of the bed and heading toward the bathroom.

"Very funny."

"Thank you, I thought it was too."

When I get into the bathroom I start the sink waiting for it to get hot so I can brush my teeth while pulling my hair stuff out of the cabinet. I turn to brush my teeth when I see Dante standing in the doorway watching me like a creep, scaring the bejeezus out of me.

"Sweet Lord baby Jesus," I whisper clenching my imaginary pearls. "What are looking at?" I ask him with my toothbrush in my mouth. Bending down to spit out the toothpaste in my mouth, I feel Dante come directly behind me pressing himself up against my a**.

"D baby?" I ask standing straight up not even bothering to take a pause to brush my teeth.

"Hm?"

"I woke up all of 15 minutes ago and I'm currently brushing my teeth, not to mention the fact that I haven't even had my morning coffee. And if you think you 'bouta get some right now, not only arr you sorely mistake, but you're out of you ever lovin' mind. So unless you'd like to lose that d*** you're trying to put inside of me, I'd suggest that you get it off of my backside." I reply turning around to put a toothpaste-y kiss on his cheek, then continue at the task at hand.

"D***. Who the f*** pissed in your toothpaste?" He grumbles at me sliding his way from behind me to the his side of the his and hers sinks to brush his teeth.

"Boy please. You da one that was rubbin all up on me knowin good and well that I ain't had my coffee yet." I say before rinsing out my mouth.

Putting my toothbrush in the toothbrush holder, I make my way out of the bathroom before slipping on something decent because of the dozen of guards that have now taken permanent residence here. When I asked Dante why they were here all of sudden considering they were prior to the warehouse, he said that now that I knew there was no need to keep them at arms length.