The Dancer and the Don | ✔️

Chapter 9

Another short one! I'm trying to figure out where I want this story to go little by little, so if you have any ideas let me know! Also, a lot of my inspiration comes from your comments so feel free to leave as many as you'd like! Thanks for reading!

****

It was impossible for Francesca to keep the bile inside of her after listening to Tony—if that was even his name—speak. His footsteps followed behind her as she sprinted to the bathroom and leaned over the toilet.

A multitude of tears fell from her eyes as the emptied the contents of her stomach. Tony was crouched beside her, holding her hair back. She smacked his arm and he released her hair.

"Don't touch me," she said in a scratchy voice, "ever again."

When she was finished she sat back against the wall of the bathroom. All Tony could do was stare at her, his hands twitching to grab her and hold onto her forever.

"So you've been lying about who you are to me since we met?" Tony nodded in response, but she wanted to hear him say it. Fran raised her eyebrows at him.

"Yes, Fran. If I had told you, would you have stayed?" She clenched her teeth when he immediately became defensive.

"You expect me to stay now?" She asked. His eyes closed and she was surprised to see tears leaking from them.

"No, Fran, I don't. There was just no possible way for me to not tell you after what happened last night."

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Fran asked. She removed her eyes from her husband and stared forward. Tony really didn't want to answer this question.

"No. I wasn't." That was it. The final nail in the coffin.

"Get out."

Tony couldn't say he was surprised to hear that.

"I can't Fran, neither of us can leave this house while there is still a target on both of our heads. My men are taking care of it."

"Your men? Wait a minute," Fran couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Nathan, Maran, Tate? They all know about this?" Tony didn't hesitate in answering that question.

"Yes, they're a part of my family."

"My family," Fran muttered sarcastically. "Am I your family?"

"Of course, Fran, you'll always be my family."

"All I have is you, Tony," she said, shaking her head. "Was that your plan all along? Find a girl that has nothing, give her everything so she can't ever leave you?"

"Francesca, look at me," Tony demanded.

"I can't look at you, Tony. I have no clue who my husband is. You need to leave."

"I told you, we can't leave for now because—"

"Because of a mistake you made a long time ago. I don't want to hear from you ever again."

"Fran please," he begged, "it was to keep both of us safe."

"Look where that got us, Tony!" She shouted. It was a shock to see Tony cower in the corner of the bathroom. "Two of my coworkers and seven employees are dead because of me. I'll never be okay."

"We can figure this out!" There had to be a way to save this. Tony didn't ever want this to happen, and this was why.

"I need you to leave me alone Tony, if that's what your name actually is," Fran scoffed. She stood and exited the bathroom. As soon as she realized Tony wasn't following her the tension left her body, causing her to almost collapse.