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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm crouched behind a dumpster in Beverly Hills at 11 in the morning, clutching a three-legged dog named Pancake, and honestly, this is peak me.
00:09Stay quiet, I whisper to him, even though he's literally missing a leg and can't run if he wanted to.
00:15His tail wags anyway.
00:18Dogs, man. They don't know when to read the room.
00:21The thing is, I didn't steal him. I liberated him.
00:24There's a difference, and I will die on this hill.
00:27Probably literally, considering my former boss Marcus is currently screaming my name across the parking lot of the veterinary clinic I worked at until approximately 20 minutes ago.
00:36Lennox, get your ass back here with that dog.
00:38Yeah, no.
00:40Pancake licks my face, and I try not to gag because his breath smells like expired tuna.
00:45But also, he's been through enough.
00:48Some trust fund sociopath brought him in this morning and told Dr. Marcus to put him down because he's damaged goods.
00:54Direct quote.
00:55Like Pancake was a returned Amazon package instead of a living creature who just wanted to be loved despite missing a limb.
01:02I'd said, absolutely not.
01:05Marcus had said, you're fired.
01:06I'd said, cool, I'm taking the dog.
01:09And now here we are.
01:11I peek around the dumpster.
01:13Marcus is pacing near his Porsche, phone pressed to his ear, probably calling the cops.
01:18Or animal control.
01:20Or both.
01:21My heartbeat hammers in my throat, and I'm calculating my odds of making it to my 15-year-old Honda Civic without getting tackled when a shadow falls over me.
01:30I look up.
01:32And up.
01:33The man standing there is so stupidly handsome, it's almost offensive.
01:38Dark hair swept back like he just stepped out of a Tom Ford ad.
01:42Sharp jawline that could cut glass.
01:44And eyes the color of expensive whiskey.
01:46He's wearing a black suit that probably costs more than my rent, and he's looking at me like I'm a particularly interesting species of bug.
01:55You planning to live behind this dumpster?
01:57He asks, voice smooth and low, with just a hint of amusement.
02:01Maybe, I shoot back, because what else am I supposed to say?
02:05Sorry, rich guy, I'm hiding from my psycho ex-boss with a stolen dog.
02:08It's got character, great location, close to amenities.
02:13His mouth twitches, almost a smile.
02:16You're Lennox.
02:18Not a question, a statement.
02:21I freeze.
02:22How do you—
02:23Your former employer is very loud.
02:26He glances toward Marcus, who's still ranting into his phone 50 yards away.
02:30Also, you're wearing a name tag.
02:33I look down.
02:35Sure enough, my blue clinic vest still has my name embroidered on it in cheerful yellow thread.
02:40Lennox Chen, veterinary assistant.
02:43Well, former veterinary assistant.
02:47Observant, I mutter.
02:49It's a survival skill.
02:52Something about the way he says it makes my skin prickle.
02:55This isn't just some businessman who happened to park near a dumpster.
02:58This is someone who notices things.
03:00Someone used to watching.
03:02Pancake chooses this moment to bark.
03:04One sharp, happy sound.
03:06And the man's gaze drops to the dog in my arms.
03:09His expression shifts.
03:10Softens.
03:11Just barely.
03:13Three legs, he observes.
03:15Yeah.
03:16Well, he came that way.
03:18Some asshole wanted him put down for it.
03:20So you stole him.
03:22I rescued him.
03:24Semantics.
03:25But there's no judgment in his tone.
03:28If anything, he sounds...
03:30Impressed?
03:30What's his name?
03:32Pancake.
03:33Now he definitely almost smiles.
03:35Pancake.
03:36He's flat and golden.
03:38It fits.
03:39The man crouches down, which is frankly shocking because that suit is pristine, and the pavement
03:44behind a Beverly Hills dumpster is decidedly not.
03:47He extends one hand toward Pancake, who immediately sniffs it and then licks his fingers.
03:52Good judge of character, the man murmurs, scratching behind Pancake's ears with surprising gentleness.
03:59I'm about to make some sarcastic comment when Marcus's voice cuts through the air again.
04:04There.
04:05That's her.
04:05My head whips around.
04:08Marcus is pointing directly at me, and next to him is a security guard built like a refrigerator.
04:14Shit.
04:14I breathe.
04:15The man stands in one fluid motion.
04:18How much trouble are you in?
04:20On a scale of one to ten?
04:22Like, forty?
04:24He considers this.
04:26Then, without warning, he reaches for my wrist.
04:29Not roughly, but with absolute authority.
04:32His fingers are warm against my pulse point.
04:34Show me who did this, he says quietly.
04:39Did what?
04:40I...
04:41But he's already stepping around the dumpster, me and Pancake in tow, and I'm too shocked
04:46to resist.
04:47We emerge into the full sunlight of the parking lot, and Marcus stops mid-stride when he sees
04:52us.
04:53More specifically, when he sees the man holding my wrist.
04:56Marcus goes pale.
04:58Like, ghost white pale.
05:00Mr. Vitale?
05:01He stammers.
05:03I...
05:03I didn't realize...
05:05Vitale.
05:06The name tickles something in my brain, but I can't place it.
05:10The man, Mr. Vitale, apparently, doesn't release my wrist.
05:14If anything, his grip tightens slightly.
05:17Protective.
05:17This woman works for you?
05:19He asks, voice dangerously calm.
05:22She did, Marcus says quickly.
05:24But she stole...
05:25She rescued an animal you were going to euthanize for cosmetic reasons.
05:30It's not a question.
05:32Somehow he already knows.
05:34Marcus's mouth opens and closes like a goldfish.
05:37The client requested...
05:38I don't care what the client requested.
05:41Vitale's voice drops 20 degrees.
05:43You're a veterinarian.
05:45Your job is to heal, not kill for convenience.
05:48The security guard has taken several steps back.
05:52Smart man.
05:53With all due respect, Mr. Vitale, this is my clinic, and...
05:55Was your clinic.
05:58The parking lot goes silent except for the distant hum of traffic on Wilshire Boulevard.
06:03I'm sorry, Marcus whispers.
06:06I own the building, you lease.
06:08Had my assistant pull the contract while you were yelling.
06:11Vitale finally releases my wrist, but only to pull out his phone.
06:14He scrolls with his thumb, unbothered by the three-legged dog I'm still clutching,
06:19or the fact that he just casually dropped a bomb on my former boss.
06:23Looks like you're in violation of several clauses.
06:26Animal welfare standards, primarily.
06:29You can't...
06:29I can.
06:31I am.
06:32He pockets his phone and looks at Marcus with something close to boredom.
06:37You have 30 days to vacate.
06:39Enjoy finding a new location in this market.
06:42Marcus's face cycles through about six different shades of red before settling on purple.
06:47But he doesn't argue.
06:49He just turns and storms toward his Porsche,
06:52the security guard trailing behind him like a confused puppy.
06:56I stare at Vitale.
06:57He stares back.
06:59You just...
07:00I start.
07:01Did you seriously just evict him because of a dog?
07:05I evicted him because he's a liability and a disgrace to his profession.
07:10His eyes flicked to Pancake, then back to me.
07:13The dog was simply the catalyst.
07:16My brain is trying to process this, but it's like dial-up internet, slow and making weird noises.
07:23Who are you?
07:24I finally ask.
07:26He extends his hand properly this time.
07:28Dante Vitale.
07:30I shake it automatically and his grip is firm, warm, controlled.
07:35You really own this building?
07:37And several others in the area.
07:39Of course you do, I mutter.
07:42What, is real estate mogul your side hustle?
07:46Something flickers in his expression.
07:48Amusement again.
07:50Something like that.
07:51He's still holding my hand, I realize.
07:54And I should probably pull away, but I don't.
07:57Why did you help me?
07:59I ask quietly.
08:01Dante tilts his head, studying me with those whiskey-colored eyes.
08:04Maybe I have a soft spot for lost causes.
08:08I'm not lost.
08:10No.
08:11He agrees.
08:13But you are unemployed, holding a three-legged dog, and you were hiding behind a dumpster five
08:18minutes ago.
08:19Okay, when you put it like that, you need a job.
08:23It's not a question.
08:24I... yeah.
08:25Obviously.
08:27Come work for me.
08:28I blink.
08:30What?
08:30I have several properties that could use someone with your particular skill set.
08:35My skill set is giving shots to cats and cleaning kennels.
08:39Your skill set, he corrects, is seeing value where others don't.
08:43That's rare.
08:44Pancake barks his agreement.
08:46I look at Dante Vitale, this impossibly handsome stranger who just demolished my boss's career
08:51and is now offering me a job, and every instinct I have is screaming that this is a terrible
08:55idea.
08:57What kind of properties?
08:59I ask instead.
09:01His smile is slow, dangerous, and completely devastating.
09:05Let me show you.
09:08Dante Vitale's car is a midnight blue Rolls Royce that probably costs more than my entire
09:13bloodline will ever make, and I'm sitting in it with a three-legged dog on my lap, trying
09:18to pretend this is normal.
09:20It's not normal.
09:21So, I say, watching the Beverly Hills mansions blur past the window, you just casually carry
09:28around building contracts on your phone?
09:30I own 217 properties in Los Angeles County alone.
09:35He doesn't take his eyes off the road, one hand draped lazily over the steering wheel.
09:40I like to stay informed.
09:43217.
09:4418, actually.
09:46I closed on a warehouse in Long Beach this morning.
09:48I stare at him.
09:50Pancake stares at him.
09:52Even the dog seems impressed.
09:54What do you do exactly?
09:56Besides ruining people's days and buying buildings?
09:59His mouth curves.
10:00I facilitate business transactions.
10:03That's the vaguest answer I've ever heard.
10:06I'm aware.
10:07We pull up to a sprawling estate in the Hollywood Hills, all white stone and massive windows gleaming
10:13in the afternoon sun.
10:14The gates swing open automatically and Dante drives through like he owns the place, which
10:19he probably does.
10:20This is where you live?
10:22I ask.
10:23One of the places.
10:25Right.
10:26Because why have one mansion when you can have six?
10:29Twelve, actually.
10:30He parks in a circular driveway beside a fountain that's definitely worth more than my life.
10:36But who's counting?
10:38I climb out, still holding Pancake, and the heat hits me immediately.
10:42That dry L.A. warmth that makes everything feel like a movie set.
10:46The house is enormous, all clean lines and expensive taste, and I'm suddenly very aware
10:51that I'm wearing scrubs covered in dog hair.
10:54Dante
10:55A woman appears in the doorway, 60-ish, dark hair and a neat bun, wearing an apron.
11:02She takes one look at me and Pancake and her face lights up.
11:05Oh, you brought home strays again.
11:08Rosa, this is Lennox, Dante says smoothly.
11:12Lennox, this is Rosa.
11:15She keeps me alive.
11:16I keep him fed, Rosa corrects, descending the steps.
11:21There's a difference.
11:23She peers at Pancake.
11:24And who's this handsome boy?
11:27Pancake, I say.
11:28He's missing a leg.
11:30I can see that.
11:32He's perfect.
11:33She holds out her arms, and I hand him over automatically.
11:37Rosa cuddles him like he's a baby.
11:39Come, little one.
11:40Let's get you some proper food.
11:43And just like that, she disappears into the house with my dog.
11:47She's going to spoil him, Dante says.
11:50Is that bad?
11:52No.
11:53Rosa believes everything deserves to be spoiled.
11:55He gestures toward the entrance.
11:58Come on.
11:59I'll show you what I meant about the job.
12:01I follow him inside, and the interior is somehow even more stunning than the exterior.
12:06Floor-to-ceiling windows.
12:08Modern art on the walls.
12:10Furniture that looks like it belongs in a magazine.
12:12Everything is bright, flooded with sunlight, and painfully tasteful.
12:16This is your home, I say slowly.
12:20Not a property that needs managing.
12:23Correct.
12:24So why am I here?
12:27Dante walks to a bar cart and pours himself two fingers of something amber.
12:31He raises an eyebrow at me, offering.
12:34It's barely noon, I point out.
12:36Is that a no?
12:38That's a yes, actually.
12:39Today has been weird.
12:41He pours me a glass and hands it over.
12:44Our fingers brush, and there's that spark again.
12:47Electric and unsettling.
12:49You're here, he says.
12:51Because I want to explain what working for me actually means.
12:55I'm listening.
12:56He takes a sip of his drink, watching me over the rim.
13:00My family has been in Los Angeles for three generations.
13:03We've built an empire through real estate, investments, and various business ventures.
13:07Some of those ventures exist in legal gray areas.
13:10My stomach tightens.
13:12Gray areas.
13:14I'm not going to lie to you, Lennox.
13:15I'm not a saint.
13:16But I'm also not the villain you're probably imagining.
13:19He sets down his glass.
13:22I don't deal drugs.
13:23I don't hurt innocents.
13:25I provide services to people who need them.
13:27Protection, dispute resolution, access to opportunities they wouldn't have otherwise.
13:32You're in the mafia.
13:34He winces slightly.
13:35That's a crude term.
13:37But accurate?
13:38My family prefers private enterprise collective.
13:40I actually laugh.
13:42I can't help it.
13:43The absurdity of this entire day, getting fired, stealing a dog, being offered a job by a literal
13:50mobster, hits me all at once.
13:53This is insane, I say.
13:55Probably.
13:56I should leave.
13:58You should.
14:00He takes a step closer.
14:02But you won't.
14:04Why not?
14:05Because you need the money.
14:07Because you're curious.
14:09And because you're not the kind of person who walks away when things get interesting.
14:13He's right.
14:15And I hate that he's right.
14:16What would I even do for you?
14:19I ask.
14:21I own a chain of animal shelters.
14:23Legitimate businesses.
14:24Completely legal.
14:26They need management.
14:27Oversight.
14:28Someone who actually gives a damn about the animals.
14:31His eyes hold mine.
14:33Someone like you.
14:35You own animal shelters.
14:37Surprised?
14:39A little bit, yeah.
14:41People are complicated, Lennox.
14:42I can be ruthless in business and still believe animals deserve better than what your former
14:47boss was offering.
14:49I sip my drink.
14:50Whiskey, smooth and expensive.
14:53And try to think.
14:54The logical part of my brain is screaming at me to run.
14:57The other part, the part that stole a three-legged dog this morning, is intrigued.
15:02If I say yes, I start carefully.
15:05I need to know the truth.
15:07All of it.
15:08I'm not going to work for someone who keeps me in the dark.
15:11Something shifts in his expression.
15:13Respect, maybe.
15:15Fair enough?
15:17He pulls out his phone and pulls up a news article, handing it to me.
15:21The headline reads,
15:22Rival Families Clash Over Territory Dispute in Downtown LA.
15:26This happened yesterday, Dante says.
15:29The Castellano family thinks I'm encroaching on their business in the garment district.
15:34They're wrong, but they're also violent and stupid.
15:37Sounds like a bad combination.
15:38It is.
15:41He takes the phone back.
15:43They've made threats.
15:44Burned down one of my warehouses last week.
15:47No one was hurt, but it's escalating.
15:49And you're telling me this because...
15:52Because if you work for me, you need to understand the risks.
15:55The shelters are legitimate, but association with me means you could become a target.
16:00I should definitely leave.
16:02This is the part where any sane person would thank him for the whiskey and walk out the door.
16:06Instead, I ask,
16:08What are you going to do about the Castellanos?
16:12Dante's smile is sharp.
16:13Handle it.
16:15That's ominous.
16:16It's accurate.
16:18Before I can respond, Rosa appears with Pancake trotting behind her.
16:22Well, hopping behind her.
16:24Looking considerably cleaner and very pleased with himself.
16:27He ate an entire chicken breast, Rosa announces.
16:30And he's already made friends with the other dogs.
16:33Other dogs?
16:34I repeat.
16:36Dante rescues them, Rosa says, like this is completely normal information.
16:41We have six right now.
16:43All special needs.
16:44I turn to stare at him.
16:47He has the grace to look slightly embarrassed.
16:49I told you.
16:50I have a soft spot.
16:52You're a crime boss who rescues disabled dogs.
16:56Private Enterprise Collective, he corrects.
16:58Same thing.
17:00It's really not.
17:01Rosa laughs and heads back toward the kitchen, calling over her shoulder.
17:05Lunch in twenty minutes.
17:07Lennox, you're staying.
17:09It's not a question.
17:10I look at Dante.
17:12He looks at me.
17:13Pancake sits between us, tail wagging, completely oblivious to the tension.
17:17Okay, I say finally.
17:19Finally, I'll work for you.
17:21But I have conditions.
17:23Name them.
17:24First, I want full autonomy over the shelters.
17:27No interference unless I ask for it.
17:30Done.
17:31Second, if things get dangerous, if this Castellano situation escalates, you tell me.
17:37No surprises.
17:38Agreed.
17:39And third, I hesitate.
17:42If I find out you're lying to me about the animal welfare stuff, about any of this, I walk.
17:47No questions asked.
17:49Dante extends his hand.
17:51You have my word.
17:52I shake it, and his grip is firm.
17:54Warm.
17:55He doesn't let go immediately.
17:57Welcome to the family business, Lennox Chen.
18:00I'm not part of your family.
18:02His smile is slow.
18:04Dangerous.
18:05Not yet.
18:06But my heart does something complicated in my chest, and I pull my hand away before I
18:11do something stupid, like blush.
18:13When do I start?
18:14I ask.
18:15Tomorrow.
18:16I'll have my driver pick you up.
18:18I have a car.
18:19I've seen your car.
18:21My driver will pick you up.
18:22Rude.
18:23Accurate.
18:24We're standing too close now, and the sunlight streaming through the windows makes his eyes
18:28look almost gold.
18:30I can smell his cologne, something woody and expensive.
18:33And I'm acutely aware that this man is dangerous in more ways than one.
18:39Lunch is ready, Rosa calls.
18:42Dante steps back, breaking the moment.
18:44Come on.
18:46Rosa's cooking is non-negotiable.
18:49Is everything non-negotiable with you?
18:52Pretty much.
18:53I follow him toward the kitchen, pancake hopping along beside me, and I can't shake the feeling
18:59that I just made either the best or worst decision of my life.
19:03Probably both.
19:10Three weeks working for Dante Vitale, and I've learned several things.
19:14One, he wasn't kidding about the shelters.
19:18I'm managing four facilities across L.A., and they're all legitimately helping animals.
19:23Two, Rosa makes the best lasagna in California, and has adopted me as her unofficial daughter.
19:29Three, Pancake now has his own Instagram account with 10,000 followers, because apparently
19:35people love a three-legged success story.
19:37And four, most importantly, I'm completely, catastrophically falling for my boss.
19:43Which is why I'm currently standing in the parking lot of the downtown shelter at two
19:47in the afternoon, watching smoke pour from the building's east wing, and the only thing
19:52I can think about is how furious Dante is going to be.
19:56Everyone's out!
19:57My assistant manager, Kelsey, runs up, soot on her face.
20:00All the animals are safe.
20:02I got them into the transport van.
20:04Thank God.
20:05My hands are shaking.
20:06Did you call the fire department?
20:08They're on the way.
20:10I stare at the flames licking through the broken windows.
20:14This wasn't an accident.
20:15The glass was shattered from the outside, and I can smell gasoline.
20:19The Castellanos.
20:21My phone buzzes.
20:23Dante, where are you?
20:25I text back.
20:26Downtown shelter.
20:28There's been a fire.
20:29Three dots appear immediately, then.
20:31Stay there.
20:32I'm coming.
20:34Lennox?
20:35Kelsey touches my arm.
20:37You okay?
20:38No, yeah.
20:39I don't know.
20:41I run my hands through my hair.
20:43This is my fault.
20:44How is arson your fault?
20:47Because I knew.
20:49Dante told me things were escalating with the Castellanos, and I thought the shelters
20:53would be safe because they're legitimate businesses, but...
20:55A black SUV screeches into the parking lot, and Dante emerges like something out of an
21:01action movie.
21:02He's wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and even from here I can see the
21:06tension in his shoulders.
21:08He crosses the distance between us in seconds.
21:10Are you hurt?
21:13His hands are on my face, tilting it up, eyes scanning for injuries.
21:17I'm fine.
21:18Everyone's fine.
21:19The animals are all...
21:21I don't care about the animals right now.
21:23His voice is rough.
21:24Are you hurt?
21:27No, Dante.
21:28I'm okay.
21:30He exhales, and some of the tension leaves his body.
21:33Then he looks at the burning building, and his expression goes cold.
21:36Absolutely glacial.
21:38How many?
21:39He asks quietly.
21:41How many what?
21:43How many of them did you see?
21:45I didn't see anyone.
21:47We were in the back office when we heard the glass break.
21:50Security footage?
21:51Already pulled it.
21:53Kelsey holds up her phone.
21:55Bless her.
21:56Three guys, all wearing masks.
21:58They threw something through the windows and took off in a gray sedan.
22:02Dante takes the phone, watches the footage once, then hands it back.
22:05He pulls out his own phone and makes a call.
22:09Marco, downtown shelter, east wing, three men, gray sedan, license plate.
22:14He rattles off numbers he definitely memorized in the five seconds he watched that video.
22:19Find them.
22:20I want locations within the hour.
22:22He hangs up and finally looks at me again.
22:25You're leaving, he says.
22:27I'm what?
22:29This is my fault.
22:30I should have anticipated they'd go after the shelters.
22:32You're not safe here.
22:34Dante, I'm not leaving.
22:35We just got the animals out.
22:36We need to...
22:37Kelsey can handle it.
22:39You're coming with me.
22:40Excuse me?
22:42I plant my feet.
22:43You don't get to just order me around like...
22:47Yes, I do.
22:48You work for me.
22:50And that means I'm going to do my job,
22:52which is managing these shelters,
22:53not running away the second things get difficult.
22:56His jaw clenches.
22:57Lennox, no.
22:59You promised me autonomy.
23:01You promised no interference unless I asked for it.
23:03That was before someone tried to burn down your building with you inside it.
23:08And what?
23:09You think leaving is going to make it better?
23:11They already know I work for you.
23:13Running away just proves they can intimidate us.
23:15We're standing toe-to-toe now,
23:17and I can see firefighters arriving in the background.
23:20But all I can focus on is the fury and fear warring in Dante's eyes.
23:25You don't understand what these people are capable of,
23:28he says quietly.
23:29Then explain it to me.
23:31Stop protecting me and just tell me the truth.
23:34Something breaks in his expression.
23:36He grabs my hand,
23:38not roughly but with desperate urgency,
23:40and pulls me away from the burning building,
23:42away from Kelsey and the firefighters,
23:44toward his SUV.
23:46Get in, he says.
23:47Dante.
23:48Please.
23:50The please does it.
23:52I've never heard him say that word before.
23:54I get in.
23:56He drives in silence for ten minutes,
23:58heading toward the hills.
23:59And I don't push.
24:01Whatever he needs to say,
24:02he'll say it when he's ready.
24:04Finally, he speaks.
24:06My father was killed when I was sixteen,
24:08he says.
24:10The Castellanos did it.
24:12Territory dispute,
24:13same as now.
24:15They invited him to a meeting,
24:17claimed they wanted to negotiate,
24:18and they shot him in broad daylight
24:20outside a restaurant in Pasadena.
24:22My chest tightens.
24:24Dante.
24:25I took over the family business at nineteen,
24:29built it into what it is now,
24:30and I swore I would never let them
24:32take anything else from me.
24:34He glances at me,
24:35and there's something raw in his face.
24:38But then you showed up
24:39with your three-legged dog
24:40and your smart mouth,
24:41and now I have something to lose again.
24:44I'm not something you own,
24:46I say quietly.
24:46I know that.
24:49His hands tighten on the steering wheel.
24:52But you're something I care about,
24:54which is worse,
24:55because caring makes you vulnerable,
24:57and vulnerable gets you killed in my world.
24:59We pull up to his house,
25:01mansion, whatever,
25:02and he parks but doesn't get out,
25:04just sits there,
25:05staring straight ahead.
25:07What are you going to do?
25:08I ask.
25:09End this.
25:10Today.
25:11How?
25:13He finally looks at me.
25:15You really want to know?
25:17Yes.
25:18I'm going to meet with Vincent Castellano,
25:21face to face,
25:22and I'm going to make him understand
25:23that if he comes near you,
25:25near any of my people,
25:26near anything I care about ever again,
25:28I will dismantle his entire operation
25:31piece by piece.
25:32That sounds dangerous.
25:34It is.
25:36Then I'm coming with you.
25:38Absolutely not.
25:40Dante.
25:41I reach over and grab his hand.
25:44You just told me caring makes you vulnerable.
25:47Well, guess what?
25:48It goes both ways.
25:50You think I'm going to sit here
25:51while you walk into a meeting
25:52with the people who killed your father?
25:54It's different.
25:56How?
25:57Because I've been doing this for 15 years.
26:00You've been in my life for three weeks.
26:02And in those three weeks,
26:04you've given me a job,
26:05a purpose,
26:06and a family.
26:08My voice cracks slightly.
26:11You've introduced me to Rosa,
26:12who makes me dinner every night.
26:14You've let Pancake live in your house
26:16and become best friends
26:17with your other rescue dogs.
26:19You've treated me like I matter.
26:21You do matter.
26:23Then let me be here for you.
26:25Let me be more than just someone you protect.
26:27He's quiet for a long moment,
26:29studying my face like he's memorizing it.
26:32If you come,
26:33he says finally,
26:34you stay in the car.
26:35You don't get out no matter what happens.
26:37Deal.
26:38I mean it, Lennox.
26:40So do I.
26:41The meeting happens
26:42at a construction site in Culver City,
26:44all exposed beams and concrete,
26:46everything bathed in harsh afternoon sunlight.
26:49Dante parks 50 yards away
26:51and I can see a group of men
26:52standing near an unfinished building.
26:54That's Vincent, Dante says,
26:57pointing to a heavyset man
26:58in an expensive suit.
27:00The others are his crew.
27:02How many?
27:04Six.
27:05I have 12 positioned around the perimeter.
27:08He looks at me.
27:09Stay here.
27:10Lock the doors.
27:12If anything goes wrong,
27:13you drive away.
27:14Don't stop.
27:15Don't look back.
27:17Dante.
27:18He kisses me.
27:20It's sudden and fierce and desperate,
27:22and for a moment the entire world narrows
27:24to just his mouth on mine,
27:26his hand cupping my face,
27:28the way he tastes like coffee and danger
27:29and something else I can't name.
27:31When he pulls back,
27:33we're both breathing hard.
27:35If I don't come back,
27:36he starts,
27:37you're coming back.
27:39Lennox.
27:40You're coming back
27:41because I didn't just agree
27:42to work for a crime boss
27:44and fall stupidly in love with him
27:45only to lose him three weeks later.
27:47So you're going to go have your scary meeting,
27:49make your scary threats,
27:51and then we're going to go home
27:52and have Rosa's lasagna.
27:54Understood?
27:55His eyes widen slightly.
27:57You love me?
27:59Of course I love you,
28:00you idiot.
28:01You rescued a three-legged dog
28:03and declared war on my ex-boss,
28:04and you have six disabled dogs
28:06living in your mansion.
28:08What was I supposed to do,
28:09not fall for you?
28:10He kisses me again,
28:12softer this time.
28:13I love you too,
28:14he murmurs against my lips,
28:17which is why you're staying in this car.
28:19Go,
28:20before I change my mind
28:21about letting you be heroic.
28:23He climbs out,
28:24and I watch him walk
28:25toward Vincent Castellano
28:27with the kind of confidence
28:28that comes from 15 years
28:30of surviving in a world
28:31that tried to kill him.
28:33The conversation lasts
28:34exactly seven minutes.
28:36I can't hear what they're saying,
28:38but I can see body language,
28:40the way Vincent's men tense,
28:42the way Dante stands perfectly still,
28:44the way Vincent's face
28:45goes from smug
28:46to uncertain to pale.
28:48Then Dante turns
28:49and walks back to the SUV.
28:51He gets in,
28:52starts the engine,
28:53and drives away
28:54like nothing happened.
28:56Well,
28:56I demand,
28:57it's handled.
28:58That's it?
28:59It's handled?
29:01Vincent Castellano
29:02now understands
29:03that I own the building
29:04his son's restaurant
29:05operates out of,
29:06also the warehouse
29:07where he stores his imports,
29:09also the bar
29:09where his nephew works.
29:11Dante's smile is sharp.
29:12I gave him a choice,
29:14leave my people alone
29:15or I make his life
29:16very difficult.
29:18And he agreed?
29:20He agreed.
29:21I stare at him.
29:23You're terrifying.
29:25I know.
29:26It's kinda hot.
29:27I know that too.
29:29We drive back
29:30to his house in silence,
29:31but this time
29:32his hand finds mine
29:33on the center console,
29:34fingers threading together.
29:36When we pull up,
29:37Rosa is waiting
29:38on the steps with Pancake,
29:39who immediately starts
29:40hopping toward us
29:41with pure joy.
29:43You're late for dinner,
29:44Rosa calls.
29:46And you,
29:47she points at me.
29:48You have soot on your face.
29:50What happened?
29:52Long story,
29:53I say,
29:53scooping up Pancake.
29:55Then you can tell me
29:56over lasagna.
29:58She ushers us inside,
29:59muttering about dramatic people
30:00and missed meals.
30:02That night,
30:02after dinner
30:03and after Rosa goes home
30:04and after we've checked
30:05on all six rescue dogs,
30:07Dante and I end up
30:08on his balcony
30:08watching the sun set
30:10over Los Angeles.
30:12So,
30:12I say,
30:13leaning against the railing,
30:15I'm in love with a mobster.
30:18Private Enterprise Collective.
30:20Same thing.
30:21It's really not.
30:23He wraps his arms
30:24around me from behind,
30:26chin resting on my shoulder.
30:28But yes,
30:29you're in love with me.
30:31And you're in love
30:32with a broke veterinary assistant
30:33who steals dogs.
30:35Rescues dogs.
30:37Same thing.
30:38It's really not.
30:40His voice is warm with laughter.
30:42But yes,
30:43I'm in love with you.
30:44Pancake barks from inside,
30:46probably demanding more treats
30:47from his ridiculous,
30:48spoiled life.
30:50Think we can make this work?
30:51I ask quietly.
30:53Dante turns me around
30:54to face him
30:55and his expression is serious,
30:56sincere,
30:57and completely sure.
30:59Lennox Chen,
31:00I watched you hide
31:01behind a dumpster
31:01with a three-legged dog
31:03rather than let someone hurt him.
31:04I watched you stand up to me,
31:06challenged me,
31:07and refused to run
31:07when things got dangerous.
31:09You're the strongest person I know.
31:11He kisses my forehead.
31:13So yeah,
31:14I think we can make this work.
31:17Even though your life
31:18is complicated and dangerous,
31:19and
31:20even though
31:21always
31:22the city sprawls beneath us,
31:25golden and bright
31:26and full of possibilities,
31:28I kiss him as the sun sets,
31:30and for the first time in my life,
31:32I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.
31:35With a man who chose love over power,
31:37with a three-legged dog
31:38named Pancake,
31:39and with a future
31:40that's terrifying
31:41and beautiful
31:42and completely,
31:43perfectly mine.
31:45If you enjoyed their journey
31:46from that dumpster meet cute
31:47to happily ever after,
31:49with Pancake stealing scenes
31:50the whole way,
31:51I'd absolutely love it
31:52if you could.
31:53Like this story
31:54if it made you smile.
31:56Comment below
31:57and tell me your favorite moment.
31:58Team Pancake,
32:00Team Rosa's lasagna,
32:01Team Dante being terrifying
32:03but soft.
32:04Share with anyone
32:05who loves a good mafia romance
32:07with heart,
32:07humor,
32:08and a three-legged hero.
32:10Your support means the world
32:11and helps me keep creating
32:12more stories like this one.
32:14Plus,
32:15I love hearing what you think.
32:16Seriously,
32:17your comments make my day.
32:19Want more steamy,
32:20cinematic romance stories?
32:22Hit that subscribe button
32:23so you never miss
32:24the next adventure.
32:26Trust me,
32:26there are more swoony mobsters,
32:28sassy heroines,
32:29and adorable rescue animals
32:31coming your way.
32:32See you in the next story!
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