Dance or Die (White Oak - Mafia Series Book 3) by Liza O'Connor Page A

room with two men in dark blue suits standing on each side of the door. The men knew Tess, but the Castiles had to provide their passports.
    Tess tried to soften the request. “They’re just protecting Steel and Dan.”
    “Then he’s still in danger? What the bloody hell happened? We spoke to him not three days ago and he sounded happier than I’ve ever heard him.”
    “I’ll explain what happened once you see your son. Maybe he’ll wake up for you. I haven’t had any luck.” Tears welled in her eyes and focused on her shoes.
    Mrs. Castile rubbed her back. “No tears. Al…Steel wouldn’t approve.”
    Tess nodded and led them inside. They went immediately to their son, one on each side, holding both his hands and they took turns speaking to him. Mrs. Castile offered words of love while Mr. Castile admonished him for sleeping when they’d ‘jumped the pond’ to see him.
    Still he said nothing.
    When their efforts proved futile, they turned their attention to Dan.
    “Al…Steel spoke highly of you,” Mrs. Castile said and offered her hand to Dan. He shook hers and then nodded at Mr. Castile.
    “Can you tell us what happened?” Mr. Castile asked.
    “Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to, since I am no longer lead agent. I can give you the name of the agent who became agent-in-charge after the fact, or you could go around the official paths and just ask Tess.”
    They both turned to Tess.
    “It’s a long story. There’s a private lounge next door where we can sit while I explain what happened.”
    They followed her to the lounge and sat together on the couch as she pulled up a chair so she could face them.
    “Did Steel tell you about my less than proud family lineage?”
    Mrs. Castile frowned and tilted her head. “No. He said you were the finest young woman he has ever met.”
    “And he is the finest man I’ve ever met. I think we both wanted to ignore my lineage.”
    “And what is this lineage?” Mr. Castile asked.
    “My father is…was a mafia don.”
    ***
    By the time the doctor arrived, Steel’s parents were both fully informed and horrified. When Mr. Castile suggested they speak to the doctor in private, Tess felt the door of rejection hit her in the face.
    Despite wanting to hear what the doctor said, she left the room, returning to Steel. She pressed her cheek to his forehead.
    “I don’t think your parents approve of you loving a mafia princess, and honestly, given all that’s happened, I don’t blame them in the least. I should have foreseen this and taken better care of you.” She sighed. “I just wanted to pretend the danger away, and I almost got you and Dan killed.”
    “Don’t let those assholes get to you,” Dan said from his bed.
    She turned and stared at him in shock. “Don’t call them that! They are very nice people. Steel loves his parents. They have every reason to disapprove of me and the harm I’ve caused their son.”
    “What about me?” he asked.
    She approached him. “You have reason to blame me both for the harm I’ve done to you and your career.”
    “So I should overlook the fact that had you not cut me down, I’d be dead now, and had you not sacrificed yourself, I’d be dead now?”
    “Yes, you should overlook it. If I had only seen the danger, that you saw at once, Steel would have returned to England.”
    “That’s not true. He told me flat out that you weren’t what held him here. I didn’t believe that until I watched him work on those mounds. There was no way to get him to leave.”
    “But you told me he’d leave if I asked him.”
    “…to take you away because you feared for both of your lives.” Dan shook his head. “If he had loved you half as much as I…thought he did, then common sense said he would have agreed to leave. But honestly, I still thought it a long shot.”
    He gripped her hand. “In the end, it didn’t matter. We all acted too late. And I’m the one who suggested that you ask him in the morning.”
    “Your logic