My parents had never shown that kind of affection, never looked at me the way Dante did.
My ex–girlfriend never cared about me to that extent.
I was always the one who gave but never received.
But Dante…
He held me in his arms like I was the most important thing in the world to him.
And that’s when it hit me like a punch to the gut.
That wasn’t the same man I saw in the yard.
The Dante who cared for me with patience and tenderness wasn’t the same Dante who massacred two men with his bare hands right in front of me.
My breath hitched as I remembered the scene.
The screams.
The sound of bones breaking.
Blood spraying everywhere.
I couldn’t watch until the end.
I forced myself to keep my eyes shut after a while because I couldn’t bear to see the slaughter he unleashed.
The Crusher was already dead, but he kept stomping on his head, grinding it until nothing remained.
Then, he turned on that bastard guard…
And did even worse.
He crushed the man’s bones, tore his flesh, and stomped on his back/until the ribs cracked.
And when there was nothing left but a bleeding sack of flesh, he destroyed his head.
My hands trembled.
Dante wasn’t just a criminal.
He was a monster.
A demon in human skin.
A psychopath who didn’t hesitate to take lives, who did it with such pleasure that I wondered if he even had any humanity left inside him.
And that same man…
He had treated me with such tenderness last night.
How was that possible?
How could someone be so brutal and at the same time act with such gentleness?
1/3
Chapter 68
How did he balance those extremes?
I didn’t know the answer.
But I knew one thing for sure: Dante would never hurt me.
I saw what he was capable of.
I saw what he did for me.
He might be the most violent creature in this prison, but he would never turn that violence on me.
At least, I hoped.
Because I knew he only showed me his soft side because I obeyed him.
And I would always obey him.
This man had already lodged himself in my heart.
And, in a disturbingly twisted way, that made me feel safe.
I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the pain and chaos in my mind. My body begged for rest, and I needed to give in, at least for a little while longer.
Because, even knowing this hell wasn’t over yet, one certainty burned strong inside me.
Dante was by my side.
And for now, that was enough.
The silence of the cell was broken by firm footsteps echoing down the corridor. I blinked slowly, feeling the weight of sleep still clinging to me, but the pain quickly reminded me of reality.
Every muscle throbbed, turning any movement into torment.
Dante entered, carrying a tray of food. His gaze landed on me, and a small smile curved his lips.
‘Good afternoon, my bunny.” His voice came soft but carried something deeper.
Good afternoon?
I blinked, confused.
Wasn’t it morning?
Time blurred when pain was all that remained. He approached, placing the tray on the bed.
‘I brought you something to eat.” He sat beside me, reaching out, ready to help me sit up.
“No…” My voice came out weak, desperation plain. “My body hurts too much, Dante.*
He sighed and shook his head, as if he’d expected that answer.
“I know, bunny. But you need to move. If you let your muscles stay still, when you do try to move for real, the pain will be even worse. His tone left no room for argument. “I’ll be gentle.”
His strong arms wrapped around my back, supporting me as he helped me sit up.
The movement made the pain spread like fire through my body.
Welcome to Hell
