Chapter 86
Eliah Vaughn.
What do you mean? My voice came out lower.
He smiled, sliding his thumb across my lower lip.
Simple. If you want… I’ll kill them.
The naturalness with which he said it made me laugh, but at the same time, a shiver ran down my spine.
“Only you can make me laugh, Dante.” I smiled, feeling a warmth in my chest.
He smiled too, but soon his expression became more serious.
“And you don’t have to be jealous of that Predator prick.” The contempt in his voice was evident.
I was confused.
“I still don’t understand why they call him that.” I admitted.
He kissed my lips before getting up and stretching his body.
“He got his nickname because of his coldness when hunting his victims and taking what doesn’t belong to him. Like committed men, married women, and allies of others. He explained, his eyes full of disdain.
I widened my eyes.
“So he…” My voice faltered a little.
“Exactly. But you don’t have to worry about him. If you try anything funny, I’ll smash your head in. He spoke with a calm smile, as if he were discussing the
weather.
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I swallowed, remembering the brutality he had shown in the courtyard.
“Now, let’s enjoy the sun and the wind.” He commented, taking a seat next to me.
I nodded silently, allowing the heat of the day and the salty sea breeze to ease the weight of the conversation.
It didn’t take him long to pull me onto his lap, settling me easily against him.
His presence was warm and intense, a contrast to the coolness of the wind blowing against our skin.
“Tell me, bunny, when we leave here, what’s the first place you’d like to visit?” His voice came out low, like an invitation to dream.
The question caught me off guard.
For a moment, the world outside these bars seemed too far away, unreachable. But Dante brought it closer, turning dreams into tangible promises.
I blinked a few times, taking in the idea.
“I…” I hesitated, then let out a sigh. “I’d like to go somewhere peaceful, where I could feel the outdoors without fear. Perhaps a paradise beach, a small town in Europe, or even a secluded cottage. It doesn’t matter where, as long as it’s away from it all.
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He ran his fingers over my face, his expression filled with something deep, almost devout.
That will be easy to arrange. We can travel all over the world if you like.” He said with conviction.
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I knew I could trust him.
Because if anyone was capable of doing anything to fulfill his wishes… it was Dante.
What about food? What would you like to eat first once we leave here?
He continued, as if he wanted me to imagine all the details of what was to come.
My stomach reacted immediately to the question. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting my mind travel back to memories of flavors that already seemed so far away.
I’ll have a teriyaki chicken with well–seasoned rice.” I said with more enthusiasm than I expected. “And dessert… definitely a strawberry cheesecake. Something sweet, smooth, creamy.
He laughed, hugging me tighter.
“You’re adorable when you talk about food.” He commented with amusement.
I smiled a little, but I didn’t mind.
It was nice to talk about something so simple and, at the same time, so meaningful.
“What about clothes? Any preferences?” He asked, sliding his hands down my back.
“Something comfortable. Light shirts, stylish jackets, well–fitting pants,” I replied, resting my head against his chest. “I don’t want to wear anything that
reminds me of this place anymore.
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He ran his fingers through my hair, his breath deep against my skin.
“You’ll have all this and more, bunny,” he said in a soft tone. “The world will be yours, and I’ll be by your side to make sure of it.
I closed my eyes, letting his voice echo inside me.
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The silence around me seemed heavier than before, but not in a suffocating way. It was a comfortable silence, made up of presences that didn’t need words
to exist.
The warmth of Dante’s body enveloping me, his quiet breathing, his Jazy touch sliding down my back.
It was strange.
Unsettling.
For so long, I had fought against this connection, against this man who had somehow managed to bend me, mold me, make me see him not as a monster, but as… something more.
I didn’t know exactly when everything changed.
Perhaps it was in the small gestures.
In the way he takes care of me, as if I were something too precious to be touched by anyone else.
In the way his eyes darken with desire, but soften in tenderness when he looks at me.
Or maybe it was the moment I found myself wanting him back, not as just any man, but as a feeling that was growing, strong and suffocating.
Should I feel guilty?
For a long time, I thought so.
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After all, Dante was everything I should hate.
He took me for himself without hesitation, trapping me in his world without me having a choice.
But somehow, that prison became the only place where 1 felt safe.
I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment.
My heart was heavy with all the answers I hadn’t wanted to accept before.
But now… now I knew.
There was no more resistance inside me.
I didn’t want to resist.
Nor did I need to feel insecure about Dante’s former sex life. All that was in the past, shadows of a story that didn’t include me.
Now I was the one with him.
I was the one he chose.
And that was enough.
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