The next morning, Isla woke with a lingering ache in her chest. The memory of Dante and that woman haunted her thoughts, making her stomach twist each time it replayed. She had barely slept, tossing and turning as she tried to make sense of everything. In this new life of hers, nothing seemed steady-nothing except her growing feelings for Dante, however confusing they were.
Taking a deep breath, she decided she needed to face him, to confront whatever this strange relationship between them was. She couldn’t spend her days wondering if she was merely a possession to him, another trophy on his shelf. If that was all she was, she needed to know now.
Isla quickly changed into a simple dress, hoping it would give her a semblance of control as she walked through the grand hallways of Dante’s mansion. As she reached his office door, she hesitated, her hand hovering just above the handle. She took a steadying breath, telling herself that she could handle this.
Gathering her courage, she knocked lightly, and after a few seconds, she heard Dante’s deep voice calling her in.
She pushed the door open and entered. Dante was seated behind his massive desk, engrossed in a file, but he looked up immediately as she walked in. His intense gaze settled on her, making her feel suddenly vulnerable.
“Isla,” he greeted, his tone unreadable. “You’re up early. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Isla cleared her throat, trying to keep her voice steady. “I… I wanted to talk to you.”
Dante’s expression flickered for a moment, but he closed the file and leaned back, giving her his full attention. “Go on.”
She could feel her pulse racing as she searched for the right words. “About last night…” she started, but hesitated. She felt silly now, standing in front of him and admitting she was hurt over something that was none of her business.
“What about last night?” Dante prompted, his voice soft but firm, and his gaze unrelenting.
Isla swallowed, feeling her cheeks warm. “I saw you… with that woman,” she finally admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “I don’t know why it bothered me, but… it did.”
For a moment, there was silence. Dante’s expression was impossible to read, a storm brewing behind his eyes as he studied her.
“And why would that bother you, Isla?” he asked, his voice low, yet with an edge that made her heart pound.
She looked away, feeling foolish. “I know I don’t have any right to feel that way. I’m here because… well, because I have no choice. But I just thought that maybe…” She trailed off, realizing she had no idea what she wanted to say.
Dante rose from his chair and walked around the desk, closing the distance between them. He stopped just inches away from her, and she felt her breath hitch as his eyes bored into hers.
“You’re right,” he said quietly. “You don’t have any reason to feel that way. But let me make something clear, Isla.” He leaned down, his face inches from hers, and she felt the heat of his breath against her skin. “I didn’t bring you here to be just another face in my life.”
His words sent a thrill through her, but she couldn’t help the doubt that lingered. “Then what am I, Dante?”
Dante’s gaze softened, a hint of vulnerability breaking through his usual stoic exterior. “You’re different, Isla. I don’t expect you to understand that, but I wanted you here because I felt something I haven’t felt in a long time.”
The tension between them was electric, and Isla couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. “So… that woman last night?”
Dante’s jaw clenched, and he let out a frustrated sigh. “She means nothing to me. You need to understand that appearances are sometimes necessary in my world, and not everything is as it seems.”
Isla’s heart ached, but there was a strange comfort in his words. Still, she needed to protect herself.
Dante’s eyes darkened, and he took a step closer, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her feel as if he could see straight through her. “Isla,” he said, his voice a low growl, “if you think I’m playing with you, then you don’t know me at all.”
She felt her pulse race at the fierce tone in his voice. The walls she had tried to put up started to waver. There was something in his gaze-something raw, almost possessive-that hinted he wasn’t lying. But even so, the world they lived in was one of power and control, and she didn’t know if she could trust his intentions completely.
“Then make me understand, Dante,” she whispered, barely able to get the words out. “Why did you bring me here? What do you want from me?”
His expression softened just slightly, and he reached out, his hand gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face. She shivered at his touch, the warmth of his fingers a stark contrast to the icy distance she had tried to maintain.
“I want you to be by my side,” he said, his tone sincere. “Not as a prisoner, but as something more. I don’t bring people into my life easily, Isla, but you… you’re different.”
She blinked, feeling a surge of emotions she couldn’t quite place. His words were everything she wanted to hear, yet there was still that fear gnawing at her heart. “Different?” she repeated, her voice wavering. “Or just convenient?”
Dante’s expression hardened, and his hand moved to cup her chin, tilting her face up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. “Don’t underestimate what I feel, Isla,” he said, his voice a quiet warning. “If I wanted convenience, I would’ve left you where you were.”
The intensity in his eyes made her heart skip. She realized then that he wasn’t someone who played games, at least not with her. But she still didn’t know if she was ready to give him everything he wanted.
“I’m still… I don’t know what to make of all this,” she admitted, searching his gaze for something-anything-that could ease her mind.
He nodded, his grip on her chin loosening but his hand lingering near her face. “You don’t have to decide now,” he said, his tone almost gentle. “But I won’t lie to you, Isla. I want you close. I want you to trust me, and to know that, despite everything, I will never let anyone hurt you.”
A warmth spread through her chest, but she forced herself to remain cautious. “And what about the others? The ones who see me as nothing more than a pawn?”
Dante’s expression turned steely. “They’re nothing. You have nothing to fear from them, Isla. As long as you’re with me, no one will dare to touch you.”
There was something undeniably comforting in his words, but it was also terrifying. If she accepted his protection, she’d be placing herself entirely in his hands-and she wasn’t sure if she could do that yet.
Dante must have sensed her hesitation because he stepped back, giving her space. “You don’t have to give me an answer now,” he said, his tone softer. “But think about it. Think about what it would mean to be by my side. To have a place in my world.”
With that, he turned and walked to the door, leaving her alone in the room to process his words. She watched him go, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.