Chapter Thirteen #2
Once I make it back home, I find Sienna asleep in bed, wearing the satin nightgown I bought for her. It’s a slinky thing I thought would make her look sexy but right now, all it does is make her look sweet as she sleeps. Innocent despite what I have done to her body.
Without even thinking about it, I lay down beside her and pull her into my arms.
She stirs awake. “Dante?”
“You wanted to know what my best day was?” My voice sounds muted in the quiet room.
“I thought you had already told me. The day you went out for ice cream with your mom.”
“No. That was all a lie. I mean, it wasn’t. That day really did happen. She sold me to the man who became my father to pay off her debts. But it was a lie that it was my best day.”
She’s quiet for a moment. “So what was your best day?”
“I was twenty-five. Growing my empire. The one my father left behind wasn’t much. There was this man. A mafia man. He had been giving me trouble.”
“Trouble how?”
“He kept leaving me severed fingers at my restaurant. It was scaring my customers. Making business harder for me. I knew I had to deal with him. So I finally did.” I trace my fingers along Sienna’s stomach.
She leans back into me. Who knew she’d ever feel safe with my touch?
I like the darkness in her that allows her to feel any sort of affection for me.
“What did you do?” she whispers.
“I found his home. He had a wife. Three daughters. Living the family man dream. And yet, he was a psycho who liked cutting off people’s body parts.
His family didn’t know. They thought he was just a business man.
So they were surprised when I came into their house.
They screamed and screamed. I tied them all up.
And I stood there, feeling the most powerful I had ever felt.
Even more powerful than when I killed my father in the middle of fucking a prostitute, though that had been a good day too.
But I stood there, over their bodies, as they screamed and I knew no one could take me down. God, it had felt good.”
“What happened?”
“I shot them all.”
She gasps. “Even his wife and daughters?”
“Yes. I am a monster, Sienna. You shouldn’t care for me.”
“Who said I care for you?”
I tilt her chin back and make her look into my eyes.
“Because you begged me to touch you. And then you begged me to open up to you. You only did that because you want to know me. You want to see some goodness in me but I am not a good man. I never have been. I get drunk on power. That was my best day. The day I realized I could do whatever I wanted and I wouldn’t be controlled by anybody.
Not my father. Not Gabriel. And not you. ”
She frowns. “Me? I have no control over you.”
“You have more control over me than you realize. And that’s dangerous. I don’t like to be controlled, Sienna.”
“So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying I should kill you. Then I’d be able to forget about you.”
“I don’t –,” she gasps when I pull out my gun and press it to her spine. “Is that…”
“Yes. It’s a gun.” I bring it up to her head. “I could easily shoot you right now. I should. You’ve been a problem I haven’t been able to solve. Death is the solution.”
Instead of crying like I thought she would, she looks into my eyes with a fierceness that is admirable. She takes after her mother. “So then kill me. At least you’d be putting me out of my misery.”
“What is your misery?”
“You. The way you make me feel. The way I hate you and yet… I also don’t.
I want you to touch me. But I shouldn’t want that.
All these contradictions. I shouldn’t want any of it.
But this is how I feel. So you’d be doing me a favor by killing me.
My mom could mourn me then instead of always being worried for my safety.
Everyone would move on. Maybe you would be killed for it.
Maybe my mom would be the one to do it. But it would solve so much if you did. ”
I grip the gun tighter. Once again, Sienna is getting under my skin. Breaking down my barriers I’ve had my entire life. “Is this some sort of reverse psychology?”
“No,” she breathes out. “It’s the pure, honest truth. Either kill me or let me in. Because it’s one or the other.”
“What would happen if I let you in?”
“You could do the right thing by me. Marry me. Make peace with Gabriel. Keep me safe and never threaten my mom’s life again. That’s the best outcome. Or you could kill me. I don’t think we can keep playing this game, Dante. It’s hurting me too much.”
“And who says I care enough about you to worry if I’m hurting you?”
She blinks before a tear slips out of her eye. The sight of it makes my stomach wrench in a way I don’t understand.
But then it dawns on me. I don’t want to be the one responsible for hurting Sienna. I once did and now…
“Then just kill me,” she whispers. “Just end this here, Dante. You’ve awoken my sexuality.
You’ve made me crave things I never thought I would crave.
I’m desperate for it. I need it again. I need you again.
But I’m scared of this thing because I know I shouldn’t feel it.
And I hate you for it but I also need you for it.
So just put me out of my misery or open up to me.
Let me in. Let me fall in love with you. ”
I suck in a breath. “You could really love me?”
“Only if you let me in. Only if you do the right thing by me. You’re my obsession now. I don’t think we could break apart if we wanted to. Death is the only outcome. So do it, Dante. Do it.”
I press the gun harder to her head. I should just end it like I did that mafia man and his family. No remorse. Move on with my life. Act like Sienna never happened.
But I can’t fucking do that.
While the gun is still to her head, I slam my lips against hers and kiss her until we both feel breathless.