"Dante, please?—"
His fingers still. "Say it, or I stop."
I'm shaking. From arousal, from shame, from the intoxicating mix of both. “I-I'm yours."
"That's right." He works me harder, adding a third finger. "You're mine. Not Adrian's. Not anyone else's. Mine to keep. Mine to protect. Mine to fuck in your classroom because you tried to hide from me."
The orgasm builds fast, coiling tight in my belly. I'm close, so close?—
He stops.
"Not yet." He pulls out his fingers, and I hear the sound of his belt. "You don't come until I'm inside you."
He enters me in one hard thrust, and I have to press my hand against the board to keep from crying out. The angle is perfect, hitting exactly where I need it, and I'm already so wound up that I know I won't last long.
"This is what you get," he growls in my ear, setting a brutal pace. "You can’t fucking leave me, not unless I say so and I don’t fucking say so.”
"I'm sorry," I gasp out in between thrusts. "I-I'm sorry, I?—"
"Too late for sorry." But his hand slides around to work my clit, and I know he's going to make me come anyway. "You're stuck with me now. No matter what Caterina does. No matter what anyone says. You're mine, and I'm fucking keeping you. Cum for me."
The orgasm hits like a freight train, and I bite down on my arm to muffle the scream. He follows seconds later, his grip on my hips almost painful as he drives deep one last time.
We stay like that for a moment, both breathing hard. Then he pulls out carefully, unties my wrists, turns me around to face him.
His eyes are softer now. Less furious. More concerned.
"Come home," he says quietly. "Stop running. Stop hiding. Just come home."
I nod, not trusting my voice.
He fixes my clothes, straightens my hair. Like he didn't just fuck me against my own blackboard.
"Tomorrow," he says, "you're not staying late. You're coming straight home. Understood?"
"Understood."
The next day, I'm walking home from the clinic after visiting Mom. She's worse. The treatments aren't working as well as they should, and I can see the fear in her eyes even though she tries to hide it.
I’m scared too. I can’t lose my mother.
I'm three blocks from Dante's mansion when I hear footsteps behind me.
"Bianca."
I freeze.
Adrian. Oh goodness, no. Not now.
"Don't." I keep walking, faster now. "Don't come near me."
"Please." He catches up, walking beside me. "Please, just hear me out. Five minutes. That's all I'm asking."
"I don't owe you anything."
"Don't you?" His voice cracks. "I gave up everything for you. Paid for your mother's life. You owe me at least a conversation."
Despite myself, I stop and turn to face him.
