“Don’t come near me. You stay the fuck away from me and my apartment. I don’t know what fucking game you were playing at moving in with me, but whatever it is, we’re done. I never want to see you again. Do you understand me?”
His mood seems to darken, and the hairs on my arms prickle to attention. I don’t think; I just act. I lunge for his bike as he strides toward me. I start the engine, then I'm kicking up dirtand stones in his direction as I peel out. And before I know it, I’m glancing at him in the side mirror, awkwardly placing my helmet on as I speed toward the city. It’s been some time since I’ve driven a bike, but it feelsgood.Exhilarating, even, as my heart pounds with all this knowledge.
I can’t get in any deeper. It’s as basic as that. When you’re a child, you learn the stove is hot, and it’ll burn you. This is the same kind of danger, except it won’t just blister my hand. I know without doubt, it’ll light my entire world on fire. And although I might’ve been doing that on my own, whatever Dante is bringing into my life will be a hundred times worse. I have to run.
When I return to the apartment building almost an hour later, I park the bike and then check my phone. A jolt of adrenaline runs through my veins as I read the last message sent from Dante.
Dante: I forgot to mention that I enjoy a hunt. When you run, Cattivella, I will always chase you.
A liquid warmthfloods my core, and I curse myself as I take the stairs two at a time to my apartment. What the fuck is wrong with me? That should in no way whatsoever turn me on.
Dante is lethal, worse than deadly. He’s an arrogant fucker who thinks the world can’t touch him. To an extent, he’s probably right. It only crossed my mind once to call the cops, but I know without a doubt, in this situation, they’ll be useless.
I’m also used to fighting my battles on my own, and I’m sure as hell not being chased out of my own home by a monster who smirks like the devil and whose voice slides over my skin like a saint.
My specialty has always been putting men in their place, and although I might’ve bitten off more than I can chew in this circumstance, I still won’t drop to my knees for him.
The moment I’m inside the apartment, I run into his room, ignoring any pestering memories of Lorraine’s and my time in here. No, because right now I’m hellbent on packing all of his shit into the fucking bag he walked in with and throwing it onto the street next to his bike.
Fucking asshole.
17
DANTE
Sky opens his visor the moment he pulls up beside me on the road I’ve been walking along for the last hour. He’s laughing as he hands me a helmet.
“She left you for dead, huh?”
“Shut the fuck up. And how do you know it was even her?” I growl as I snatch the helmet out of his hand. I’d only gained reception on my phone thirty minutes ago, and called Sky to come and get me. I then sent Romi a message. Unsurprisingly, she hasn’t replied.
“Because there’s no fucking way you’d let anyone else live if they took your bike. You wouldn’t let them even have the chance,” he says, hightailing it the moment I jump on behind him.
He’s right, though. I saw the thought the moment it sparked in her beautiful mind. I was just impressed she acted on it immediately. No second thoughts on whether she should leave me behind or not. And I respect it. At least she intuitively understood the danger that I am. However, it’ll do her very little good now.
Because I’m curious about my little rabbit. It’s been a very long time since anything has truly grabbed my attention—especially a woman. They’ve always been easy. All I have to do is smile, give them a little attention, and they're putty in my hands. Not Romi, though. She’s been like swallowing knives from the moment I met her.
I could be crucified for the information I provided her tonight, but I wanted to tell her the truth. I wanted to see what her breaking point truly was, and she’s not there yet. No, it’ll take more than this information to fracture her.
I’m not surprised when Sky returns me to the apartment building, and a bag of my shit has been tossed out beside my bike. I can’t help but smile as Sky laughs.
“Damn, you’re in the doghouse for real. What did you do?”
I hand him the second helmet, brushing my hand through my hair. “We had a little argument. That’s all.”
“An argument? My fucking God, you remind me of your brother sometimes. Do you know that?”
A tendril of ice runs through me because I hate being compared to my brother in any way. As if picking up on my mood change, Sky adds, “He started having the samewomanproblems with Lily, who started out as a mission for him. I’m just saying, the pussy can’t be that good for you not to be thinking straight.”
I grab him by the collar with lightning speed. “You’d better make sure you never refer to Romi Lutton's pussy again, or it’ll be the last time you have a tongue.”
He laughs harder, and my temple pulses. I let him go. I can’t fucking hate him even if I tried, because we’re too similar, and it’s not often I find someone who can play me at my own games and rile me up. It makes me like him even more.
“However, I have heard it helps to grovel. If, of course, you have it in you to get on your knees for the woman.”
I've been on my knees more than once for this woman already. And I think she’ll absolutely despise any type of groveling, especially when she never wants to see me again. Even if I bloody my hands for fun, I can show her a "sweeter" side that I know she’ll absolutely hate. It won’t take long to antagonize her with kindness, and before we know it, she’ll be back in the palms of my hands, spitting fire.
I feel like the luckiest man alive as I throw the bag over my shoulder, knowing too well it doesn't hold all of my suits and clothing I’ve bought since living here.
