Dante shifted me off his lap and stood, holding out his hand to me.
“Come on, little bird. You need to get up and move around a little now that you’re healing.”
I shrank back and crossed my arms over my chest as fear fluttered in my belly. I was safe in Dante’s bedroom. No one could get to me in his private haven.
“I don’t want to leave.” I defied him, but my voice was little more than a whisper.
His stern expression melted into compassion—an emotion I’d never seen cross his face. His glittering eyes were as intense as ever, but concern for me softened the harshest edges of his sharp features.
He reached out and snagged my wrist, his long fingers encircling it so that he could slowly pull my arms free from my chest, unfolding me from my defensive pose. I became aware of how frail I’d become; I’d lost weight despite Luca’s efforts to encourage me to eat.
“You can’t stay in here forever, darling,” Dante said gently. “We’re just going downstairs. I promise that we won’t leave the house. Not yet.”
He tugged at my wrist, inexorably pulling me to my feet with steady pressure; there wasn’t so much as a flicker of violence in the way he handled me. He’d never been violent with me, even when he’d tied me up and toyed with me mercilessly. Dante was a mercurial man, but he was patient with me, and he’d never hurt me for any reason other than erotic pleasure.
If I was being honest with myself, I’d experienced dark ecstasy when he’d bound and tormented me.
What I couldn’t bear was the fact that he’d done it to break Luca. He’d hurt my husband in the worst way, and I wasn’t sure if I could ever forgive him for that. Dante might no longer be my personal Devil, but he’d done terrible things that he would never be able to take back.
But now, he stared down into my shattered soul, waiting until I was steady enough to leave the room that’d become my safe space. He was pushing me just a little, but not more than I could handle.
I couldn’t cower in his bedroom forever. I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t allow the Russians to take one more thing from me.
I sucked in a deep breath and willed my knees to stop shaking.
Dante’s full lips curved in a proud smile. “You’re so brave, Nora. I know you can do this.”
I managed a tight nod and took a step toward him, away from the safety of the bed where they both held me at night.
“That’s it,” he praised. “You’re doing so well, pet.”
Warmth pulsed through my chest, imbuing me with strength. I straightened my spine and took another step. Another.
Dante held my hand in his and walked beside me, guiding me down the corridor and toward the massive double staircase that led to the foyer. My feet stalled slightly.
“I thought you said we’re not going outside?” My voice lilted on a shaky question.
His thumb rubbed my palm in a soothing gesture. “We’re not. I wouldn’t risk taking you outside even if you wanted to leave. I’m keeping you close until we handle all the threats against you. We’re only going down to the music room now.”
I took another breath and continued our progress, trusting that Dante wouldn’t lie to me. He’d never lied to me, even when a pretty falsehood would’ve been preferable to the ugly truth. He’d promised that as my husband, he’d always be completely honest with me. He’d proven himself over and over again, sometimes with chilling results.
He’d promised to kill Alberto for me, and he’d followed through. When he and Luca had come to me covered in my cousin’s blood…
I swallowed hard and shoved the memory away before I could linger over it. I never should’ve agreed to take Dante in my mouth while Luca claimed me. It’d been a moment of madness driven by bloodlust. It’d been wrong, a betrayal. Luca could pretend that I’d done it under coercion, out of fear of Dante. But deep in my heart, I knew the truth: in that moment, I’d wanted both of them, even if it had been on an entirely carnal level.
Dante brushed my palm with his thumb again, calling my attention back to him. “You’re safe, Nora.”
He’d misread the tension that pinched my features. I wasn’t frightened of leaving the bedroom anymore; I was torn over my traitorous feelings.
I should hate Dante.
But I didn’t. Not anymore. Not after he’d risked his life to save me twice, and he’d spent the last two weeks seeing to my every need. He’d bled for me. He’d killed for me. And he cared for me more deeply than I dared to contemplate.
He’d allowed Luca, his worst enemy, to touch me. I’d seen the jealousy that blazed in his eyes and the furious tension around his jaw when I leaned on my husband for support.
He did it all for me, sacrificing his own selfish desires for my sake.
We stepped onto the parquet floor of the opulent music room, which was dominated by a grand piano. My feet stalled again, and I locked my knees in place.
