It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him about the clandestine meeting with Nico, about all the other secrets he was hiding. Ask this male who the fuck he was, really.
His eyes burned. “I wouldnevermake a fool of you.Never.”
“Too late, you already did,” I countered.
Something raw flickered across his face. Regret.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t think. I didn’t… gods, I never meant to use you, Emberline. I had everything backward. I thought I was using Valeria and my old connection with Rocco, but I was careless and clumsy about everything. I did not mean to hurt you.”
“I’m not hurt. I’m pissed off. And I think,”—I drew ashuddering breath—“that I grossly underestimated you. I do think you’re cruel. And I think you will do anything, sacrifice anyone, to have your revenge.”
“You’re right. I would sacrifice anything, but not you.” He shook his head. “Neveryou.”
His grip loosened—just a fraction, enough I dropped my weight, yanked my wrist down, and slammed the heel of my free hand into his sternum. Dante staggered back a step, more from surprise than anything.
I followed, driving my shoulder into his midsection, hooking my foot behind his heel, swiping a knife off the pile as I let momentum do the rest, and we went down hard.
The mat cushioned the brunt of the impact, but the breath still whooshed out of his lungs.
I landed on top of him, knees bracketing his hips, one hand pinning his shoulder, the other shoving my knife against his throat. His hands fell onto the mat, the picture of surrender, his blue eyes practically glowing.
“There,” I purred. “This is the perfect analogy for our failed marriage experiment, don’t you think?”
He laughed, breathless, like he’d won the fucking lottery.
“Now who’s playing games, wife?” he rasped against my blade.
“For once in your life, just shut up,” I pressed the flat edge down harder until his skin turned white. “Why can’t you ever stop talking?”
“You’re jealous.” His accusation was blunt, and the quiet accusation hit harder than any punch.
“Of Valeria?” I scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“You’re furious she touched me,” he challenged, a secretive smile on his lips. “You’re furious I let her. But mostly, you’re furious youcare.”
“I don’t. The only thing I care about is how fast I can leave. Put you and this dump behind me. Go back to my pampered life of luxury.”
“Liar.” Our gazes locked.
“Ask me why she won’t make me a better wife, Emberline.” His eyes glowed like polished jewels in the sun. “Ask me, unless you’re afraid of the answer.”
I despised how fast my pulse was jumping, like a bird trapped in a cage, fruitlessly beating its wings, wishing for freedom. I didn’t want to know the answer. I wanted to walk away and never see Dante Dominico again.
Dante reached up, touched his finger to the drumming hollow of my throat, his expression serious, that solid blue stare an anchor, drawing me in deeper.
“Stop being a coward and ask me, Emberline. Ask mewhy.”
“Why?” The word hissed out between my teeth, as though he’d dragged it out of me through sheer willpower, the fucking bastard.
“Because I already have the wife I want. This is exactly where I want to be, with you, holding a knife to my throat, telling me how much I’ve fucked up. Holding me accountable. Knowing your own worth enough to realize the truth. You are better than me. In every way.”
“Nice words,” I studied his face, searching for the deception. “Too bad they don’t matter.”
Icouldn’tlet myself get sucked in again, couldn’t fall for lies as smooth as the male saying them.
“Fifty years ago, I could have mated Valeria, but I walked away.” He sounded so calm. “I walked away and never thought of her again. I forgot about her so thoroughly, it never occurred to me she might be there last night.” Thatfinger drifted up to my throat and started stroking along my vein.
“There is no scenario, other than me being dead, when I would ever leave you,tesoro. Walking away is not in the cards for me, so if you’re going to kill me, then kill me now. Use that knife in your hand because that’s the only way you’ll ever be free of me.”
