Page 11

Chapter Eleven

Nadia

A long red elegant gown is in my room when I wake up.

The sight of it confuses me. Everything Dante does confuses me. His words, his actions, his touch. How I yearn for him while I’m also repulsed by him. I’m repulsed because I shouldn’t want his touch. I shouldn’t want Dante at all and yet…

A part of me wants him.

All my life I grew up sheltered, living in fear of my father. I never got to experience love and lust and freedom.

I assumed I could find those things with Viktor, given time, but it’s been Dante who has awoken those things within me. It could just be a weird form of Stockholm Syndrome. I could be desperate for Dante just because I don’t want him to hurt me.

But somehow, I think it’s more than that and that is what terrifies me.

Dante waltzes into the room. “Good morning.” He looks handsome in his white t-shirt and jeans. It’s startling how casual it is. Almost like we’re a normal couple.

I pull the blankets higher around me. I’m no longer naked but that doesn’t mean I want Dante looking at my body. It could lead to something bad. It already has.

“Notice the dress?” He nods at it. “I thought you’d look beautiful in it.”

“What’s the dress for?”

“Erik is hosting his annual charity event and I thought we could go. ”

Surely, I must have misheard him. “I don’t understand. Why would you go to Erik’s charity event? He wants you dead.”

There’s a glint in his eyes. “That’s what makes it fun. I want to go and show you off. Erik won’t be able to kill me in front of a room full of people. It will upset him more knowing there’s nothing he can do. You’ll be so close and yet so far away at the same time.”

“So, just more torture.” My voice sounds a lot sadder than I intend for it to. I just thought for a moment that maybe Dante would put aside his hate after we kissed on this bed but Dante will never let go of it and I have to remember that. He will never be happy until he’s tortured Erik and Anya for the rest of their lives.

When Dante falls silent, I glance over at him. A confused frown is on his face. “Why wouldn’t it be more torture? That’s what I’m here for.”

“I don’t want to play a part in your games any longer. It’s not fun. You’re using me to hurt my sister.”

“You don’t really get a say in this, Nadia.” He walks over to me until he’s so close, I have to lean my head back to look up at him. “What’s on your mind?” His fingers skim down my cheek and a flare of desire hits me.

I jerk away. No. I can’t feel anything for Dante. I can’t. “I just don’t want you to parade me around like you own me. I don’t want Anya to see. I don’t want her to be more upset.”

“Don’t you see, Nadia? I do own you. Now put on the dress.” There’s a hardness to his eyes I don’t like, almost as if he’s steeling himself against me. But why would he have to do that? I don’t mean anything to him.

Dante grabs the dress off the hanger and presents it to me. “I’ll help you put it on.”

My eyes flick to the door.

“Don’t even think about it. You would just get hurt and that will hurt your sister more. Think of it this way. If you come with me to this event, you’ll get to see your sister again.”

Hope flares in my chest and then is quickly dashed when I think on it more. “But that will only hurt more. Seeing my sister and knowing I can’t return to her.”

“You can either come or not come. It’s your choice.”

I inhale sharply. “You’re actually giving me a choice?”

“Yes. I’m going to taunt Erik but if you don’t want to go, I won’t make you.”

I eye him with suspicion. “Why?”

“Because I don’t want your sad mood ruining my night.”

His words make me flinch. “You’re so mean to me.” When I look back at him, I notice a softening in his eyes .

“You’re my prisoner. Why would I be anything else?” He asks it so gently that it makes it sting even more. It’s like he’s trying to ask me if there could be anything else between us.

We both know they’re can’t be.

The last thing I want to do is go to an event dressed as a doll but if it means seeing Anya again and getting an opportunity to escape, I have to take it, even if I end up more hurt after it’s all done.

Slowly, I take the dress. “I’ll go.”

Dante’s mood instantly shifts and he gives me a large grin. “Excellent. I’ll help you change.” His fingers skim my stomach as he grabs the end of my shirt and pulls it off me. I never bother sleeping in a bra so my bare chest is on display for him to see.

His eyes darken as his fingers skim down to my pants.

“I can change myself,” I whisper.

“I know you can. But this is more fun. Isn’t it?” He pushes my pants down, then rests his hands right above my underwear. “I think your body was made for me.”

“No.”

“You can deny it all you want but you feel it too.” He runs his fingers along my waist, causing goosebumps to break out on my skin. Without meaning to, I find myself leaning into his touch.

His hands suddenly grab my panties and rip them down. I gasp. Dante kneels before me and looks up at me with those dark eyes of his.

“I could just place a kiss right on your pretty pussy. Would you want that?”

I swallow hard. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know what you want? Poor innocent Nadia. You haven’t been allowed to explore your pleasure before. If you just let me in, I could open your eyes to so much more in this life.”

“You’re asking me to betray my family and I can’t do that.”

“Ok.” He kisses my stomach, startling me. “Not for now but maybe in the future.” He stands back up and grabs the dress. “I’d rather you go without underwear. It excites me knowing I can just reach under your dress and touch you whenever I want.”

I clamp my legs together to fight against the desire running through me. “Not without my consent. ”

Dante doesn’t comment on that and instead, helps me get into the dress. I’ll admit: it’s beautiful on me. It fits me perfectly and the color goes well with my pale skin and brown hair. For the first time in my life, I look like a vixen. A seductress.

Why do I like that idea?

Dante stands behind me with his hands on my waist. “You look good enough to eat.”

“You would kill me that way.”

“Would I?” He presses his nose against my neck, making me gasp. “Or would eating you bring you so much fucking pleasure you wouldn’t know what do with yourself?”

“I thought you hated me. Why do you want to make me feel good?”

“Why not?” His words are cold and cruel and yet, the way he looks at me in the mirror doesn’t seem hateful. In fact, his eyes seem like they’re yearning for something more. Like maybe he doesn’t hate me at all.

Is this wishful, na?ve thinking? It’s going to get me into trouble.

The charity event is hosted inside a large art museum in the heart of New York City.

I’ve been here before. Every year since Anya married Erik, I’ve attended with them. I always looked forward to getting dressed up and having a bit of fun but tonight, it’s the opposite. The only thing I’m filled with is worry and dread.

What exactly is Dante going to do tonight?

We both wear masks over our eyes, concealing our appearances. It’s a masquerade ball after all. Dante looks like the devil himself in his black mask and black suit.

He hands an invitation to a guard out front and we’re motioned right on through.

“How did you get an invitation?”

He shrugs. “I have my ways.”

I don’t want to know everything about Dante’s ‘ways.’ But most likely, he stole the invitation from someone else, maybe even killed them for it. I shiver.

The inside of the event is a spectacle. Gold chandeliers, sparkling centerpieces on the tables, a live orchestra, and all the guests in beautiful ballgowns and suits, dancing around the room.

I try to look for Erik or Anya but it’s impossible to see through all the people, especially since everyone has a mask on .

“What now?” I ask.

“Now, we dance.” He pulls me into his arms and twirls me onto the dance floor.

“Dante,” I object, but I don’t exactly pull away from him. I like how he touches me, like my entire body is going to light on fire in the best way possible.

“Just give in to me, Nadia. Your life will be much more fun if you do.”

“You want to break me to hurt my sister. I can’t let that happen.”

“Shame.” He pulls me closer against him, his hand resting on my low back. Dante has never actually touched me between my legs. Only I’ve done that. A deep, dark part of me wants him to touch me there just so I can experience it.

Then I see a flash of red hair out of the corner of my eye and all my thoughts fall onto my sister.

“Anya,” I gasp, turning towards the woman with red hair. The woman is talking to an older man. When I get a better look, I see that it’s not Anya at all. Even with her mask on, I can tell she’s too old to be my sister.

“Don’t worry,” Dante murmurs. “We’ll find them.”

To hurt them , is his unspoken part of the sentence.

“But first, I want to have more fun with you.” He guides me through the crowd and after finding which table we’re seated at, we take our seats. A couple sits across from us but they’re busy chatting to each other and barely look in our direction. Not everyone who is in attendance at this event is part of the Bratva. Erik utilizes this event to help launder his money. It’s wrong but it’s common in the Bratva to do it. I’m sure it’s common amongst the Mafia too.

If Dante wanted to light this room up with gunfire, then he’d be hurting innocent people who have nothing to do with the war between Erik and himself.

“Drink?” he asks, grabbing two champagne flutes from a passing waiter.

I take it and sip on it. Maybe a little bit of alcohol will help numb my worries. If Anya saw me right now, she’d be so disappointed in me.

“Where do you think your sister and Erik are?” he murmurs, glancing around the room.

“I’m not sure. I haven’t spotted them yet.”

“Well, in case they’re watching, I think we should give them a show, yes?”

“A show?”

“If you’re father is here, don’t you want to upset him? Make him angry after how he treated you? ”

I stare at Dante with his black mask on. It hides his features but I know who he really is, deep down. “Why are you so filled with vengeance? I don’t have any desire to make my father suffer. I just wanted to get away from him and I did.”

“No one is that sweet.”

“Maybe I am.”

Dante’s dark eyes take me in. “Maybe you are.” I gasp when his hand settles on my thigh. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t also be a little naughty.” He moves his hand to my inner thigh. The fabric of my dress protects me from his touch but I can still fill the heat coming off his skin.

“What are you doing?” I don’t push him away.

He leans into my ear. “If you want me to stop, then tell me to stop.” His fingers inch closer to the spot between my legs.

“We shouldn’t do this here.”

“You’re right. We shouldn’t but that doesn’t mean we can’t. So, baby, what’s it going to be? Are you going to push me away or invite me in?”

His hand hovers right over my most intimate area. I shouldn’t want this. I shouldn’t even be thinking of this. My entire focus needs to be on finding Anya and making my escape.

Yet, Dante’s eyes draw me in. His entire presence is like a vampire putting a spell onto me.

Slowly, I open my legs just the tiniest bit.

Dante smiles.

His hand presses between my legs, making me gasp and clamp my legs around his hand. The couple across from us glance over.

“Just ate something bad,” Dante says, waving away their concerns. They shrug and turn back to each other, not even noticing what Dante is doing to me.

He fingers press down onto my nub. Even through my dress, I can feel it. My hips begin to rock against his hand just slightly. It’s not enough for anyone to see what we’re doing.

My hands grip the edge of the table. “Dante.” It’s a whimper.

“God, hearing you say my name makes me want to ravage you,” he whispers into my ear.

My body is on fire. I can’t be feeling this way. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.

And yet, I am .

With a rough sound, he removes his hand from between my legs and bends down to place his hand on my ankle. His fingers move back up my leg, but this time, they’re underneath my dress. I don’t have any underwear on.

Dante looks right into my eyes as his fingers move back between my legs and touch me skin to skin for the very first time.

I gasp.

The couple glances over at us before they get up and move to another table.

Dante slides my chair in so I’m pressed against the table; this way no one can see what we’re doing.

Dante’s fingers are much more large and firm than my own.

He finds my clit and rolls it around, never taking his eyes off me. I can feel my own arousal coming out of my body. I flush. This is so vulgar and yet so exciting. It’s thrilling. It’s intoxicating.

Dante has me trapped under his spell and I’m too powerless to resist.

He gets me warmer and warmer and warmer until I think I might combust into flames.

My head drops back against the chair and my eyes flutter closed. The pleasure is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I never want it to end.

Dante lets out a low growl as he presses his fingers harder against my body. My hips gently rock against his hand.

“It’s too much,” I whisper.

“Let go. Before all these people.”

“I can’t.”

He leans into my ear and says, “You can.” His fingers flick my sensitive nub.

My release hits me like a sudden storm. I shudder and tremble while Dante continues to touch me between my legs. I clamp my lips closed so no one can hear me.

As soon as my pleasure hits, it’s gone.

Dante removes his hand from between my legs and brings his fingers to his lips. “You taste delicious. I can’t wait until it’s my face between your thighs instead of my hand.”

I blush. Can someone die from blushing too much?

It dawns on me where we are. I got so lost in the moment with Dante, I forgot. I’m here to find Anya. I’m here to escape. I’m not here to get consumed by Dante.

“Oh look, there’s your father now.” Dante nods to a man storming right over to us.

I sit up straighter. That is my father. Even through his mask, his frown is unmistakable. I would recognize it anywhere .

“Nadia!”

I scramble to my feet while Dante plants himself between me and my father.

“You,” my father snarls. “Give me my daughter back.”

“Careful, Sergei. You don’t want to cause a scene in front of all of these people. They’re not all Bratva. These people will call the cops on you if you just start shooting at me.”

My father’s lips pinch into a tight line. He knows Dante is right.

“What is going on here?” It’s Erik, coming over with a calm demeanor. He doesn’t even seem surprised to see Dante here. “Ah, Dante. I was hoping you’d come.”

Dante tenses. I have the urge to place my hand on his back and comfort him but I push it down. Dante is the last person I should want to comfort.

“Nadia!” Anya’s voice cuts through the commotion of the crowd and next thing I know, she’s right beside me, throwing her arms around me.

“You’re outnumbered, Dante,” Erik growls. “It’s best to just let Nadia go and avoid a fight.”

He crosses his arms, not looking worried at all. “Like I said to your father-in-law, if you start shooting at me in front of all these people, you’re going to have some problems on your hand.”

“That may be true. But the moment you try to leave, you will be shot. I have men waiting outside at every entrance. You’re trapped, Dante.”

“Well, now that’s not very nice. What’s to stop me from doing this.” He grabs me away from Anya and wraps his arms around me from behind. “I could kill Nadia right here and now.”

“You wouldn’t,” Anya growls. The fierceness in her is something I’ve always loved about my sister but I’m worried she’s only going to get hurt because of it.

“Don’t test me. If you want me to let Nadia go, then let me leave this place with my life intact.”

“You have gone on long enough,” my father says. “Let my daughter go.”

“Interesting that you seem to care about her now. Why weren’t you there when I met up with Erik?”

His face turns beat red. “I was busy.”

“Too busy to try and save your daughter? You should know something, Sergei. I just touched your daughter and made her come on my hand and she fucking loved it. ”

My father snarls and lunges at Dante, who jumps back, laughing, and pulling me along with him. My father can’t stop his momentum and his fingers slice down my cheek instead of Dante’s.

Anya gasps. “Stop! I don’t want Nadia getting hurt.”

I can feel the sting in my cheek and when I touch it, my fingers come back red.

Dante looks between my face and my father. “You really are a bad father, aren’t you?”

“I didn’t mean to hurt her. I was aiming for you.”

“Were you, Sergei? Because I know your dirty little secret. I know how you used to hurt Nadia and Anya. I know what kind of man you are. You can’t pretend to be something you’re not.”

“Just let my sister go,” Anya says. “And you can leave this place unharmed.”

“Anya,” Erik warns.

“Erik,” she snaps back. “All I want is my sister safe. If that means letting Dante leave alive then so be it.”

“See, that’s going to be a problem,” Dante says, tightening his arms around me. It doesn’t hurt. I hate to admit it but it feels sort of good. “I have no intention of letting Nadia go.”

“You’ve hurt her. You just admitted to touching her. You’re assaulting her.” The pain in Anya’s voice punches me right in the gut.

“Have I assaulted you, Nadia? Be honest.”

I look right at my sister. Even with her mask on, I can see her eyes clearly and written in them is pure fear. For me.

I let Dante touch me. I let myself enjoy it and I never should have. I should have been thinking of Anya. For the first time in my life, I feel like a terrible sister.

“Nadia,” he says.

“I’m fine,” I say to Anya. “I’m ok.”

“Lies,” my father snarls.

“I’m ok,” I say again, only looking at my sister. “He hasn’t hurt me. I swear.”

“Are you just saying that for my benefit?” she asks. “Or do you really mean it?”

Of course she would think I was lying to spare her feelings of pain. My sister knows me too well.

“I’ll be ok,” I tell her. “Just let us leave.” I don’t want to risk Dante shooting up this room full of people and losing my sister in the process. If I can just get me and Dante out of here, then my family will be safe .

“I can’t do that,” Erik says. “I’m not letting Dante take you from this room.”

“I’ll be fine. You have to trust me. Anya. I’m braver than you give me credit for.”

“Listen to your sister,” Dante says. “Let us out of here.”

It dawns on me that Dante really wasn’t expecting Erik to be prepared for him to show. For the first time since meeting him, I’ve spotted a chink in Dante’s armor.

“No,” Anya whispers. “Don’t take my sister. Just leave her out of this.”

“You all seem to keep forgetting one little fact. The reason I kidnapped Nadia was because it would make for great comedy.”

“No one is laughing,” Erik says flatly.

“Well, I am.”

“Just let me go with him,” I try to reason with Erik. “If you shoot, any one of us could get hurt. I can’t risk that. Let me and Dante go. You know it’s the smartest move.”

“But that would mean giving you up and I promised I’d get you back to Anya.”

“Aww,” Dante mocks. “How sweet. But Erik, it sounds like you won’t be able to deliver on your promise. You failed. Once again. Nadia is mine now. She likes me, don’t you baby?”

I wouldn’t say I like Dante but I am drawn to him and I can’t deny it.

Anya looks more hurt the longer I go without saying anything. Shame fills me. I wish I could fight Dante like she clearly wants me to but I know what needs to be done.

I need to go with Dante and get out of here. It’s the only way to make sure everyone stays alive.

“I’m going with Dante,” I say as loud and clear as I can. “It’s to keep everyone safe. Let us go, Erik. You know it’s the best decision.”

“I promised Anya I would keep you safe.”

“Guess you’re going to have to break that promise,” Dante taunts.

“I think there’s a better way,” Ivan Romanov says, stepping up beside Dante.

“Ah, Ivan,” Dante says. “Nice to see you again.”

“I’ve seen what kind of trouble you cause, Dante. And that needs to end.”

In one smooth motion, he pulls a knife from his coat and jams it into Dante’s side and rips it right out, sending Dante’s blood spraying from his wound.

I know, within an instant, that everything is going to descend into chaos.