Page 115 of Dancing with the Devil

Sylvester joined in with a little laugh but Antonio’s head snapped down to him, pressing the knife in further, as if to say without words, ‘Why are you laughing?’

Feeling lightheaded with all the blood surrounding me, I looked back at Antonio.

”I want to go back up,” I swallowed hard and he slightly tilted his head to the side.

“I take it, you don’t like your gift then?” he asked and I looked over at Sylvester who hung extremely still.

“I don’t… I don’t know—just let me go back up.”Yes, Sylvester hurt me, and yes, I want him to suffer. To pay. But this… I can’t think straight.

“You going to try anything stupid?” Antonio asked, caging me in between the stairs and his firm body. He lifted his hand to my face, but I hit it away.

“Don’t touch me,” I tried to steady my voice. His jaw clenched instinctively. I felt my legs go numb, feeling all sorts of scared.Would he hurt me? Would he hurt me the way he hurts Sylvester and whoever else?

He took one final step closer, and I held my arms tightly to my side to prevent them from trembling. “What’s wrong?” he slightly tilted his head to the side, tucking a strand of loose hair behind my ear, and I flinched.

Confusion leaked from his eyes as he scanned my face. “I want to go back up,” I choked out.There’s that look again. The same one he gave me when I told him this was nothing more than an agreement. I didn’t quite understand what it meant.

“Take her up to her room,” he stepped back.

“I can go by myself,” I said with disgust as I turned to Cesar. “I don’t need him to escort me.”

Antonio looked at me reluctantly and gave me a single nod. I turned, but he grabbed my wrist. I didn’t turn around.

He stood with his front pressed to my side as he gripped my wrist. He placed a kiss to the top of my head, and my heart hammered in my chest.

“Anyone who finds out about this will end up dead,” he assured me. “Anyone.”

My heart sunk at the thought of anyone I love being hurt at his hands.

Without turning around, I snatched my wrist from him and walked upstairs. I got to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me. I fell back against the door, looking down at my trembling hands.Just breathe.

I tugged the neckline of my t-shirt forward, feeling my lungs burn. My eyes widened, and I rushed to bed, snatching my cellphone. I immediately found Silvia’s name, but I stopped myself, tossing my phone back onto my bed and stumbled back. She can’t know. He’ll hurt her.

I paced up and down my bedroom, running a frustrated hand through my hair. I hesitantly glanced up, looking at my bathroom door.Do it.

My chin automatically trembled as I stared at my bathroom until I gave in, rushing inside.

I dropped my clothes, hopped into the shower, and stepped underneath the warm water. I simply stood there.

Thiswas the man I was going to marry.Thisman, capable of such vile actions, was going to bemyhusband. I would wake up with him, live out my day with him, and fall asleep with him.

Was I capable of showing any genuine emotion to someone I feared? Would I be able to accept who he was and one day learn to live with it, or maybe even love him?

He was capable of doing all of this for me. It’s always been…for me. But what about before me? How much had he already done. How many lives had he mercilessly taken?

I stood underneath the warm water, allowing it to sting my skin—no audible sobs, no anger, no fear,nothing.

My skin burned as I squeezed my eyes shut, allowing the steaming water to wrap around me with force. I looked down at my hands through blurred vision, noticing how red my skin had gotten. I bared my teeth, fighting against the burn.

I needed to get out of this house.

CHAPTER 24

Nirah

I RUSHED DOWN the stairs and bumped into Rosalia.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Miss Nirah,” she quickly apologized. “I—”