Page 88 of Shadows of Steel

I barely hear the low curse before the call disconnects. A few seconds later, the door bursts open.

Dante is there, his eyes dark. In a few swift, purposeful strides, he closes the distance between us.

His hands find my face, rough yet warm, tilting it upward, leaving me no choice but to meet his eyes.

“Harlow, breath with me.” His voice is a quiet demand wrapped in steel. His thumb brushes against my cheekbone, grounding me.

I try. Inhale. Exhale.

My lungs rebel at first, but slowly, the pressure eases.

“You’re safe.” Dante murmurs. “I’m here.”

My eyes flutter shut for a moment. The warmth of his hands, the steel in his voice, it keeps me from unravelling completely.

He pries the envelope from my fingers. A long, charged silence stretches as he flips through the photographs.

His grip tightens. His jaw clenches, muscle ticking.

Then in a low, murderous voice, he whispers. “This fucker is dead.”

I swallow hard. “Dante… how? How was he here?”

His breath comes slow, as if he’s holding back a storm. “I don’t fucking know.” His voice is lethal. “But I plan to find out.”

He steps away, jaw tight, shoving a hand through his hair. His entire body is coiled with violence.

Then, suddenly, his hands are on my shoulders again, his lips pressing against my forehead, rough but steady.

“I’m putting a man outside your door. No one sets foot in here. You are safe.”

I nod, still too rattled to argue.

Dante steps back, turning toward the door.

His voice is ice. “Get something to eat, and start getting ready for tonight.”

I know what he’s doing, shifting me back into routine, grounding me in something normal so I don’t spiral.

But I can still see the way his fingers flex, the way his rage bleeds into his movements as he storms out of the room.

Once in the hall, his voice cuts through the air like a gunshot.

“Find me this fucking bastard. NOW.”

A chorus of voices answers. Orders are shouted. The entire house is on high alert.

I exhale slowly, trying to shake off the weight of what just happened. I will get ready. I will play my part.

But nothing feels the same anymore.

Because I know now, he isn’t just watching.

He is closer than I ever thought possible.

Chapter 26

Harlow