C80 Not Really

Annabelle saw her life flash before her eyes in the split second before Dante’s strong arms grabbed her and hauled her back into the car.

Her body slammed against his hard chest, and his arms locked around her like steel bands.

Her breath hitched as the horrifying thought sank in.

She could be dead right now with her body broken and lifeless on the side of the road.

She was shaking uncontrollably.

Or was it him?

She couldn’t tell.

And she didn’t care.

Without thinking, she burrowed deeper into his embrace, clinging to him like he was her lifeline. Gone was her earlier determination to escape from him.

All she could think about was the safety his arms provided.

The reality of what almost happened hit her again like a blow to the stomach, and she shuddered violently.

Dante’s grip on her tightened.

Almost painfully so, as if he were trying to merge their bodies together.

He pulled back just enough to cup her face in his large, warm hands.

His dark eyes were burning with such ferocious fury that Annabelle’s breath caught in her throat.

His voice was hoarse with emotion. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Before she could respond, his mouth descended on hers in a kiss that was nothing short of punishing.

It wasn’t tender.

Far from gentle.

It was a raw, desperate claim.

A furious collision of lips and teeth that left no room for protest.

Annabelle’s resolve to resist him crumbled like ash in the wind.

She kissed him back with equal fervour, letting the fire between them consume her.

She wanted his heat to quench the quaking chill inside her.

She wanted to feel alive.

To reassure herself that she was not dead after all.

So she took his fire and fed him hers.

Her hands raced over his broad shoulders and down his back as if seeking to anchor herself to him.

His fingers tangled in her hair as he pulled her closer.

And she moaned into his mouth, forgetting everything except the feel and taste of him.

She didn’t care if they were in the backseat of a car or if anyone could see them.

She didn’t give a damn if all his men were lined up watching them.

At that moment, she didn’t care about anything except him.

His touch sent waves of heat coursing through her, and the world outside ceased to exist.

Then, abruptly, Dante tore his mouth away from hers and cursed under his breath.

He jerked away from her, his breathing harsh and uneven.

Annabelle blinked, disoriented by the sudden loss of contact.

She glanced around and realised the driver was gone.

“When had he left?” she wondered fleetingly.

She had been too wrapped up in Dante to notice.

The door at her side was yanked open, and Dante’s deep voice cut through her daze. “Get out.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs as she stared at him. “What?”

“Out,” he repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Annabelle hesitated, glancing around.

They were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and open fields.

The only other vehicles were the black SUVs carrying Dante’s men.

She stayed rooted to her seat. “I’m not stepping out here. What are you doing?”

Her protest died in her throat as Dante reached in and grabbed her wrist.

Then he practically dragged her out of the car. “Move.”

His grip was firm but not painful as he pulled her away from the vehicle.

His men stood on guard near their cars.

Their gazes deliberately averted, as if they knew better than to interfere.

Annabelle’s heart sank when she caught Cathy’s curious face pressed against the window of Angelo’s car.

What is she thinking?

“Dante,” she began, fear trickling into her voice. “What are you doing? Please, Cathy…”

“She’s fine,” he snapped, cutting her off. “Angelo will keep her calm. You worry about yourself.”

Annabelle’s legs trembled as he pulled her farther, stopping only when they were partially shielded by a cluster of trees.

His chest heaved with restrained anger, and he turned his back to her as his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

He seemed to be struggling with something.

The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.

Finally, Annabelle couldn’t take it anymore.

Something occurred to her as she looked at their deserted environment.

She didn’t want to believe it, but she couldn’t put anything past him.

She had to know.

In a trembling voice, she asked, “Are you going to leave us here?”

He swung around, his eyes blazing. “What kind of monster do you think I am?”

Annabelle flinched at the fury in his voice. “I… I didn’t mean…”

“You didn’t mean it? Oh, I think you mean exactly that!” he growled, gripping her arms tightly. “You hate me so much you’d rather kill yourself than stay with me. Do you even care what that would do to Cathy? To me?”

His words sliced through her like a blade. Annabelle opened her mouth to explain.

To tell him it had been a mistake, that she hadn’t meant to open the door.

But the words wouldn’t come.

Her thoughts tangled in her mind, jumbled and incoherent.

Dante shook her gently, his voice low and dangerous. “Answer me, Annabelle. Say something.”

Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

“You’re selfish,” he spat, his tone filled with raw emotion. “A coward. You claim to love your sister, but you didn’t even think about what your death would do to her.”

Tears pricked at Annabelle’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

She didn’t hate him.

Not really.

What she hated was how easily he controlled her emotions.

How he made her question everything.

“You can hate me all you want,” Dante continued, his voice hard. “But don’t forget this: you belong to me. If you ever try something like this again, I’ll make damn sure you regret it. Your body, your life. It’s mine now. Nobody is allowed to take it. And that includes you!”

Annabelle stared at him, stunned into silence.

His words should have angered her, should have made her push him away.

But all she felt was an overwhelming mix of emotions she couldn’t begin to untangle.

Dante swore under his breath, releasing her abruptly.

He turned on his heel and stalked back toward the car, his broad shoulders tense with barely contained frustration.

Annabelle followed him, her heart heavy with dread.

The rest of the journey loomed before her like an insurmountable mountain.

And she had no idea how she was going to survive it.