pte

Vitiel

and a sharp gasp escaped my lips. My entire body ached, a physical reminder of the brutal, suffocating grip he ke

d at the empty space where I had just been. Even unconscious, th

rded, blood-stained dress shirt lying on the expensive rug. The metallic stench of dried blood hit my

the mirror was pale, my eyes dead. I turned on the cold water tap, splashing t

er scent of blood, the bathroom air carried the h

's pe

the sink, my hands gripping the porcelain so

g. Dante shoved the bathroom door wide open. He stood in the doorway, his

rapped his arms around my waist, resting his heavy chin on my shoulder. H

a dry towel and pressed it against my fac

ion in the mirror. The sleepy softness vanished from his blue eyes, replaced by

evator outside the master suite

"Mr. Moretti. A guest is here to see you," she said. Her voice carried a

it tightly around my body. I walked out of th

a tight, bright red dress. In her arms, she held a massive bouquet of fresh red roses, the stems dripping w

pollen from the roses filled the air conditioning system. My throat began to

lked toward the base of the stairs. "Elena! I brought these to celebrate D

oked at the roses with dead e

second, revealing the pure malice undern

o my bare foot. The thick, sharp thorn

oot, staining the floor. I didn't flinch. I

belt of his dark robe. His sharp eyes immediately scanned the

hands. "Oh my god, Elena, I'm so sorry!

epping down to Sofia's level. "Why are you here so early?" he asked, hi

urned my back on them, walked into the open kitchen, and pou

. "Go change your clothes," he orde

water. I set the glass down. "Why

shoulders blocking the light. "The shootout last night caused a me

board meeting for the gal

pping my chin like a steel vice. He forced my head up so I had to look into his

equest, Elena,"

dropped into a block of pure ice. The corners

inutes. Don't make