CHAPTER 30 – DANTE AT AURI'S HOME
The knock on my door was sharp, urgent, impossible to ignore. My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment I froze, unsure if I should answer.
When I peeked through the peephole, my breath caught.
Dante.
He looked exactly as he always did—sharp, commanding, impossibly handsome. His dark eyes, the ones that always seemed to pierce right through me, were fixed on my door. My pulse quickened despite myself.
I hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened the door.
"Dante… what—how did you—" I started, but he cut me off with a grin.
"I heard the news," he said, voice low and teasing. "You quit. Sterling's… my rival. And you're finally free."
I felt my cheeks warm. "I… yes. I needed to. The tension, the… everything. It was too much."
He stepped inside before I could stop him, his presence filling the room and making my breath hitch. "Finally," he said softly, almost in awe. "You have no idea how happy this makes me."
I backed up slightly, suddenly aware that we were alone. Even though we had shared intimate moments at the resort before, being alone like this again—so close, so private—made me uneasy. My heart raced, and I struggled to steady my breathing.
"You… you're very happy about this?" I asked carefully, trying to mask my nerves.
His grin widened, dark and flirty. "Very. Because now… you're mine. Fully."
I felt a shiver run down my spine at his words. My cheeks burned. Part of me wanted to resist, to remind him of boundaries—but another part of me, the part that had always belonged to him, melted.
"You… you're being impossible," I whispered, stepping back instinctively.
He leaned closer, dark eyes locking on mine, and whispered, "Impossible only for you, Auri. For everyone else… I can be very gentle, very patient. But with you… I can't. Not tonight. Not ever."
My chest tightened, and my knees threatened to give way. My hands trembled slightly as I pressed them against my sides. His gaze, his closeness, the teasing curl of his lips—it was impossible to resist.
"You… you're making me…" I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. My body betrayed me, shivering slightly, heat rushing to my cheeks.
"I know," he murmured, taking another step closer. "That's the point. I want you to feel it… all of it. The tension, the anticipation, the… desire. Because, Auri… you belong to me. Always."
I swallowed hard, trying to find words, but my voice faltered. My heart was pounding, my body felt frozen with both anticipation and nervousness. I knew my heart belonged to him—had always belonged to him—but I still couldn't fully understand his feelings for me.
Dante smiled softly, leaning just a fraction closer, his breath warm against my skin. "Do you feel that, Auri? The pull? The way I want you? The way I need you?"
I nodded, unable to speak, cheeks burning hotter. My whole body shivered, and I felt trapped between the urge to resist and the undeniable attraction that had always existed between us.
"Good," he whispered, teasingly brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Because I plan to enjoy every moment with you. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."
I took a shaky breath, trying to compose myself, but it was useless. My mind was a swirl of memories, desire, and uncertainty. Dante's words, his gaze, his closeness—it all made me skip a beat, make my body tense, and my heart race uncontrollably.
"You're… so flirty," I managed to whisper, heart hammering.
He grinned, leaning slightly closer, voice low and seductive. "I could say the same about you, Auri. You're blushing, shaking, and trying not to melt in front of me. It's… irresistible."
My body shivered again at his words, and I realized how powerless I was to resist him. My heart belonged to him, yes—but I still didn't know if he truly felt the same. Did he love me, or did he only want me? The uncertainty twisted inside me like a knot I couldn't undo.
Dante's smile softened, a rare flicker of tenderness appearing beneath the dark, flirty exterior. "Don't think too much," he murmured. "Just… be here. With me. Tonight. For now. We'll figure the rest later."
I felt a mixture of relief and anticipation, my body responding to his presence even as my mind tried to hold back. My lips parted slightly, but no words came out. I simply stood there, shivering, flushed, and helpless in the face of his dark, magnetic charm.
"You're… dangerous," I whispered finally, voice barely audible.
"And you love it," he teased, brushing a hand lightly along my cheek. "I know you do."
My heart skipped a beat again, and for the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to relax just a little. Here, in this quiet apartment, with him close and impossible as ever, I knew one thing with absolute certainty: my heart belonged to Dante.
Even if my mind was still uncertain, even if my body shivered with anticipation and nervousness… I belonged to him.
And tonight… I had no choice but to let him know it.