Prologue
Lila paced around the room, her frustration boiling over. She had spent weeks under Dante’s protection, and while she understood the danger, she couldn’t live like this—trapped, her life and career on hold. She turned to find Dante leaning against the doorway, his eyes dark and unreadable.
"I can’t do this anymore, Dante," she snapped, throwing her hands up. "I’m not some helpless girl you can lock away. I have a life, a career, and I can’t keep hiding from your enemies forever!"
Dante stepped forward, his gaze piercing. "You think I want this?" His voice was low, barely controlled. "You think I enjoy keeping you here, Lila? Every second you're out there, you’re a target. I won’t risk it."
Lila crossed her arms, standing her ground. "So, what? You’re just going to keep me here forever? Like some prisoner?"
His jaw clenched as he closed the distance between them, his presence overwhelming. "If that’s what it takes to keep you safe, then yes."
She blinked, taken aback by the intensity in his voice. "Dante…"
He stepped closer, his hands gripping her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "You don’t understand," he said, his voice rough. "I’ve lost people before. Important people. I can’t—" He paused, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and something else, something raw. "I can’t lose you, Lila."
Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the vulnerability behind his hardened exterior.
"I’m not asking for permission," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper now. "I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. If that means keeping you here, if that means capturing you, then so be it. As long as you’re safe."
Lila stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. She had never seen him like this—so exposed, so desperate. "You don’t have to do that," she whispered. "You don’t have to keep me like a prisoner."
Dante’s grip softened slightly, his thumb brushing against her skin. "Maybe not," he said softly, his eyes locking with hers, "but I would rather you hate me and be alive than risk losing you."
The weight of his words hung in the air between them, and for the first time, Lila saw the fear behind Dante’s cold, controlled demeanor. It wasn’t just about control—it was about the depth of his feelings for her. She was more than just a liability to him now. She mattered.
And that terrified him.
