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Dimitri smirks. "I have my ways. And your dorm roof is the perfect private location."
He pours two glasses of champagne and hands me one. The bubbly liquid looks golden in the candlelight.
"To your success on the exams," Dimitri toasts. "I knew you could do it."
We clink glasses, and both take a sip.
“To your successful results as well,” I add, as I know he scored high grades too. The champagne is light and effervescent on my tongue. Dimitri watches me closely as I set down my glass, his eyes smoldering. I feel a blush creeping up my neck.
"Shall we eat?" he asks.
I take a small bite of the perfectly seared scallop, savoring the rich buttery flavor as I chew. Across from me, Dimitri smiles, looking satisfied that I'm enjoying the food he so thoughtfully prepared.
"This is incredible," I tell him after swallowing. "Did you make this? Seriously, you could open your own restaurant with cooking skills like this."
Dimitri chuckles, spearing a scallop with his fork. "Well, I'm glad the meal exceeded your expectations, baby. But no, I didn't prepare it. I find that I prefer to stick to other career paths."
I roll my eyes but laugh. Classic Dimitri and his casually criminal ways. We continue eating in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the flickering candles casting a warm, intimate glow over our rooftop refuge.
Eventually, Dimitri speaks up again. "You know, I realized that you and I have rarely had the chance to simply talk." His eyes meet mine, more serious now. "Tell me about yourself, Sara. Your family, your childhood. I want to know it all."
I shift in my seat, caught off guard by the request. Our interactions have always been centered around the drama and danger in our lives rather than on personal details. But I can't deny I'm curious to learn more about Dimitri's past as well.
"Alright," I say slowly. "I guess my childhood was pretty average, for the most part. My dad worked a lot, so I didn't see him much. My mom tried to give me a normal life, but well, is there normal in the Mafia?"
I stab at a piece of salad absently with my fork. "Things got more complicated when I went to high school. My dad started arranging meetings with potential husbands. He wanted me to get married right after graduation."
"'It'll make us unstoppable and untouchable. it's for your own good. I heard that statement so much, I believed it."
Even just thinking about it makes my blood boil. Across from me, Dimitri's expression darkens.
"That's when he introduced me to Lorenzo," I continue bitterly. "I refused the idea of an engagement of course, insisted I wanted to go to college first. We fought about it constantly senior year. I thought I had won when I got accepted here and moved into the dorms."
I let out a hollow laugh. "But clearly my dad was just biding his time, still determined to marry me off. And then, with Lorenzo pressuring him..."
I trail off with a frustrated sigh, looking down at my plate. Just thinking about my father and Lorenzo makes my appetite vanish.
After a pause, I feel Dimitri's fingers under my chin, gently tilting my head to look at him. His expression is fierce.
"Sara, listen to me. You belong to me now. Your heart, your body, your soul, it's all mine. You don't have to worry about Lorenzo." His thumb brushes my cheek tenderly. "I will make sure no one will force you ever again."
My breath catches at the intensity in his voice. The promise behind his words.
"Dimitri..."
He leans closer, still cradling my face in his hand. "You're mine now, Sara. My woman. I protect what's mine, no matter what."
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SARA
Ashiver runs down my spine at his possessiveness. But oddly, his words make me feel free instead of feeling constrained. Protected. For the first time in years, I'm not dreading what comes next. Because Dimitri has taken control.
I stare into his eyes, still feeling the ghost of his fingers on my cheek. His words echo in my mind - I'm his now. And somehow, it doesn't scare me. Once again, with him I feel safe. Protected in a way I've never known before.
Dimitri clears his throat and leans back, the intensity of the moment broken. "My apologies, I got a bit carried away. We were meant to be enjoying our meal."
He gestures to my half-finished plate of food. I glance down, realizing I've lost my appetite entirely after our emotionally charged conversation.
