Page 57 of Vow of Hate

“So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I should kill you. Then I’d be able to forget about you.”

“I don’t –,” she gasps when I pull out my gun and press it to her spine. “Is that…”

“Yes. It’s a gun.” I bring it up to her head. “I could easily shoot you right now. I should. You’ve been a problem I haven’t been able to solve. Death is the solution.”

Instead of crying like I thought she would, she looks into my eyes with a fierceness that is admirable. She takes after her mother. “So then kill me. At least you’d be putting me out of my misery.”

“What is your misery?”

“You. The way you make me feel. The way I hate you and yet… I also don’t. I want you to touch me. But I shouldn’t want that. All these contradictions. I shouldn’t want any of it. But this is how I feel. So you’d be doing me a favor by killing me. My mom could mourn me then instead of always being worried for my safety. Everyone would move on. Maybe you would be killed for it. Maybe my mom would be the one to do it. But it would solve so much if you did.”

I grip the gun tighter. Once again, Sienna is getting under my skin. Breaking down my barriers I’ve had my entire life. “Is this some sort of reverse psychology?”

“No,” she breathes out. “It’s the pure, honest truth. Either kill me or let me in. Because it’s one or the other.”

“What would happen if I let you in?”

“You could do the right thing by me. Marry me. Make peace with Gabriel. Keep me safe and never threaten my mom’s life again. That’s the best outcome. Or you could kill me. I don’t think we can keep playing this game, Dante. It’s hurting me too much.”

“And who says I care enough about you to worry if I’m hurting you?”

She blinks before a tear slips out of her eye. The sight of it makes my stomach wrench in a way I don’t understand.

But then it dawns on me. I don’t want to be the one responsible for hurting Sienna. I once did and now…

“Then just kill me,” she whispers. “Just end this here, Dante. You’ve awoken my sexuality. You’ve made me crave things I never thought I would crave. I’m desperate for it. I need it again. I need you again. But I’m scared of this thing because I know I shouldn’t feel it. And I hate you for it but I also need you for it. So just put me out of my misery or open up to me. Let me in. Let me fall in love with you.”

I suck in a breath. “You could really love me?”

“Only if you let me in. Only if you do the right thing by me. You’re my obsession now. I don’t think we could break apart if we wanted to. Death is the only outcome. So do it, Dante. Do it.”

I press the gun harder to her head. I should just end it like I did that mafia man and his family. No remorse. Move on with my life. Act like Sienna never happened.

But I can’t fucking do that.

While the gun is still to her head, I slam my lips against hers and kiss her until we both feel breathless.

Chapter Fourteen

Sienna

Iarch into Dante’s body, not even caring that he has a gun pressed to my head. His craziness is something I’m used to by now.

I meant what I said to him. I’d rather die and allow my mom and Luciana to mourn by death than be constantly worried about me. But I would prefer to stay alive… with Dante, even though I know I shouldn’t be feeling this way.

If only he’d marry me and do the right thing but that’s asking for the impossible.

He kisses me harder until it almost hurts. It’s like he’s trying to fuse our bodies together.

I wrap my legs around his waist when he settles himself on top of me. The gun is still pressed to my head. One wrong slip and he could end my life. There’s something thrilling about it. Truly living in the moment. Knowing I could die any second and still choosing to live. It’s electric. There’s nothing else like it in the entire world.

I lived my life so sheltered. The good mafia girl. My dad’s princess before he passed away.

But Dante has brought out the darkness in me. The danger. The sense to experience life, even though he’s kept me locked up. Ironically, it’s the most fun I think I’ve ever had in my entire life. Call me crazy for it but it’s what I feel.

“I need you again,” he says against my lips.