Page 61 of Vow of Hate

“Why do you ask? I don’t care for people.”

“You saved me after Edward hurt me. You wouldn’t have done that if you didn’t care just a little.”

“I am not a prince in a fairytale, Sienna. Don’t make me into one.”

I pull my hand away from his heart like he burned me. “I know. I’m not naïve. I’m just pointing out the obvious. Do you care for me?”

“I don’t care for people as I said.”

“So then why not kill me? You’ve had so many chances. Either marry me, let me go, or kill me.”

“Or I can keep you and we can keep fucking forever.”

I sit up and wrap the blanket around me. Suddenly, all I feel is a deep, coldness seeping through my body. “You know you can’t keep me forever, Dante. Gabriel will find us one day and he’ll kill you and save me.”

He scoffs. “You have a lot of faith in Gabriel.”

“He’s been a good family friend all my life. I know he’s out looking for me.”

“Well, even if he does find you, I’ll kill him. I’m not going to let you go.”

“But we’re in this sort of limbo state and you know it. We can’t be together like this. Not truly. It’s not right.”

“Not right?” He scoffs again, sitting up. The sight of his naked body is distracting so I try to ignore it. “We just fucked like animals. How is that not right?”

“It’s not right because you’re making me crazy.”

“Then join me, baby. I want you to be as crazy as I am.”

“But I can’t be. Because I do have something to lose. My mom. My best friend. You don’t have anything. That’s how we’re different. And I can’t just forget about them. I can’t be at war with Gabriel. That’s why it’s not right and you know it. So just… make up your mind, Dante. I need you to do it. You’re the only one who can let me go.”

He grabs my hips. “But I don’t want to let you go.”

“So then stop playing mind games with me. Open up to me even more. Let me in. Marry me. Do the right thing if you don’t want to let me go.”

“I can’t let Gabriel win.”

“Then that’s your choice. But you’re making me miserable.”

“I just gave you an orgasm. You weren’t complaining.”

I huff. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. Physically, you make me feel amazing and I still don’t quite understand why. But you do. But mentally. Emotionally… you’re hurting me.”

He rolls his eyes. “Who gives a fuck about feelings?”

“I do,” I say with as much strength in my voice as I can muster. “I care.” My mom would be proud of me in this moment.

Slowly, he releases his hold on my hip and gets out of bed. “We should call it a night. I’m tired.”

“So you’re admitting weakness?”

He flashes me a smile. “I’m still human. Humans get tired. It’s not a weakness.” He slips his clothes back on. Dante feels like am impenetrable force I don’t know how to breach.

“Do you have any weaknesses?” I ask.

His back tenses. “Why would you ask me that?”

“Do you?”