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I shook my head. “I think he means it. Not because he truly cares about me,” I explained, “but because he doesn’t want to live his life in a miserable marriage.”
I wasn’t foolish enough to think that Luca cared about my happiness in an altruistic sense. But that didn’t mean his tenderness and consideration hadn’t softened something in me. I didn’t want to be miserable either.
“He built a dance studio for me,” I said, my heart lifting at the memory. I’d been so nervous when he’d blindfolded me, but he’d made the entire experience thrilling and special.
“Really?” Giana’s jaw dropped, and she quickly snapped it closed. “He asked me to send over your dance outfits, but he didn’t say anything else. Well, he didn’t exactly ask. He commanded me to send them.” She frowned. “He’s not good enough for you, Nora.”
I gave her a wry smile. “You would say that about anyone who wanted to marry me.”
Her eyes tightened. “I’m serious. I hate this. You shouldn’t be in this position. Dante was supposed to marryme. You aren’t supposed to be the one who’s forced into a marriage with your kidnapper.”
I straightened my spine and fixed her with a steady stare. “That was my choice, Giana. I offered myself to Dante, and Ideclared myself to Luca when he came to claim his enemy’s fiancée. It’s too late to take it all back. And besides,” I reasoned, “Luca doesn’t treat me badly. He says Dante is a sadist. You saw what Dante did to Giorgio when Father arranged the engagement. He’s erratic and violent. He scares me far more than Luca does. I didn’t want to marry either of them, but Luca saved me from that fate. And he’s determined to protect me from Dante now.”
No one had ever protected me before, not even my own mother when she’d been alive. She’d loved me, but she hadn’t said a word when my father ordered his men to dole out punishments; she’d been utterly devoted to my father and believed that it was his right to discipline his children as he saw fit.
I met Giana’s gaze squarely. “I think Luca might be a good match for me,” I admitted, hearing the truth in the words. I wasn’t simply placating my sister with a pretty lie. “He seems to genuinely like my company, and I believe him when he says he wants to make me happy. I can’t ask for more than that.”
And he wrung more pleasure from my body than I’d known was possible. My cheeks heated, and I pushed away thoughts of his powerful hands pinning me down, utterly dominating me as he forced me to experience dark ecstasy.
Giana didn’t have to know about that part of my marriage. Despite my secret enjoyment of what he did to me, it was still shameful.
There were worse things than a lifetime of pleasure and safety. Luca offered me both. In fact, he insisted upon it. He was relentless in his seduction, and he’d killed to protect me.
“You deserve to be loved,” Giana declared.
I shook my head. “That’s not realistic, and you know it. I’m trying to make the best of my situation. I don’t have to bemiserable forever, and Luca has been good to me. I’m choosing to give him a chance.”
My sister let out a low hum, thinking it over. “Building you a dance studio is thoughtful and romantic.”
I shook my head with a rueful smile. “There’s nothing romantic about my relationship with Luca.” In fact, I was certain that the studio was a manipulation to persuade me to be less thorny with him. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t a kind gesture and a grand one at that. “But I think he’ll treat me well. We can build a happy home together.”
Our children would be safe and loved, and Luca would provide for us. In my world, I couldn’t dare to hope for anything more than that.
“I’m sorry to hear that, little bird.”
I jolted at Dante’s deep, mocking voice, and I was on my feet before he fully stepped into the room. I positioned myself between the monster and my sister, shielding her with my body on instinct.
My stomach dropped to the floor when I took him in, his beautiful features twisted with arrogant amusement. Father was behind him, ushering him into the sitting room. I knew he didn’t love me, but his betrayal was a dagger in my heart.
“How could you?” I demanded, voice shaking with rage. My fists clenched at my sides, violence tensing my muscles.
Father’s eyes narrowed. “Watch your tone, Elenora.”
Giana was on her feet, her fingers digging into my forearm as she tried to edge her body around mine. “Stay away from my sister!” Her demand was high and thin, but she tried to come to my defense as Dante prowled toward us.
I kept my eyes on the monster, but I addressed my father. “You pledged your loyalty to Luca. No one will respect you if you betray him now.”
“I was never loyal to that little shit,” he seethed, lines of spite drawing deep around his mouth. “He humiliated me. He thought he could back me into a corner and force me to obey him. But Tommaso is dead now, and I won’t allow Luca to take control, only so he can push me out of power.”
Power. That’s all my father had ever cared about. It certainly mattered to him more than his own daughter.
Dante came to a stop before me, barely an inch beyond my personal space. He towered over me, and I lifted my chin to clash my defiant gaze with his. Vibrant green eyes glittered with amusement, taking in every nuance of my expression as though he was savoring the sight. He held out his hand, an elegant gesture, like a gentleman offering assistance.
“Come with me, Nora.” The command lilted with mockery, needling my pride. He already knew my response, and he would relish conquering me.
But there was only one reply I could give him. I would not simply walk out of here with my husband’s mortal enemy. Dante would use me to get to Luca. And he might hurt me for his own entertainment in the meantime.
I straightened my shoulders and pushed Giana farther behind me. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
