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“We should have dinner together.”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
Eden finally opened her eyes. This time, Dante was simply staring at her legs underwater, still caressing them slowly. He looked so calm and composed, as if everything from earlier had never happened. Aside from the scars on his torso, still red after the surgery, everything about him looked exactly the same as this morning.
“Dante,” she called out to him after he failed to answer quickly enough for her taste.
“The others will make their own move soon enough.”
He was talking about the Zodiacs. Of course, the Snake’s fall was going to stir some turmoil in the other territories. Eden didn’t know the details of Dante’s agreement with Thao, and she actually didn’t care much. Right now, her anger was turned toward the Core and only the Core. The in-fighting between the Zodiacs that had almost driven each of her decisions before now felt like some minor issue. It felt like things were slowly piling up, guiding them toward some final fight that could not be pushed back any further.
“Come here,” said Dante.
Eden frowned at his open embrace. As usual, she was distrustful of him, but Dante’s large torso and skin were... very tempting. She sighed and moved to sit with her back against him. He wrapped his arms around her waist right away and leaned his head on her shoulder. Eden rolled her eyes as soon as she felt something poke her lower back, but decided to pretend she couldn’t feel it. She really wasn’t in the mood... and thankfully, he did stay true to his word, for once. She sighed and put her hands in the water, washing her face until she couldn’t feel any more of that stickiness from her tears.
“Dante...”
“Hm?”
“I really want to do it. ...Let’s beat the Core. For real.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“...Are you sure?”
Dante’s question took her by surprise. Was he hesitating now? Or maybe he thought she should? Eden took a deep breath. She knew the anger would come to pass, but not that knot in her stomach. Nor the pain she had gone through, nor the legs she loathed twice as much now. For the first time, perhaps, she was deeply glad she had met Dante De Luca. Whatever had put him in her path, it felt like fate. He probably didn’t hate the Core as much as she did, but he was powerful, rich, and insane enough that he’d be willing to go against the strongest power standing. With a bitter smile, Eden thought the last few days had been life-defining for her. Looking back, things could have ended sooner for her, she could have ended up much, much worse. She could have died in Jack’s bar that night, or Dante could have grown impatient and finished her off instead of healing her. She could have been unfortunate and died under the Mexican Mafia of her neighborhood or even caught in a street brawl when they erupted once or twice a week.
“I’m just thinking... We can’t let them continue like this. Murdering people and getting away with it, like my parents, or sending innocents here to the Suburbs. A lot of the families living here did nothing to deserve that. Nothing should be like it is. Surviving on polluted air, starving, and living in this chaos. I don’t... I can’t face more of that. I can’t go back to how I was, and... I’m too mad to let them get away with it. Not anymore. They can’t just crush us under their feet all over again, Dante.”
She heard him chuckle and turned around to face him.
“I’m serious, don’t mock m–”
Before she could finish her sentence, he kissed her. Eden was half-angry, but half wanting that kiss. She decided not to slap him right away, and just enjoy this for a short while instead. Although he would have deserved it for sure... When he ended their kiss, she was glaring at him, upset.
“Can we be serious for ten minutes?” she groaned.
“I’m serious.”
“I meant serious and not lascivious.”
“I’m serious and listening.”
“I still feel your dick poking me.”
“I can’t help that.”
Eden glared some more, but she knew she wouldn’t win this fight anyway. If he had decided to act like that, she simply had no idea how she could possibly stop him. Instead, she rolled her eyes.
“Please tell me you’re at least seriously hearing what I’m saying.”
“I’m listening. You’re sexy when you’re mad.”
“So that’s why you never take me seriously...”
She tried to roll her eyes and look away, but Dante suddenly grabbed her chin, having her look at him instead. This time, his expression was back to being very serious, and his golden eyes glowing like they were made of actual liquid gold.
“I always take you seriously.”
