Home > Stolen : Dante's Vow(8)

Stolen : Dante's Vow(8)
Author: Natasha Knight

“What does it mean exactly that you cleaned me up?”

“I cleaned the blood off you. Cleaned the dirt off you. I did not touch you in any inappropriate way. I would not.” His voice hardens at the last part as if I were accusing him of just that. Maybe I was.

But again, like with the water, I believe him. I don’t know why but I guess he doesn’t have a reason to lie. I’m here. I’m his. I can’t get away from him. We proved that last night. And he can do whatever he likes to me.

“Why did you drug me then?”

“Because you were getting upset. I didn’t want you upset.”

I try to make out if that’s all. I feel like he’s leaving something out. I study his good eye. It’s familiar, like Lizzie’s.

But the Dante I knew was a boy. This is a man.

The Dante I knew was killed before he had a chance to become a man. This man is a cold-blooded killer.

“Would you like to eat something before you have a shower?”

I’m hungry but I want to be alone for a few minutes. I want to be sure he didn’t touch me or do anything else to me. I shake my head.

“All right,” he stands. “Bathroom’s in there. You’ll find everything you need but if I forgot anything, I’ll be inside, okay?”

“Is there a lock on the door?”

“Yes, there is.”

“Can I use it?”

He’s momentarily confused by the question but recovers quickly. It’s not so strange a question. Petrov would test me. See if I’d use the locks he’d put on and take off the doors. He said I was his. That I would always be available to him. And he’d punish me when I locked any door, even the bathroom. He always knew, too, even if it was for an instant. Just for one little second so I could feel a little in control. A little safe.

“Yes, Mara,” he says, smiling that sad smile. “You can lock the door. You can take your time and I’ll wait for you inside. You’re safe here. Safe with me.”

“No, I’m not.”

He opens his mouth to say something but changes his mind. He moves to pick up his phone from on top of a stack of books. He slides his finger over the screen and then types something quickly using both thumbs before turning back to me.

“Holler if you need anything,” he says, and walks to the door. He opens it and the sound of the TV grows louder.

“Dante’s dead,” I call out when he has one foot out of the bedroom.

He stops at that and turns, his hand on the doorknob.

“I saw them. They all died,” I tell him.

“That’s not true. I wasn’t on the island. And Cristiano survived. You met his wife, Scarlett.”

“Scarlett?” I feel my forehead furrow.

He nods. “They started a family. They have a little boy. Well, more of a little hellion,” he says proudly. “And another one on the way.”

“She’s alive?”

He nods. “Because of you. You made that deal with Petrov and saved her life.”

No, I didn’t. I hadn’t been smart in how I’d said it, but I only realized it later. And I don’t like that he is trying to flatter me. I’m about to tell him so when his phone buzzes and he turns his attention to it.

“That’ll be Cristiano. They’re anxious to hear from you. Your grandmother especially.”

My grandmother is dead. They killed her too. Felix told me. Showed me the pictures. I’d been five at the time, but I still remember the mess they made. The ruin they left in their wake.

Why is he doing this? Why is he lying to me like this? Playing with me. Is this one of Petrov’s tricks? Did he stage it all only to punish me again? He’s done it before. He likes playing with me. Making me fall into his traps for his sadistic pleasure.

“Is this a test? A trick?”

“What?”

I push my fingers into my hair trying to think.

“Have a shower, Mara. Get cleaned up. Put on fresh clothes. Then we’ll talk. I’ll tell you all about them. We can even call them.”

I stare up at him.

“Lock the door if you want. I won’t hurt you or punish you.”

I study him and as much as I want to believe him, I can’t afford to. I look down at my lap, thinking what to do. How to get back to the penthouse.

“All right?” he asks, taking a step back into the room, back toward me.

He dips his head to see my face, eyebrows high and I want to believe him.

“What happened to your eye?” I ask before I can stop myself. I don’t want to care.

He straightens again, expression hardening a little. “There was an explosion. I lost my sight in that eye soon after.”

“Explosion?”

“Five years ago. The night Petrov took you. The night Scarlett killed Helga.”

He knows all of that? He was there, in that house? If he was there, then why did he let Petrov take me? If he cared so much, why would he let Petrov have me? It doesn’t add up.

“Go get cleaned up. We’ll talk after.”

I nod so he’ll leave and watch him finally walk out of the room. When the door closes, I take a moment to really look around. It’s a big room, bigger than even Petrov’s bedroom was. But his was tacky. This is minimal. Industrial. I like it. Even the mattress is set on piles of crates. No bed frame.

One wall has large windows without any curtains. I climb out of the bed, the cement floor cold. No carpet. The first thing I do is go to the door and lock it. I have the feeling if he wanted to, he could kick it in pretty easily, but I do it anyway.

I walk to the window, put a hand against the glass. It’s cold and a light snow has begun to fall. On the pavement below I see the remnants of the last storm from a few days ago. It’s black slush now. It had been cold the last time I was in the city too.

I see why he doesn’t have curtains here. There isn’t another building nearby, not a high one at least. We must not be in the city proper. Assuming we’re still in New York although the helicopter ride wasn’t very long so I think we are. Maybe New Jersey.

The urge to pee has me turning to go into the bathroom. I check out his things as I go, a few sweaters, some shirts, jeans. His wallet is sticking out of the pocket of the jeans, and I glance to the door before slipping it out. He must have forgotten it was here.

I bite my lip as I touch the soft black leather. It could be a test, so I just decide to have a look. See if he really is who he says he is. I open it but inside only find cash. No ID. Not even a credit card. Convenient. I count the money. Eight hundred-dollar bills.

I close the wallet and slip it back into his pocket. I won’t take it. What would I do with it anyway? I go into the bathroom, switch on the light, close and lock the door. This is spacious too and everything looks new and nice. I run my fingers over the stone countertop as I head to the toilet. I really need to pee. I pull the hoodie up—it’s big enough that it falls to mid-thigh—and pee. That’s when I notice the bandage on my hip over the P.

When I’m finished, I wash my hands and twist a little to inspect the dressing in the mirror. I peel it back and see the remnants of a white ointment. Did he do that? It hurts less than it did, so I gently press it back on and look at my face, my hair. I look gaunt, shadows under my eyes, my cheeks hollowed out. My stomach growls as if reminding me why that is.

Hot Books
» House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1)
» A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
» From Blood and Ash (Blood And Ash #1)
» A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime
» Deviant King (Royal Elite #1)
» Den of Vipers
» House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2)
» The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #
» Sweet Temptation
» The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1)
» Chasing Cassandra (The Ravenels #6)
» Wreck & Ruin
» Steel Princess (Royal Elite #2)
» Twisted Hate (Twisted #3)
» The Play (Briar U Book 3)