Mine Forever: A Dark Mafia Romance

Chapter 19 Sonia -Loyalty

I cling to Dante, holding him by the neck. He's my safety, my sanctuary.

I was so cold, freezing out there in the forest. I didn't know if I would ever make it home again. Not that I know what home means anymore. Everything's become so murky, so muddy. I can't tell what I want anymore, what's good for me. I thought that I hated Dante. But here I am clinging to him like he's my hero.

Hero. What a funny word. I'm supposed to hate this man. He ripped me away from my life, from everything I had ever known. And yet, here I am, falling for him.

"Honey, how could you have run away from me like that? I trusted you," he rasps in my ear as he walks me back to the house.

Overhead, storm clouds are raging. The rain is coming down in sheets, covering my face in wetness.

I cling to Dante tighter, longing for his warmth, for his strength.

The truth is I have no words. Now is not the time to tell Dante that I found the photos of us. Though I do want to confront him, right now, I feel so tired, soaked to the bone. All I can think about is getting inside and getting dry.

I see Dante's men following us as we walk back to the mansion. I imagine they've been out all day looking for me. A part of me feels bad. I caused all of this.

Eventually, we get back to the house. Dante carries me upstairs to his master bedroom. He bypasses my room. Once we're inside, he closes the door, locking it. Then he walks me into the master bathroom. Gingerly he puts me down. And slowly, tenderly, he starts to undress me.

"Arms up," he says.

I do as he says.

Looking into my eyes, he removes my soaking wet cashmere sweater. Then the T-shirt. I shiver to his touch.

He looks down at me, hungry like he wants to devour me. And I look up at him, an equally desirous look in my eyes. Then, he unclasps my bra, exposing my breasts.

"God, fuck," he says. "You're fucking beautiful."

"Dante," I say, looking up at him. "I'm sorry that I ran away. I just...it's just that I found some photos in your office. They were photos of us taken last night. It seems like you wanted to make it look like we were together to get back at my father."

He runs his big hand over my breasts, causing me to feel tingles all over my body.

"You found the photos?" he asks.

I nod. "Yes."

"Baby, you weren't supposed to see those. Those photos are about business."

"Business?" I ask. "It seems to me that you're using me to make it look like I ran away to you instead of the truth, which is that you captured me."

Dante gets a dark look in his eyes. It's a look that makes me feel like I don't want to mess with him, like he's dangerous.

"Sonia, there's a lot about this that you don't understand. But yes, I deliberately took you out shopping because I knew it would look like we were together. I want your father to think that."

"But why?" I ask. "What's the point?"

He runs his hand through my hair, smoothing it back. Then his eyes center on me. "Because he needs to understand that in the end, you don't fuck with the De Rose family. Your father hurt me very badly, and now he's going to pay for that."

I peer up at him, confused. "What do you mean? What did he do?"

Dante takes a step back, running a frustrated hand through his own damp hair. "Do you want to know the truth, Sonia? Because once I tell you there's no coming back from this. You'll be in it."

I nod. Even though I've never been one to know about my father's mafia dealings, I suddenly need to understand what's gone on between him and Dante. If Daddy has somehow hurt Dante, and that's why I've been captured, then I have to know.

"Tell me, please. I must know what's happened between you and my father."

He sighs. Then he takes a step closer to me, running his hands along my body. "Fine. I'll tell you. Your father killed my brother. He and I have been at odds for a while now over certain territorial matters. But the murder was underhanded. It came out of nowhere. My brother, Silvio, was at a club one night, and when he left, there was a drive-by shooting. One of Gavino's men did it. They just murdered him right there in the street."

My mouth hangs open as I feel pure shock.

Daddy ordered the murder of Dante's brother? No wonder he's taken me as a hostage in revenge.

My instinct is to hold him, to pull his muscled torso towards me. So I do.

Though his shirt is soaked through from the rain, I grip him tightly and whisper, "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"You have to understand, Sonia, that when I captured you, I was bent on revenge. I still am. But I never imagined that I would develop feelings for you or that it would be like this."

Lifting my mouth to his, he presses his lips to me, forcing me into a deep kiss. I feel his tongue tangle with mine in the most delicious dance. It tells me that despite everything going against us, it's all going to be okay.

I clasp at his shirt, trying to tear it away. I suddenly need to be near Dante, to feel his skin against me.

"I'm sorry," I say against his mouth. "I'm sorry for what my father did."

He holds me tightly to his body. "It's not your fault, Sonia. But you need to understand that I knew your father would have men following our every move. I knew they'd take those photos of us together, and he'd assume you ran away to me. I want him to think that. Nothing would kill him more than to know that his principessa ran away to the other side, to his enemy."

"I understand," I say.

But in my heart, I feel caught in the middle.

I feel for Dante. He's lost his brother in a brutal attack. But the truth is, I am a Gavino. I always will be.

Where do my loyalties lie?