Danna:
My heart broke into a thousand pieces as his words spilled out—his story, his scars, his truth. Tears blurred my vision until I could barely see, but I didn't need sight to feel the weight of his pain. He had lost his sister, his mother—everything—just because of his father's damned pride, his so-called reputation.
Dante's laugh cut through the air, low and dangerous. "You think I didn't hear you that night, talking to your men? Saying how hiding their bodies would become a burden?" His eyes glinted with fury. "Do you think I didn't know you were alive? I heard you. Every word. How you said you'd take me away, bury me somewhere… but you know what?" He leaned forward, voice a blade. "I survived."
The monster—his father—only sneered. "Since you love your sister and mother so much, let's take you to them. How does that sound?"
My heart stopped. My eyes widened as he gave the order, his voice cold and merciless.
"Beat him until he doesn't die."
The men closed in. My breath caught in my throat, and my muffled scream fought against the gag. "Dante!" I cried through the cloth, thrashing against the ropes.
He turned toward me, calm in the storm, and unwrapped the gag from my mouth. Before I could protest, he leaned in, his lips capturing mine in a desperate, burning kiss that tasted like goodbye.
"I love you, Danna," he whispered against my lips. "I always did."
Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks. "I love you too, Dante. Always."
He turned me around, his hands gripping my shoulders firmly. His eyes, though full of fire, were gentle when they met mine.
"Run," he said, his voice low and sharp. "Run and don't look back."
"No," I shook my head violently, clinging to him. "I won't leave you alone."
"F**king go, Danna!" he barked, his voice cracking with urgency. "It's dangerous. Call Jake for me. Run—I'll handle this."
Every part of me screamed to stay, but his grip pushed me forward. My chest burned as I tore my eyes away from him, nodding through the tears.
I took one last look, memorizing his face, and then—I ran. I ran into the darkness, unwilling but obeying, praying that fate would be merciful.
The cold night air bit into my skin as I stumbled out of the mansion, my feet bare against the rough stone, each step burning as much as the fear gnawing inside me. My breaths came ragged, uneven—I couldn't think straight. I didn't know Jake's number, I couldn't speak the language of this place, and my mind was nothing but chaos.
Then, suddenly, a sleek black car slowed to a stop in front of me. The tinted window rolled down, and inside sat a woman—a woman so striking she looked like she belonged on the cover of a magazine rather than here in this dark street. Her long, black wavy hair framed her flawless face, her lashes curled thick and elegant. A tailored suit hugged her figure, sharp and immaculate, as if she carried both beauty and authority in equal measure.
"You must be Danna," she said smoothly, her voice calm, almost reassuring.
I hesitated, then nodded.
"Come in."
I narrowed my eyes, trembling. "Who are you?"
"Just come." Her tone left no room for argument.
Against every instinct screaming at me to run, I slid inside. The interior smelled of leather and expensive perfume, the hum of the engine filling the silence as she began to drive.
"Who are you? Where are we going?" I asked again, gripping the seatbelt as if it could anchor me.
She smiled faintly, her eyes on the road. "To Jake."
My head snapped toward her. "You… you know Jake?"
"Of course," she said, almost amused, as though the answer should've been obvious.
Panic clawed back up my throat. "Then call him—please! Dante is in danger!"
At the mention of his name, her hands stiffened on the wheel. Her eyes flicked toward me, suddenly serious. "Dante? Oh, shit." Without another word, she pulled out her phone, her manicured fingers flying over the screen as she dialed.
"Hey," she said the moment the line connected. "I found Danna. She says Dante's in danger."
Her dark eyes cut toward me before she extended the phone. "Here. Talk to Jake."
My hands trembled as I took it, pressing it to my ear. "Jake—it's me. He's at Moretti Villa. His father's men are there—please, get there quickly."
A pause. Then Jake's steady voice: "Stay with Isabella. I'll be there." The line went dead.
I lowered the phone slowly, my heart thundering in my chest.
"What did he say?" Isabella asked, her gaze flicking between the road and me.
"He… he said to stay with you."
Isabella's fingers curled gently around mine, her touch soft, reassuring—like I had known her for years instead of minutes. "You'll be safe with me, don't worry," she said quietly, her voice like silk against the chaos roaring inside me. Something in her presence soothed me. She wasn't a bad person, I could feel it.
"Mrs. Isabella…" I whispered uncertainly.
She chuckled lightly and shook her head. "Call me Bella. 'Isabella' is too long."
I nodded, swallowing. "Well… Bella, have we ever met before?"
Her eyes flicked toward me, her perfectly painted lips curling as if she were holding back a secret. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, then smirked. "So Jake did keep it from you, huh?"
My brows furrowed. "Keep what?"
She leaned closer, her voice soft. "I'm Jake's girlfriend."
The words landed like a spark in the middle of my storm. My lips parted, stunned. Jake? The Jake I thought was so cold, so anti-romantic? My heart skipped. Bella smiled knowingly at my shock, brushing her dark hair back from her face.
"He kept our relationship private because of those shitty people around him," she said matter-of-factly. "But I was there, you know… at your wedding. I was by Jake's side the whole time, but unnoticed."
I blinked, replaying the day in my mind, my chest tightening. How could I have missed her?
"How… how did you know I was here? Did Jake send you?" I asked carefully.
She shook her head, eyes on the road. "No. I was just passing by, and then I saw you running. I knew something was wrong."
I nodded slowly, my thoughts a whirlpool I couldn't untangle.
Time dragged, each second an eternity, until Bella's phone lit up. The sound of Jake's name had my heart leaping into my throat. She answered instantly, her voice soft, almost intimate. "Yes, babe?"
I froze.
Her face shifted, and suddenly she sat up straighter. "What hospital!?" she gasped, and then the call ended as quickly as it came.
Her knuckles whitened against the steering wheel as she pressed down on the accelerator. "Danna—we need to go. They're at the hospital."
The blood drained from my face, my chest tightening until I could hardly breathe. "He is… are they okay?" I asked, my voice cracking.
Bella nodded quickly, though her eyes betrayed the panic she was trying to hide. "Hold on—we'll be there soon."
The car sped into the night, and all I could hear was the pounding of my heart, beating in rhythm with one desperate prayer: let him be alive.