Chapter 11: Fire and Shadows
The morning sun filtered lazily through the large windows of Dante's villa. Olivia Ursa moved with effortless grace, arranging a small vase of orchids on the polished dining table. Her presence was commanding, sophisticated, and utterly confident. Dante watched her quietly, a complex mixture of pride and irritation flickering in his eyes.
"Are you sure you don't want breakfast in the restaurant?" he asked, voice low, as he leaned against the doorway.
Olivia's eyes met his, glinting with mischief. "I'm quite content here. Besides…" she paused, stepping closer, hand brushing his arm lightly. "It's more… private."
Dante's jaw tightened imperceptibly. Olivia's flirtation, the subtle way she clung and teased, sparked something in him—a dangerous, possessive fire he couldn't ignore. And yet, he was aware of another presence that had haunted him since yesterday: Auri.
Meanwhile, Auri sat in the resort restaurant later that evening, deliberately choosing a corner table far from the main flow of guests. Her plate of food remained mostly untouched, her mind occupied with the realization that she needed to never continue what she had with Dante. Olivia's presence was a reminder, a challenge, and a wall she now erected around her heart.
I have to keep my distance, she whispered internally. I can't let myself fall for him—not with Olivia here.
She tried to focus on her meal, but the door opened, and a wave of tension swept through her chest. Dante entered with Olivia, their confident strides drawing the eyes of everyone in the restaurant. They slid into the VIP table near the center, Olivia clinging subtly to Dante, her laughter lilting, her hand brushing his arm as if marking territory.
Auri's chest tightened. Watching them together ignited a strange mix of jealousy, longing, and frustration. She quickly turned her gaze to her plate, forcing herself to focus, but she could feel every movement, every laugh, every glance exchanged between the couple.
Adrian, who had been observing her from across the room, finally slid into the chair opposite her. "Mind if I join?" he asked, voice smooth, eyes glinting with mischief.
Auri sighed softly, knowing she had no choice but to entertain Adrian. Thinking about Dante, Olivia, and their close, teasing moments made her stomach twist with longing she could not act on. Adrian was a distraction—a buffer to keep her mind from wandering to Dante—but she wasn't in the mood for playful flirtation.
"You can sit," she said lightly, forcing a smile.
Adrian leaned in, his voice low. "I have to say… you look even more captivating than last night."
Auri tilted her head, lips curved in a small smirk, though her eyes were distant. "Is that so?" she murmured, sipping her water.
Adrian persisted, subtle compliments and teasing, but Auri kept her replies short, measured. She was forcing herself to remain polite, to distract herself—but every word, every glance, brought Dante to the forefront of her mind.
Hours passed, and the restaurant began to empty. Auri excused herself, leaving Adrian behind with polite smiles and excuses. Her steps were brisk, a mixture of irritation and determination, as she returned to her suite. She had resolved to avoid Dante at all costs, even if it meant walking away from the magnetic pull she felt toward him.
Later that night, her resolve shattered. A furious pounding at her door startled her, and before she could react, Dante's voice cut through the quiet.
"Auri! Open this door—now!"
Her heart raced. She hesitated, anger and fear warring inside her. Slowly, she opened the door. Dante stormed in, his expression dark, stormy, and terrifyingly intense. Without a word, he grabbed her, pressing his lips harshly to hers in a kiss that demanded submission.
Auri's eyes widened in shock. She shoved him back forcefully. "Dante! What the hell—?"
Dante's hand gripped her arm, holding her close, his voice low, rough, and filled with fury. "Don't. You think I don't see what's happening? Adrian at the restaurant? You… you're not yours to toy with!"
Auri's chest heaved, anger flaring. "Toy with you? You mean… with your fiancée clinging to you all over the VIP table while I watch?!"
Dante's jaw tightened, eyes darkening. "That's different—she's—"
"Different? Different?" Auri shouted, stepping back. "She's your fiancée, Dante! Do you think I can just ignore that? Do you think I can pretend I don't see it?"
Dante's anger softened slightly, mixed with frustration and longing. "I… I didn't ask for her to be here yet. She's part of my life, yes, but that doesn't mean—"
"Doesn't mean what?" Auri snapped, tears pricking her eyes. "That you can kiss me last night? That you can tease me, make me feel… what? That I could fall for you?"
Dante's hands hovered near hers, unsure whether to touch or pull back. His chest heaved. "You think this is easy for me? Watching you… while trying to honor what I have with her? I want you, Auri. You. Not anyone else. But this—" He gestured vaguely toward the door, toward reality, toward the impossible situation.
Auri's mind spun. Her pulse pounded, both from the argument and the residual desire she couldn't fully suppress. "Then… what am I supposed to do, Dante? Just walk away? Pretend none of this matters?"
Dante's gaze softened, a dangerous tenderness beneath the storm of his anger. "No," he whispered. "I'm not asking you to walk away. I'm asking you… don't make me chase you while trying to chase someone else. Don't make me have to fight for you against my own life."
Auri's lips trembled. She wanted to yell, to argue, to resist—but the storm of emotions—anger, desire, frustration, longing—left her trembling in his arms.
The argument hung between them, unresolved, electrifying. The room felt charged with tension, passion, and the unspoken promise of the slow-burn romance that had been building since their first encounter.
Auri realized, with a mix of fear and exhilaration, that the rules she had set for herself—to stay untamed, to avoid falling too easily—were crumbling in the heat of Dante's presence. Yet she also knew that surrendering entirely, especially with Olivia in the picture, would complicate everything she had fought to maintain.