Page 72 of Hearts Of Darkness

He looks so beautiful. So determined to die. His cuts andbruises are shocking this close-up.

We stay locked together like this for the longest time. Me, barely standing on shaking legs by the edge of the bed, and him, knelt before me. Connected only by a loaded gun and the ruin of his actions. Just staring at each other, neither one of us willing to break contact first.

I can’t stop thinking about Ryan and the last day I saw him alive. He was joking about some new ‘get rich quick’ scheme he was going to invest in. I had no reason to suspect narcotics, none of us did. We’d both grown up in the shadow of my father’s work. We knew all the cautionary stories, the tragedies, the statistics. Damn him for thinking he was any different.

I can’t stop thinking about my parents either, or how they’d shattered like priceless china on the day of his funeral.

I remember a panicked phone call not long before he died—a pleading for money that was refused. A decision I will regret for the rest of my life.

My finger flicks the safety off, and the noise splinters the silence. “Do you feel any remorse for the things you’ve done?” I croak, searching his face for one final bargaining chip. Something that will make this criminal’s life worth saving.Somethingthat will make my finger loosen on this trigger.

There’s another pause. “Every day, Eve… Every damn day.”

The gun drops from my hand and hits the floor with a dull thud. “So help me God, Dante. You better pick that up and shoot me because I will find another way to destroy you for what you’ve done.”

There’s no triumph in his face, no relief, but his next words devastate me all the same. “No, you won’t, my angel.You can’t pull that trigger on me, any more than I can pull that trigger on you.”

With a gut-wrenching sob, I bolt for the en suite.

Slamming the door in his face, I smash the lock across and slide down the white tiles in a crumpled heap. I hate myself a thousand times over. I had the chance to exact revenge for my brother and my family, and I failed.

There’s a sharp rap on the door.

“Open up, Eve.”

He sounds stronger now, more like the old Dante. I’ve played into his hands like a dream. He knew I’d never kill him, no matter how hard he pushed, no matter how cruel his taunts were.

“Go to hell!” I scream.

“I’m already there. Believe me.”

“Leave me alone!”

“We need to talk about this. Stand back.”

“Don’t you dare…”

“Do it, Eve.”

The doorframe shudders and caves inward beneath his fists. I cover my head with my arms as I’m pelted with splintered wood and plaster fragments. Through the broken remains of the door, I see his silhouette, and then a large hand is reaching out for me.

“Don’t you fucking touch me,” I hiss, cringing against the tiles, but he grabs my arm and drags me to my feet, regardless.

Pulling me out of the bathroom, he throws me onto the bed and stands there looking down at me, a familiar fire raging in his eyes.

I can’t help laughing at this. “Don’t think that because Ididn’t kill you, I still want to fuck you, DanteSantiago.”

“If I wanted to fuck you, EveMiller, I’d do so, and, by God, you’d be screaming out my name.”

“So, you’re adding rapist to your long list of dubious accolades?” It’s my turn to goad him now.

“Would it really be rape? Despite everything, I know you still burn for my touch… Besides, you already think I’m the devil incarnate. One more sin isn’t going to change that.”

“You just said you regretted everything?” I whisper in horror.

“Noteverything,” he corrects with a grimace. “Don’t chip away at my armor, Eve. You might not like what’s underneath.”

“You lied to me!”

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