Page 30 of Impure Vows

I close my eyes, trying to block out the reality of his words. “You’re a fucking monster.”

“Perhaps,” he murmurs, his thumb still caressing my cheek. “But I’m a monster who fucking owns you.”

I open my eyes, meeting his gaze with a defiance I barely feel. “You don’t own me.”

He chuckles, a dark, humorless sound. “Oh, but I do. You’ll come to see that soon enough.”

His words settle over me like a dark cloud, suffocating any remaining hope. I’m trapped, and the worst part is, he knows it.

My voice shakes as I force out the words, each one a heavy weight on my tongue. "I'll go with you."

Dante's eyes light up with satisfaction. "Good girl," he murmurs, his fingers trailing down my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

It's for Sophia, I remind myself. She has no part in this nightmare, and I can't let her suffer because of me. Dante has backed me into a corner so tight there's no room to breathe, let alone escape. And even if I managed to run, he'd find me. He went through lengths to get to me like it was nothing. He means it when he says he'd kill her.

Dante's grip on my arm tightens, pulling me closer.

I don't want to find out what happens if I try to run again. No. This is the only way to keep Sophia safe, and some part of me realizes that it was always going to come to this. Dante’s grip on my arm is firm, and I can feel his eyes on me, watching my every move, reading my every thought.

I glance at him, my heart pounding in my chest, each beat echoing the fear and confusion swirling inside me. "Where are we going?" I ask, my voice trembling despite my attempt to sound calm.

He raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips that sends a shiver down my spine. "You'll see," he replies, his tone dripping with a mix of amusement and menace. The uncertainty of his answer only heightens my anxiety, making me feel even more trapped in this nightmare.

I stare into Dante’s piercing eyes, just like I did that first night. I saw too much. The grin that spreads slowly across his face makes him look even more psychotic. A shiver runs down my spine.

"Why are you smiling?" I demand, trying to mask my fear with defiance, though my voice wavers.

"Because, Aliyah," he says, his voice dripping with amusement, "you’re finally understanding your place."

"I’ll never understand you," I retort, glaring up at him, my eyes narrowing. "You’re insane."

He chuckles, a low, dark sound that makes my skin crawl. "Insanity is a matter of perspective, darling."

I grit my teeth, anger bubbling up inside me, fighting against the fear. "Stop calling me that.”

His grin widens, a predatory look that sends another shiver down my spine. I swallow hard, trying to steady my breathing. "I don’t belong to you."

His eyes bore into mine, and I can almost feel the intensity of his gaze physically pressing down on me. I take a step back, but he mirrors me, closing the distance again.

His hand reaches out, fingers brushing against my cheek in a mockingly gentle caress. I flinch but force myself to hold my ground, refusing to show weakness. "Oh, but you do," he murmurs, his voice a dark promise. "Every breath you take, every thought you have—it’s all mine now."

I can’t tear my eyes away from the intensity of his dark gaze. His smirk never falters, as if he’s daring me to defy him, to challenge his absolute control over me. Every fiber of my being screams to fight back, but the fear is paralyzing, locking me in place.

16

DANTE

My fingers dig into Aliyah’s arm, the soft skin giving way under my grip. She whimpers as we walk towards the waiting car. Her curls are in a loose bun on top of her head, and I can only imagine what she looks like with it splayed around her as I look down at her naked body.

She tries to pull away, but I tighten my hold, not wanting to risk her trying to escape, even though I know she won’t. My breathing is heavy, my nose filled with her scent. It's intoxicating.

“You’re hurting me,” she whispers, her voice trembling.

“Good,” I reply, keeping my tone low and menacing. “It means you’ll remember who’s in charge.”

Her eyes widen, but she says nothing, just lets me drag her to the car. I can feel her body shaking. The fear radiating off her is almost palpable.

We reach the car and Luca nods at me from the driver’s seat. I shove Aliyah into the backseat. She stumbles, catching herself on the leather upholstery. I slide in beside her, closing the door with a finality that makes her flinch.

---