Page 95 of Theirs to Ruin

His words swirled around in my mind. Power? Freedom? He made it sound so alluring, but I wasn’t even sure what that would look like for me. I mean, I’d felt like a marionette most of my life, with strings being pulled in every direction. Was Dante suggesting I sever those strings? Start fresh? With him being a part of that journey?

It was tempting. Too tempting.

The idea of exploring things, not just with Dante but with Kage and whoever else I chose, was both exhilarating andfrightening. I’d been restrained for so long, and I knew that was partially my doing. But Dante wasn’t just talking about sex. He was suggesting a life unchained, unburdened. A life where I called the shots. God, could I even handle that kind of freedom?

“It’s just…you don’t seem like you’d be the kind to share,” I admitted.

“With you, it won’t be easy. It would be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

“Then…why?”

He took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering. "Because, Camille, while I have this feral need to protect and possess you, I recognize that real strength, real freedom, comes from choice. And you, with all the fire and spirit in you, deserve that choice more than anyone. I’d rather you have the world and choose to have me in it, than limit your world to just me.”

Dante’s eyes lingered on me for just a moment longer before he turned and walked away.

A wave of emotion washed over me, a potent blend of gratitude, surprise, and empowerment. Just like I’d felt after we’d visited the overlook but on a grander scale, it felt like Dante had just handed me the keys to shackles I hadn’t realized were weighing me down. All around me, doors seemed to be opening, revealing a world of choices I’d never allowed myself to see before.

That sense of newfound freedom, the thrill of it, was dizzying.

That’s when I knew: freedom wasmydrug.

Could I really get a taste of it then let it go? Because if I didn’t make Tier One, that’s exactly what was going to happen.

Chapter 41

Camille

Iwas still riding the high Dante had left me with when I walked into the house. Kage was in the living room, playing a video game on the big screen TV. He smiled at me but I could tell his smile was a little forced. “Zelda’s is slammed. Pizza won’t be here for another twenty minutes.”

“No problem.”

From the delicious smell in the air and the sound of clattering in the kitchen, that’s where I’d find Ty.

“Everything okay?” Kage asked, his gaze scanning my body as if searching for any evidence Dante had touched me. I blushed and nodded. I tipped my head toward the kitchen. “I’m going to grab a drink. Do you want anything?”

His smile widened into a naughty grin. “Rebel, you make it too easy.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes. “Do you want anything besides me?”

His expression instantly sobered, and though I thought he was going to say something filthy or even sweet, he didn’t. “Can you grab me a water bottle?”

“Coming right up.”

“Thanks. And find out what the hell your ex is making in there. Jesus, it smells delicious.”

I smiled stiffly. “He baked bread. Or pizza dough. I’ll be right back.”

I headed toward the kitchen. Dante’s words about me taking what I wanted churned in my head. So did Kage’s words that Ty still wanted me. That he was acting like an asshole to push me away.

What if was true?

I couldn’t just ask him. He’d never admit it.

As I got closer to the kitchen, I moaned at the scents wafting through the air. When I got there, Ty had his back to me and was washing something in the sink. A quick glance confirmed I’d been right—Ty had made Puccia bread from pizza dough and a single perfect sandwich sat on a white plate. Based on the ingredients on the counter, he’d stuffed the bread with Italian meats, burrata, basil, and tomatoes. I moved silently closer. On a small plate next to the sandwich, he’d poured olive oil and balsamic vinegar sprinkled with red chili flakes for dipping.

In Italy, Ty told me Puccia sandwiches were his specialty, and after he’d introduced me to them, he’d told me he’d make me one the next time I came to visit him.

Since that had never happened, I figured he owed me.

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