Page 32 of Beautiful Enemy

I gasp. “No.”

“You would deny me?”

My eyes fall to the floor. When I have to be bravest, I’m usually the most scared.

Dante places his fingers under my chin and tilts my face back up. With nowhere else to look, I’m forced to meet him in the eye. “You are so beautiful. But so afraid. Like a little doll I can play with.”

“I’m a woman,” I whisper. Why can’t I sound more confident? My anxiety spikes whenever I’m around men and I never know how to act.

“Oh, I know.” His eyes rake over my body. My stomach flutters in a way I don’t fully understand. “And that’s exactly why I want to see you. I want to know what’s hiding under that wedding dress. I’ve been curious ever since I took you.”

“And if I say no? Will you force me to get naked?”

“You are my enemy, Nadia. Would you expect me to act any other way?”

He’s right. Dante isn’t here to be a nice man. He’s not here to be my boyfriend and show me respect. He’s here to hurt me. Our kiss made me forget that for just a moment but Dante is a bad man and I can never forget that again.

“It’s cold in here. If you turned up the heat, then…”

“Then you’ll willingly take your dress off? Look at you. Always bargaining. It’s smart but it won’t work this time. You see, there’s no heat attached to the basement. And since I can’t take you out of here, it’s either take off the dress yourself or I’ll do it. That’s my offer.”

I’m not sure which is worse. If Dante takes my dress off, he could be rough. He could rip it and then I’d have nothing to wear. Nothing to keep me slightly warm at night, other than the blanket and it’s not much.

But if I take it off, I’ll have to deliberately take my dress off in front of him and I’m not sure I can handle that. To take that action would mean I have some say in this. But at what cost?

In a strange way, it would be almost easier to have Dante do it. That way I don’t have to feel any guilt about doing it myself.

“Well?” he asks, raising a perfect eyebrow. He’s so startingly handsome sometimes. It’s hard to believe someone so beautiful has such an evil soul.

“I’ll take it off.” It’s the best way to ensure my dress stays intact.

“I was hoping you would say that.” He takes a step back from me. “I’ve been curious what’s under that dress. Is your body just as beautiful as your face?”

My hands reach around to my back and undo the buttons there. Except, I’m struggling with a middle button. It’s too far away, either from below or above.

“Having difficulties?”

“I can’t reach it,” I admit, my hands dropping to my sides. “So, maybe we don’t have to do this. We just stop this now.”

“You’re cute, Nadia. Turn around.”

“I can take my dress off.”

“It doesn’t seem that way. Turn around.”

My eyes flick behind Dante and see that he left the basement door open. Without hesitating, I run right past him and make it to the first step before he wraps his arms around me.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I had to try.”

“I can’t begrudge you that, can I?” He lets me go and quickly walks up the stairs and shuts the door firmly before coming back down to me. “There. Now, no funny ideas. Turn around.”

I do as he says. It’s not worth fighting. I’ll only end up hurt.

Dante’s hands are heavy on my back but they’re not unpleasant. His touch sort ofzingsin a way, sending goosebumps over my skin.

His hands move down to the button at the middle of my back. He runs his fingers over the button, playing with it, and tickling my back in the process.

---