Page 28 of Beautiful Enemy

I suck in a breath and stand up straight. “I told you everything.”

“No, you didn’t.” He’s standing right beside me, breathing against me, practically holding me. I want to be held right now. Comforted. But Dante is the last person to do that. “You’re keeping something from me. Tell me.”

I hold the blanket tighter to my body; my nails dig into the fabric. “He hit me too.”

Dante tenses beside me. “How did it feel?”

“It hurt.”

“No. I mean, how did it feel to have your father betray you like that?”

“It hurt so much more than his hand did. I wasn’t safe there. He kept me from Anya. He wanted to torture her. And I think he wanted to torture me.”

“I’m curious. Why does he hate you and Anya so much? Or is that something I have to ask him?” Dante turns to the camera. “Sergei, when you watch this, I want you to send me a reply. Tell me why you hate your daughters. I’m fascinated.”

“I-,” I start to say, then clamp my lips shut.

That was a mistake, I know it.

Dante pushes a piece of my hair behind my ear. Fortunately, he didn’t cut off much. Most of it is still intact. “What, Nadia? What are you not telling me?”

“No. I won’t tell you everything. I’ll only tell you more if you get me out of this basement.”

“You ask for too much,” he growls.

“Or I ask for too little. I could ask you to release me, you know. But I haven’t.”

“Because you’re not naïve. You know I will never let you go.” His hand remains on my cheek, his thumb swiping over my tears. It’s almost like an action of a lover. Not the action of my captor. “Tell me.”

“No. Give me something in return.”

“I already gave you a blanket.”

“That’s not kindness. You are an evil man.”

He cups his hand around the back of my head. “I can give you something in return.”

He kisses me.

It happens so suddenly, I can’t even react. But Dante doesn’t pull away. He only presses into me further. His lips fight against mine until I have no choice but to gasp and let him in.

He deepens the kiss as his arms wrap around me, pulling me flush against him. I’ve never been kissed before. I’m not sure if I’m good or terrible at it.

None of that matters though because Dante’s opinion doesn’t matter. He’s my enemy. I hate him.

And yet… our kiss doesn’t disgust me. Not at all.

It honestly feels good to be held. To feel desired. To feel wanted.

And then it’s all over.

Dante steps back, looking down at me with an expression I can’t make out. It’s not smug, nor is it disgust. It’s… fear? I don’t understand it.

Finn’s laughter breaks through our moment and Dante turns to him with a snarl. “Get out. Both of you,” he says to the brothers.

Aiden starts heading for the stairs but it’s Finn who hesitates.

“Get out,” Dante growls.

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