Page 21 of Ink Deep Devotion

Dash never told me I wasn’t good enough; neither did Dante nor Cillian. They accepted me into their fucked up family as I was. They never expected more; they promised if I gave less, they would still welcome me.

My eyes pivot to the door. But they keep leaving…

Dom’s shadow engulfs me. Maybe he’s the best option?

“Of course. We’ll hire the best doctors.”

“Why do you care if I dance?” Why do I bother asking? I’m so confused and empty. I keep trying to spill out a purpose, but nothing truly comes forth.

He blinks as if confused.“You’re a star, Mila, someone who is a trophy to be viewed. You’re the love of my life, and I want the world to know that.”

The love of your life is a trophy?

“You belong on a stage. You love ballet.” He presses.“You’re just confused, but that will fade. We all go through times like this. It will pass, and when it does, you’ll thank me for pushing you.”

Did Dash push me or pull me back from what vexed me?

Dash took my hand and plucked the needle from it. He replaced it with a paintbrush.

Dom would just use that needle to sew me tighter. He’s not fixing me, just masking the issues with compliments.

Stop thinking of Dash! He’s not here!

Dom continues as he tells me his plans for our future. He’s in love with a ghost that appears on stage, performs, and then slips away until she is called forth again.

He never loved me. He’s infatuated with the awe-inspired looks other people give me when I dance. Dom craves the jealous looks other men give him when they see me spinning on the tips of my toes.

Some women find a man that sweeps them off their feet.

I found a man who is forcing me to stay on mine, no matter the pain or sacrifices.

Chapter 8

Dante

The sterile aroma of the hallway engulfs my nostrils as my brother and I step out of Mila’s room. Cold gazes follow us as we pass her bodyguards. Mentally, I smirk, knowing that one of them is in my pocket.

I’ve wasted no time since I graduated Initiation 101.

Not one single second.

As soon as I was free, I tried to get back inside to my brothers. We all expected to take our final test together. We were wrong.

Anders and Titan were liberated the same day I was. Neither of them would speak of what their final test was. Then again, I didn’t mention what I was forced to do, either.

But there was something that haunted not just me, but those who have passed Initiation 101. A man was standing in the shadows, using them to conceal his face. He watched and judged us during the final weeks I was trapped there, but he wasn’t an instructor. It felt like he was a scout who came to see if we would be good enough for him. His silhouette haunts my dreams. Itcomes forth and grabs me, engulfing me in smoke, forcing me to swallow it down and do his bidding.

As for the others, they are still trapped, and it’s eating me alive. How can I sleep peacefully with this knowledge? I can’t. So I stay up and think. I strategize and devise plans for the Brotherhood.

All I have are plans and promises, one of which is Mila.

I force a hard swallow down as I tug at the collar of my shirt. Knowing that Mila has moved on will be the final blow to Dash’s last shred of existence. Dash pushed her away, but deep down, I know he held onto a deep, dark secret; he hoped she remained loyal to him.

First love is the most brutal. It molds our understanding of love later on. Dash will view it as betrayal, while Mila sees it as a game of false promises and lies.

How do I convince them to rewrite their definition?

Nico grabs my arm, stopping me from going into the elevator.“You seriously are not going to let that conniving rat near her.” He growls, tugging me back into the hall.

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