Page 108 of Savage Vows
DANTE
It’s beentwo nights since I last slept. The world outside the car is nothing but streaks of passing light, the blacktop shining with rain. Julianne sits beside me, her face pale and closed off, eyes fixed on the dark window. She hasn’t said a word about Adriana since we left the city. She doesn’t look worried. If anything, she seems almost relieved.
I try to focus on the road, but my thoughts keep circling back to Adriana. Every time I look at Julianne, all I see is the sister I can’t reach. The seat beside me should belong to her, not Julianne. I wonder where Adriana is sleeping tonight, if she’s safe, if she’s eating, if she’s angry with me—or if she’s afraid.
Julianne leans her head against the glass, the motion steady, her breathing even. There’s no tension in her shoulders, no signs of panic or grief.
We finally pull through the gates just before sunrise, the estate looming ahead with its lights glowing in the wet gray dawn. Julianne smooths her hair as we park, her movements precise and practiced, not a hint of nerves in her face.
My father is already waiting for us at the foyer, flanked by two guards. He smiles when he sees Julianne step out beside me, his expression full of satisfaction—like a chess player sliding his queen into place.
“Well done, son,” he says, clapping me on the shoulder. “The family looks better with you two side by side.”
Julianne offers a polite smile, folding her hands in front of her. She doesn’t flinch when my father kisses her cheek.
My mother hovers just behind him, her lips pressed thin, her gaze darting from me to Julianne and then away again. She says nothing, but I see something unsettled in her eyes—worry, maybe, or pity.
Liam stands by the doorway, mug in hand, posture stiff. He greets Julianne with a nod, avoids my gaze, and disappears inside without another word.
I can barely breathe as I step into the entry hall, the ache in my chest almost blinding. My father turns, pleased with himself, already savoring whatever power play he thinks he’s won. I cross the marble floor and kneel at his feet, ignoring the shock on everyone’s faces.
I open my palm and hold out the pregnancy test, the two faint lines visible under the foyer lights.
He frowns, not understanding at first. “What is this?” he asks.
“You know where she is?” My voice is steady, but my hands are shaking.
He looks at me, puzzled. “Who? What are you talking about?”
“My wife,” I snap, my control breaking. “Did you take her?”
His face shifts from confusion to irritation. “You’re being ridiculous, Dante. I have no idea what you’re talking about. Get up. Enough of this.”
But I don’t move. I can feel the rage burning in my veins, erasing every last shred of patience. I get to my feet, meet his eyes one last time, and then turn and walk out the door without another word.
I head straight to the garage, grab a can of gasoline, and stride back up the drive, unscrewing the cap. The scent of gasoline fills the air as I splash it across the stone steps and around the pillars. My father wheels himself out.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he yells, followed by my mother, Liam, and Julianne, all rushing out in disbelief.
I keep pouring, my hands steady. “You want to see what happens when you push me too far? You want to see what I’ll do for her?”
The family gathers on the steps, horror and fear etched on their faces. For the first time, I see real uncertainty in my father’s eyes as the smell of fuel spreads through the air, and everyone understands just how far I’m willing to go to get her back.
I turn to face them, my hand steady, my rage burning brighter than the morning sun.
“Tell me where she is,” I say, voice cold as ice. “Or I’ll burn this whole place to the ground.”
“You’re acting insane!” my father shouts from his wheelchair, his voice cutting through the chaos. He wheels forward, furious. “What’s gotten into you, Dante?”
I grip the lighter tight in my fist, gasoline fumes burning in my nose. My hands are trembling but my words are steady. “I can’t lose her. You get it? I can’t lose Adriana. I can’t lose my child.”
Julianne steps forward, voice cracking. “Dante, please?—”
“No more lies!” I bark, the words echoing across the courtyard. I lock eyes with her. “I saw you with my father. In that restaurant. What are you really up to?”
Liam grabs my arm, trying to pull me back, while my mother pleads for calm, tears in her eyes. “Dante, please, don’t do this,” she says. “You’re not yourself.”
Julianne sees the pregnancy test in my hand, her face crumples, and everything unravels. She falls to her knees on the gravel, sobbing, her words pouring out in broken, desperate waves.
