Page 66 of Shadows of Steel
Dante leans back, drumming his fingers against the stem of his glass. “No?” His gaze is locked onto mine, assessing, calculating, burning. “Then explain to me why my son thinks his coach has a fucking interest in you.”
I glare at him. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
His eyes gleam dangerously. “Ridiculous? No. Cautious? Absolutely. I don’t like men looking at what belongs to me.”
My breath hitches before I can stop it, and his smirk deepens, like he hears the unspoken reaction. I force a scoff. “Right. Because this is all real, isn’t it? Or did you forget? The ring, the title, it’s all for appearances.”
His smirk doesn’t fade. “Of course it is. And if I have to put a bullet in a man to keep up appearances, so be it.”
I shake my head, exhaling sharply. “You’d kill a man over a look, wouldn’t you?”
Dante tilts his glass slightly, swirling the wine. “Indeed.” He takes a slow sip, and adds. “A look. A word. A lingering glance in the wrong direction.” His eyes flick to mine. “Tell me, leonessa, would you prefer I deny it? Or shall I remind you precisely what kind of man you married?”
Mattia watches the exchange with mild interest, his gaze bouncing between us, as if trying to figure out if this is normal. Then, with all the casual ease of a child, he pushes his dessert plate away and stands.
“I’m gonna play a game before bed. My friend’s already waiting!” He pushes back his chair, barely sparing us a glance. “Bye!”
Dante lifts his glass, watching him. “Don’t stay up too late.” His tone is laced with authority.
Mattia huffs. “I won’t!”
I shake my head, amused. “Sleep well, picollino.”
To my surprise, he hesitates, just for a second, then steps closer, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek before darting off, as if worried I might acknowledge it.
I remain still, momentarily caught off guard. The faint warmth lingers, delicate, settling somewhere deep within me. Dante watches intently, his expression tight, but I don’t look in his direction. Because if I do, he’ll see the way my fingers tighten subtly around the stem of my glass, the way my pulse quickens against my will. I clear my throat, pushing back my chair. “I should retire for the evening. Today has been…exhausting.”
Dante rises smoothly, adjusting his cuffs. “I’ll accompany you.”
I pause, turning to him. “Oh, so you’ve decided to grace me with your presence tonight?”
He arches a brow. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”
A smirk tugs at my lips. “Ever since you had your mouth between my thighs, you've been keeping your distance. Tell me, Dante, did it unnerve you?”
His eyes darken, amusement flickering beneath the intensity of his gaze. “I never run scared, leonessa. You should know that by now.”
I cross my arms, tilting my head ever so slightly. “Could’ve fooled me.”
He steps closer, the space between us shrinking, His scent unmistakably him, wraps around me, suffocating and intoxicating all at once. “I’ve had pressing matters to attend to,” he murmurs, his voice dipping. “But don’t tell me you longed for my absence.”
I scoff, tilting my chin up with feigned indifference. “Please. Don’t flatter yourself. You merely made me come, hardly an extraordinary feat. Any man with a little skill can manage that.”
I let the words hang, savouring the way his jaw tightens, the flicker of something deadly sparking in his gaze. I should stop. I know it. But I don’t. I want to watch him unravel. With a slow, taunting smirk, I lean in just enough for my breath to graze his skin. “Some even do it better.”
The shift is instantaneous. The air thickens, dark, suffocating, charged with something primal. The man before me is no longer merely irritated. He is deadly. In a flash, Dante grips the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair with bruising force. He yanks, twisting my head back, baring my throat to him as he towers over me. His voice is low, edged with pure, unfiltered rage. “Say that again. I fucking dare you.”
I swallow, my pulse a frantic staccato beneath his touch. “What’s wrong, Dante?” I taunt, my voice quieter now, but no less defiant. “Did I strike a nerve?”
His grip tightens, breath hot against my lips, his gaze unhinged. “If you ever mention another man in my presence, leonessa,” his voice drops, a dark edge slicing through every word. “I will fucking ruin you. Do you understand?”
A shiver rakes down my spine. He doesn’t stop. Doesn’t let go. “I’ll put you on your knees, tear that insolent little smirk off your face, and remind you exactly who you belong to.” His thumb brushes over my bottom lip before gripping my jaw with bruising possession. “And if you ever let another man touch you—” his eyes flicker with something unholy, something deranged, “I will fucking kill him. Slowly. Painfully. And I’ll make you watch.”
My breath falters, I should be afraid. Perhaps I am.
But God help me, my own body is a traitor.
My pulse spikes, heat pooling low in my belly, in response to the sheer dominance in his gaze. I must be unhinged. No sane person would react like this. I'm breathless, my legs unsteady, the dampness between my thighs a humiliating betrayal.
