Page 17 of Brutal Don

“I would get rid of the demons that still haunt you, sweet Cara,” Dante murmured. Dante released her cheek. She frowned, as if she didn’t want him to stop touching her.

Dante left the bottle on the bedstead, then slipped in the sheets next to her. Sleep eluded him. His thoughts preoccupied him.

So what if Cara had planned to slip those pills into his drink or food tonight? Her plan failed. The fact the Gambinos made a move on someone he swore to protect angered him but Dante had to admit, the attack worked in his favor.

After having her in the bathroom and after what Cara had gone through today, Dante had a feeling any thought of rebellion would be further eliminated from her mind.

Cara had finally come to the realization that Dante was her ally. She could only rely on him and no one else. Cara would be in his corner. He had won and his enemies had helped without realizing it. Dante chuckled.

At the crack of dawn, Dante decided to get up. He’d just have to catch a power nap or two at the office. Cara yawned and stretched. In Dante’s opinion, she looked more relaxed.

When she opened her eyes to look at him, she no longer seemed confused or terrified. Cara flashed him a lazy smile and it struck Dante that she no longer reminded him of prey.

She reached out, ran her fingers down the curve of his elbow, her touch feathery soft. Dante could grow addicted to her touches.

“Good morning, baby. Did you sleep well?” Dante asked. He wondered how long it would take her to see the bottle of pills. How would she react?

“I did. I had nightmares at first but I fell into a dreamless sleep after.” Cara sat up in bed. Then she saw the bottle on the bedstead and froze.

“You’ve been having trouble sleeping?” Dante pressed when she hadn’t spoken.

Cara took several deep breaths before facing him. “I have a confession to make.”

She wasn’t going to lie? Dante grew intrigued. “Yes?”

“Yesterday, I made up some half-assed plan to cook dinner and slip you those pills. Once you were knocked out, I’d planned to escape,” she said. She was a bold one, for holding his gaze.

“And you thought that would work?” Dante asked.

Cara shook her head. “Like I said, it wasn’t a well-thought-out plan. I wasn’t even sure I could pull it off, then that drug addict attacked us.”

Cara shivered and raised her knees to her chest. She couldn’t meet his eyes now. Tears gathered under her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. Cara cried rather prettily, Dante thought. It didn’t seem to be an act.

An unknown emotion tugged at his dead heart. Pity? Concern? Whatever it was, it was dangerous. Too late to make a retreat now. Whether he liked it or not, Cara’s fate was closely entwined with his.

“I’m so sorry, Dante,” she whispered. “I got scared.”

Chapter Nine

“Scared? Why?” Dante asked.

He brushed away her tears with his fingers. God. Cara couldn’t believe she was crying. She simply couldn’t help it.

Cara had dreamed of the young man who tried to kidnap her. She could still feel the weight of his body crushing her and his sticky blood on her clothes.

“That eventually you’d get tired of me,” Cara admitted in a small voice.

Why was Dante so calm after her confession? His calm reaction alarmed her a little. Surely, any man would be pissed that someone would try to make a fool out of him.

Dante raised her chin using two fingers, forcing her to meet his eyes.

“Cara, I assure you that you would never bore me,” he said.

“That’s a lie. Men like you dispose of playthings that no longer interest them without another thought.”

Cara gasped when he released her chin and trailed his fingers down her neck, then her chest. Dante gave her left nipple a squeeze through the fabric of her shirt. A moan slipped out of her mouth. Cara couldn’t help it.

“Get this in your pretty little head, Cara. You’re not just a toy to me. In fact, I’ve decided I want to keep you,” Dante said.

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