Chapter 38 He's by My Side
Chapter 38
Serena's POV
Pay the price.
Pay the price.
Pay the price.
Pay the price.
Pay the price.
I jerked awake suddenly, scrambling my eyes around immediately they shot open. I began scanning the room frantically, like I'd forgotten where I was.
My heart raced as beads of sweat felt from my head, quickly dried up by the freezing air conditioner. My eyes were to the ceiling and as I tried shifting onto my side, I felt something heavy draped over my waist, pinning me down.
I tried to place my mind on what had happened then I maneuvered my eyes to catch the sight of what it was.
A large hand, thick with muscles laid over my waist like the owner never wanted me to leave. I followed it up to the body attached and met the figure of Dante, looking so relaxed in his sleep.
His eyes were still closed and his chest rose and fell rhythmically as he slept on. He didn't have his shirt on and we were well positioned on the bed. Must have done some shifting after I'd slept.
I tried shifting my legs but they didn't budge, they were all tangled up with his like we'd twisted together in sleep and stayed that way. It wasn't till I laid my head back on his shoulder that I realized that I was sleeping next to Dante.
Like he had slept here, with me. Usually, after... that, he would vanish before I wake up, leaving me alone and waking to an empty bed save for the flower.
But here he was today, still wrapped around me, like it actually meant something to him this time around.
I watched him for a minute, watching the way his chest rose steadily and fell same. I watched the way he looked so at peace, like nothing had ever gone wrong.
I was so used to seeing him all charged up and ready that the sight of his jaw soft and his brows free nearly tipped me over. He looked so peaceful, almost vulnerable, quite a rare sight.
The moment felt right. Waking in his arms made me feel safe, like we could be more than master and pet.
But then, the moment was short-lived as a throbbing pain returned to my head.
Pay the price.
The words echoed in my head, loud and unbearable. I groaned softly, regretting immediately as I was careful not to wake him.
I shifted slightly, easing his arm off a bit without stirring him. The dream... or nightmare came rushing back, those words repeated endlessly like a warning on repeat.
Dante's whisper before sleep, "for everything you need, you must be willing to pay the price." Then the texts from that creepy unknown number, offering me a chance at freedom but at a price.
But what do I really want? I asked myself. Is it freedom? A chance to be out from under his thumb? No more to feel like a toy? Or this, moments like now, tangled up and feeling like I'm actually wanted for once?
The more I thought about it, the clearer it got. I wanted moments like this, but I couldn't keep paying with pieces of my life. I needed freedom.
Dante's POV
I flicked one eye open carefully, checking if she was still staring. She wasn't, her head was turned away now and her eyes were stuck on the ceiling.
She looked lost in thought. Her brows were pulled together, like she was puzzling something serious together.
It felt strange laying here, I hadn't laid in this room in years. My arm which I had slung over her waist from last night now laid on the mattress with her on it. It took everything in me not to complain as blood rushed out.
The heaviness from the last 48 hours of chaos came falling on me last night and after such a time, I had to accept the call. In that time, I had gotten no sleep, shocking to see me awake this early.
But I felt the color draining from my face quickly. The last time I slept on the same bed with someone after a fuck was pretty long ago. Actually, it was Issabella and it was over three years ago. Before I cut her loose.
Last night replayed quickly, the guilt from it all followed. I could tell she wasn't in for it at first, her mind was elsewhere, but I pushed anyway.
I pushed for myself alone. I needed to forget about Issabella and I felt that burying myself in Serena would free me from that. But it didn't. The sex felt... different.
It was good, yeah, her body felt right against mine as usual, responsive too, but lacked that similar fire. The one with Isabella.
Yeah, maybe it was down to the fact she didn't want it. But with Serena, I had more control, she kept following my lead, not nearly as proactive as Issabella. She didn't pull any crazy moves from her end.
I shook my head and pushed the thought away. I forced myself to focus on the good side, her genuine moans, the way her body felt soft against mine.
Then I turned to her, watching her still lost. "Penny for your thoughts?" I boomed out, catching her by surprise as she jerked and turned to face me, pretending all was well.
"I'm fine," she hurried out.
"I'm not buying that," I kept on.
"Seriously, there's nothing wr—"
I cut her off by shifting to my side and pulling her closer till my dick brushed against her thigh, hardening slightly. I ignored it though and kissed her neck softly. "If it's about yesterday, I'm—"
I tried to say but she cut me off too. "No, no, not that. Just... there are things on my mind."
I smirked then teased her a bit. "What things? Spill."
She shifted away from me, avoiding my eyes. "Nothing big," she replied dryly again.
"Come on," I drawled out and nuzzled her ear. "You can't hide from me, you know?" I added with a smirk.
She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I had a good night, Dante. Especially with you here."
I raised a brow. "Oh yeah? The sex or the sleep?"
She laughed again, the first real one for now. "Both, I guess."
I pushed on. "Tell me what's bugging you. That ceiling got secrets?"
She rolled eyes, but loosened up and turned to me, her body felt more relaxed. "You're annoying, you know?" She teased with a smirk.
"Charming, you mean," I smiled and pulled her on top of me playfully.
"What are you doing?" She laughed and was now straddling me.
"Giving you a better view," I smirked.
"You annoying prick," she laughed and hit my chest lightly.
"Ouch. I'm starting to feel you like my prick more than me," I joked and tickled her
"Stop," she giggled till I stopped and held her in place as we stared into each other's eyes for a while with no word.
Then she broke it. "And to respond to your earlier statement. Maybe I do," she smirked, teasing me back.
"Oh really, " I smirked, giving her that crazy look again.
She stared down at me with a straight face, clearly reading the message. "No, we are not doing this this morning," she laughed with a shake of her head.
I smirked harder. "But you just said..."
I let my words trail, leaving her to piece it together.
She hit my chest again lightly. "Okay," she said with a smirk and sat straight on me with her finger in her mouth and looking away from me like she was thinking. "We'll do this on one condition.”