Chapter 158 Taken
Dante’s POV
I knew that voice. I didn't need a face to know who owned that particular tone.
The moment it hit my ears, something in me went still.
I wasn't necessarily surprised she was here, I wasn't just prepared to see her.
But there she was.
I turned and spotted her, standing just behind me, dressed like she belonged here, like she had every right to walk into my space uninvited.
“I didn't think it would take this long to see the star of the night,” she repeated with a faint smile playing on her lips.
I held her gaze for about a second, then I looked away, dismissing her and hoping she gets the message.
But of course she doesn't, she never does.
“Dante,” she called out again. Then I stepped past her like she wasn’t there.
And didn’t stop, nor respond.
“That’s rude,” she said lightly, following me by my side.
But I ignored her as my eyes moved across the room again, scanning the room for the one that mattered.
But Serena wasn’t here, at least not where I was looking.
“Busy night?” Issabella continued, tilting her head to get me to notice her or her mask.
But I pretended not to, I just kept walking.
“Or is something… missing?”
That made my jaw tighten just slightly, but I didn’t take the bait. I didn’t even look at her.
“I’m not in the mood,” I said flatly.
“Mm.” She hummed softly. “You never are when things stop going your way.”
I stopped and slowly turned to her.
My patience was already thin and she was really pushing it.
“What do you want?” I asked in a low growl.
Her smile just grew wider. “A conversation,” she replied.
“Find someone else,” I said flatly, and she stepped closer, too close.
“I prefer you,” she said while dropping her voice low.
That was it. I looked down at her with my expression sharpening.
“Then prefer from a distance,” I spat out.
There was a pause, then she laughed softly, like I’d said something funny.
“You’re tense,” she observed with her eyes openly going over my face. “That’s new.”
“Get lost,” I simply said.
“Woah,” she said easily. “You’re usually better at pretending than actually being in control.”
My chest tightened and I leaned in slightly, just enough for our faces to draw close.
“Walk away,” I said.
“Or what?” She challenged me with a smirk I could see through her mask.
I held her gaze, and for a second, neither of us spoke.
Then she smiled again. “Don’t worry,” she said softly, her voice dipping just enough to feel like she's in control. “You’ll still come back to me.”
My expression didn’t change, but something about the confidence in her voice made me think twice.
It didn’t just sit right.
She stepped back before I could respond, smoothing her dress like nothing had happened.
And just like that, she turned and walked away.
No hesitation, no looking back. She just walked away.
What was that all about?
I watched her for a second longer than I should have.
Then exhaled sharply, dragging my eyes away.
Whatever it was, it didn't matter.
Whatever game she was trying to play, I didn’t have time for it.
Finding Serena was all that mattered.
But that was easier said than done. After another thirty minutes of fruitless searching, I returned to the booth.
I didn’t realize how long I’d been sitting till the noise around me faded off.
The booth felt… empty, too empty.
My fingers tapped once against the table before going still.
Think. Where would she—
“Mind if I join you?”
A voice pulled me back and I looked up to find Valentina standing beside the booth.
I gave a weak smile before gesturing to the seat opposite me.
She walked in and sat carefully, settling in casually.
“Nice ball,” she said after a moment, glancing around lazily. “It was well organized.”
I didn’t respond.
“It’s a bit dull, compared to others, and even last year's,” she added. “Too stiff.”
My gaze flicked to her briefly, then away again.
“I noticed your mood,” she continued, folding her hands over her chest. “You’ve been off all night.”
I leaned back slightly as my patience had already thinned away from earlier.
“I’m not in the mood for any talk right now,” I replied calmly.
She smiled faintly. “You never are. I mean, when last were you ever ready to just chat?”
I narrowed my eyes on her, but didn't respond.
“You remind me of your father sometimes,” she added casually.
That made my eyes snap back to her and she held my gaze calmly.
“Same look,” she continued. “When something matters… you forget everything else.”
My jaw tightened. I didn’t like where this was going.
“She’ll be fine,” she said suddenly.
I still went. “What?”
“Serena,” she clarified in a calm tone. “It’s obvious you’re worried about her.”
My gaze sharpened, I hadn’t said anything to her about it, it wasn't announced.
“She’s strong,” Valentina continued. “Stronger than you think.”
For a second, I just looked at her, then I leaned forward slightly.
“I think she left,” I said in a low voice. “Or something happened. Either way, she’s not where she should be.”
“She’ll come back,” she said simply. “You don’t need to tear the night apart over it.”
My jaw tightened again. It was easy for her to say.
I leaned back and breathed out once.
The music grew louder in the background as she got up and tapped my shoulder once before walking off.
My eyes followed her as she walked off. Maybe she was right, but time had passed, too much of it.
It wasn't long again before I was notified that the ball would be closing soon.
Well, this was really one hell of a ball. Certainly the worst I've had in years.
I stood abruptly and a few minutes later, I was on stage with a microphone in hand.
I had about a thousand pairs of eyes on me.
Everyone was watching now as the music died down.
All that was left was for me to speak, and I did. Smooth, controlled, like nothing was wrong.
Like I wasn’t thinking about the fact that she was gone.
I said all I could remember, thanking them for coming, adding a few jokes here and there, pointing out that I hoped they had made enough deals and partnerships and not just drank themselves away.
They laughed at that.
I said a few other things that had been written down for me, speaking publicly had never been my problem, and in a few minutes, I was ending it.
“This is only the beginning,” I finished, my voice steady. “To everything ahead.”
The room exploded in applause as I stepped back.
And as people began to move, to leave, I spotted him from across the room.
The head of the Romano family. He was looking directly at me.
Then smiled, lifted his hand with two fingers to his temple, and gave a small, deliberate motion outwardly.
A casual, mocking salute.
Then turned, and walked away. And as he did, something cold slid down my spine.
That was wrong. That wasn’t just—
“Boss.”
I turned sharply.
Nico was already moving towards me urgently.
“What?”
“We got something,” he replied.
My chest tightened. “What is it?” I repeated.
He stepped closer and lowered his voice.
“She’s been taken.”