Chapter 19 Discussion in snow
Dante POV
Isabella made good of her word. She really was addicting. I hadn’t gotten that much enjoyment out of a woman before. The sex was good, but once I was finished, the drive was usually gone.
I was a man with needs, so lots of sex was a part of my life. But it wasn’t ever with the same
person until now. I fucked her once, but immediately afterward, I wanted her again.
I told myself that my obsession came from the context of the situation. She was the daughter of my mortal enemy and stuffing my come between her legs felt forbidden and felt like a form of revenge and a way to get off without actually killing her.
If Conti knew what I was doing, it would send him on a terrifying rampage. Especially since his daughter enjoyed it. I had to release her back into the wild soon, but I had no intention of letting her go. She would still be my prisoner because I had the kind of power to
control someone without being in the same room or the same city.
I only had a few more days before one of her parents called to check in on her. I had to make sure everything was ready by then.
Michael knocked before he stepped into my office. “Sir, I just wanted to let you know Isabella is outside.”
I immediately turned in my chair and looked out the large window. “What is she doing?”
“Looks like she’s playing in the snow. Just wanted you to be aware.” He walked out again.
The storm had passed, and it was a sunny day. The snow had settled, and the sunlight made it ten degrees warmer than it usually was. I wasn’t stupid enough to underestimate my opponent. No matter how much she liked to fuck me, I knew she would betray me the second the opportunity came up. I’d do the same to her.
I pulled on my boots and jacket before I went outside. She was in the back, dressed in snow gear she must have found it in her closet. With a thick jacket, water-resistant pants, and gloves, she was building a snowman. She made the bottom snowball then worked to construct the next piece that went on top.
On the ground beside her were carrots, olives, and a piece of wood she would use to make the face. I stared at her for a second, unable to believe what I was looking at. This woman had been kidnapped and almost murdered, but she was outside on a nice day making a snowman.
She reminded me of a child visiting her grandparents on Christmas. I came closer to her, my boots crunching against the snow.
She looked up when she noticed me. “Does it look like I’m running?”
“Would you tell me if you were?”
She shrugged. “Good point.” She finished the second ball and then placed it on top of the bottom one. I slipped my hands in my pockets and watched her.
“You don’t need to babysit me, Dante. If I were going to run, I would have made my move already.”
“Unless you realized the garage is locked with a code and the path down to the road is completely covered in snow.”
She grinned as she rubbed her hands together and wiped the snow from her gloves. “Alright, you got me.”
Her honesty heightened my attraction to her.
“Then there really is no reason for you to be out here, then.”
“I can think of one.” I placed my body in between her and the snowman, and I stared at her lips like I could claim them with just my look. She cocked her head slightly, holding my gaze with her fiery expression. “You want to build a snowman with me?”
“I want a kiss first.”
She pressed her lips tightly together then rolled her eyes. “I’m not giving you anything. I’ll kiss you when I fuck you”
My hand dug into her hair, and I crushed my mouth to hers, kissing her in the snow. I took charge of the kiss, forcing her lips to move with mine. Our breath escaped as vapor into the dry air. The back of her neck was warm because her hair protected her skin, and my fingers latched on to it as I deepened the kiss.
She was a big smartass, but the second my mouth was on hers, she was completely cooperative. I pulled away but kept my face close to hers. “You’ll kiss me when I say so.”
I turned away then kneeled down to the snow. With my bare hands, I constructed a small snow ball. I lifted it and placed it on top of the snowman.
Isabella chucked a snowball at the side of my face, the cold ice striking me right on the cheek. I turned back to her, my eyes narrowed. “You don’t want to play that game with me.”
Come on, I’m a good shot.” She wore a playful smile on her face, the sunlight highlighting the beautiful color of her skin. Her eyes were full of life despite her current circumstances.
Nothing could keep this woman down for
long. “If you were a good shot, I’d be dead right now.”
She rolled her eyes. “Guns are different. I don’t use them often. I only shot someone one time before and I didn’t miss then.”
The playful mood immediately evaporated when I heard what she said. “You shot and killed someone?”
“Yeah.” She pulled out the carrot and shoved it into the center of the snowman’s face. She brushed off the conversation like it was casual, like the current circumstances we were in was completely normal. My attention was only on her, not the snowman she was making.
“Who and why?”
“My future sister-in-law had some asshole who was obsessed with her. So he kidnapped me and said he would only set me free if my brother released his girlfriend. He wanted to make a trade. But I ran for it instead, got a gun, and shot one of his henchmen in the skull. I didn’t have time to check, but I’m pretty sure he died.”
Pride rushed through me, pleased that Isabella was smart and cunning enough to escape her captors. She didn’t think twice before she claimed a man’s life. Life wasn’t as simple as people thought it was, and those who would rather die than take a life deserved to die anyway.
Isabella acted quickly and got herself out of a bad situation. She tried to do the same with me, but I was a much harder opponent. “Did you kill the guy who took you?”
“No. My mom did. She had a gun, but she strangled him with a rope. I’ve never seen my mom look like that look so terrifying.”
Had she been as vicious with my father?
Isabella must have picked up on my mood because her gaze shifted to my face, full of concern. “What?”