Belief

Eleni

When Dante kisses me, for a split second, I think about pulling away. The fear and anger of my encounter with Henry still courses under my skin. There’s so much to be scared about, enemies closing in from all angles.

Dante bites my lip, and endorphins flood my system. This is why I’ve stayed. He makes me feel like no one ever has. Not because he knows how to touch me, but becauseI can melt into his arms, let everything go, and trust he’ll pick up the pieces afterward. I have nothing to fear with Dante.

And he promised. So I’ll trust him.

I throw my arms around his neck. “I want to listen tonight.”

He sweeps me off my feet in a bridal carry. I yelp.

“Shush,” he reprimands. “Tonight, you hear me, pet.”

I bite my own lip as he jogs up the stairs. The heavy mantle of submission steals over me, crushing the remaining fears from my system.

Dante veers into our bedroom and deposits me on the bed. “Do you particularly like these clothes?”

I look down at the blouse and jeans I wore to di