05 - On My Terms

Lia's POV

"Nothing." Dante stared at me with nonchalance. "You're nothing to me, just a means to an end."

"Dante!" Mische darted her stare at him, her disappointment showing in her angry eyes and crossed arms.

I swallowed hard and held back my tears, rushing to the bathroom to comfort myself, alone.

How's this possible? I couldn't believe him! I didn't know if I'd love or hate Dante. First, he saved me, then he manipulated and assaulted me. The next day he listened to what I wanted. Now he said I was nothing to him?

I want to understand you, Dante, but I couldn't!

I've resolved my case. Looking at myself in the mirror, I murmured, "I need to get out of here."

But I still felt the need to stay. My heart was tugging me to. The heart wants what it wants, but it'd be safer if I just leave him.

My tears stopped. I got out of the bathroom, strolled onto the kitchen and heard Mische and Dante talking. I hid myself behind the wall.

"Is that why you're super cold to her?" Mische looked dismayed.

Dante blinked slowly with sadness in his eyes. "I don't want to get attached... not anymore. Lily will be the last. She... she might die in the process."

My heart raced fast. There was a possibility that I could die. I clutched my chest as it heaved.

Mische slightly shook her head. "What if she lives? Won't it be good to have someone in your life like her?"

Dante stared at Mische. "Then she gets to live like a Lunne and our family will remain rivals."

Mische resigned for Dante's reason. She slowly sighed, looking like she failed to patch up a dying relationship.

"If that's what you think, I need to respect it. But please, don't hurt her. She likes you–I could see it in her eyes."

"She thought I saved her but I just did it because I needed her." Dante sounded emotionless, nonchalant. "We've kept it a secret for a long time. It won't do any good to the Kannes Group if a Lunne would rise again..."

Mische just looked at Dante, without judgement. He, on the other hand, revealed a soft side to him.

"I guess–I'm desperate... Am I doing things right, Mische?"

Mische's throat bobbed. Dante always sought her advice. She was like a big sister to him. But she needed to convince him.

"You're a complex person, Dante. But you're old, you know what's right and wrong, and you know hurting an innocent person is bad." Mische leaned down in front of him, catching his eyes.

Dante looked at her. "I needed her full obedience."

I saw a glimmer in Mische's eyes; her lips slightly curved up. "Then just tell her you need her full cooperation. She'd understand."

Dante opened his mouth, but held back whatever he was going to say. He accepted Mische's advice.

Thanks to Mische, I understood what was going on inside Dante's head. But I needed to think clearly because whatever my choice was, I wouldn't be able to go back again. Ever.

I was lost in my thoughts when I faintly overheard Mische asking Dante, "just curious, do you like her, too?"

My head leaned into the wall, my ear touching it. But I couldn't clearly make out what Dante told her.

I, too, was curious, quite. But first I needed to do something.

Mische tapped Dante's bicep, then grabbed her bag and said goodbye to him, for the meantime. He went to his room afterwards. I followed Mische towards the exit, quietly.

I wanted to take a stroll outside, clear my head with fresh air, and take a breather. But there was tight security on Dante's bomb shelter, especially on the doors. My chance of going out depended on Mische.

She opened the door then got out, then I carefully threw a stick I got from one of Dante's table decors so the door would jam and not lock.

Ah, success. I was outside. There was a camera directly up above me, but I guess Dante wasn't looking.

I ran along the road where his car travelled. Suddenly, I felt good.

I ran and ran and ran, and when I finally came around, I took a u-turn and got back to Dante's bomb shelter entrance.

He was there. Looking angry. Not just angry, he looked like he'd go on a rampage.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU NOT TO DO, LIA?" He started pulling my hair, dragging me back inside his secret lair.

I said, pulling away his hands on my head. "Don't touch me! I can walk."

I bounced when he threw me to the sofa. "You're gonna get us in trouble! He has eyes everywhere!"

I snapped. I have had enough of his cold schtick. I stood up with my head raised, "Why are you like this to me? I'm a person too, just like you. Treat me with respect. I demand respect!"

Dante was taken aback. "You don't understand what you're saying. There's no room for slacking off in this mission."

His face closed in on me as he shouted, "So you need to fully cooperate to whatever I say, understand?"

Dante's face was so close to mine. I felt the sexual tension between us. I couldn't help myself so...

"Then give me freedom, things that I want to do."

He was curious. "Yeah, like what?"

"Like this." I kissed him.

He recoiled a little but accepted my tongue inside him. He cupped my cheek with his right and went for the crook of my waist on the other.

I held his cheeks, then brushed his hair that was getting on his face. He broke our kiss, and a trail of saliva between the tips of our tongues dropped on our chests.

Dante threw me on the sofa, then hovered over me to spread out my right thigh. He went for my neck and licked and sucked it.

He said hoarsely, "Lia..." He was drowning in his desire over my body.

Perfect. It was the chance to turn the tables.

I ran my hands from his chest down to his crotch, his member getting hard down there. I stroked it gently, feeling the smooth fabric of his pants on my palm.

I cupped the left side of his face, looking at him with longing eyes. I kissed him a few times but slowly. He responded like we were in sync.

Then I swung my right leg and anchored it on his hips. I held his shoulders while still kissing him and in one clockwise swoop he went under and I was on top of him.

I sat up straight then fastened his wrists above him, while I looked at him up close. I unfastened his thin belt with my other hand and tied it to his wrists. I latched the hole in the buckle on the edge of the square coffee table above his head.

"How'd you like that?" I said in a low sultry voice.

Dante leaned forward towards me, wanting another kiss. But I surprised him when I started to grab his neck and choke him.

He was surprised–not shocked or startled, but surprised, like he didn't expect it from me.

The intimate mood became tense. Dante's mouth gaped open. "Lia, what's this? Are you into bondage, too?"

I scoffed at him. "No, Dante, I want you to listen to me. And listen well..." I leaned closer to his face, our lips almost touching. "I don't know what you really think of me, but I'm staying here on my own terms–and not because you said so."

I squeezed his neck a bit tighter–he moaned. "I know you need help–Territo needs help, and Rogin must be brought down. I'm staying for these reasons alone. That's how you want it anyway. You don't want to be friends with a Lunne running through their veins like me."

There was silence. There was tension in the air. Dante was quiet. His lips were closed. I just saw his lungs go up and down as I rode on top of him.

I removed my grip on his neck. He cleared a lump in his throat, then Dante answered back, in a low mumbling voice devoid of emotions, "Fine with me. As long as you fulfill your promise."

I smiled. "You don't have to worry about that." Then I swung away my thigh and stood up.

He shook the belt around his wrist. "Release me, Lia."

I smirked and slightly glanced at my side without directly looking at him. "I caught you off guard–deal with it, figure it out." Then I went to the kitchen and got myself a glass of water.

After a quick while, I heard Dante remove his makeshift shackles. I peeked from the kitchen and he was caressing his wrists.

Then he touched his lips with the two tips of his fingers and closed his eyes, savoring what happened while in thought, and I heard him whisper, "you even taste like her. I need to guard myself from you, Lia."

He then went to his room.

I realized we wanted each other...

But we can never be together.