by Sarah Bailey
Sighing, I dug into my food and tried to forget about everything. It was impossible. All I could think about was him. Dante. I wanted to see him. Hold him. Kiss him. Most of all, I wanted that connection between us. I craved it. My heart burnt with longing.
Brent lumbered into the kitchen holding a laptop which he set down in front of me.
“Dante said you can speak to your dad.”
“Good morning to you too.”
He smiled, indicating the laptop.
“He’s awaiting your call when you’re ready.”
I stared at the screen. Skype was up with my dad’s name waiting there for me to click call. My heart pounded and my palms felt sweaty. Talking to my dad after all this time would be strange. I hadn’t seen him since the Gala and even then, I hadn’t said a word to him. I knew he was sorry, but it didn’t stop me feeling resentment towards him.
I shook my head. Something inside me cracked wide open and bled. I wasn’t sure I could sit and listen to my dad tell me what really happened. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but they whirled around my head like I was on a carousel.
“I can’t,” I whispered.
Brent frowned.
“You can’t? You wanted to speak to him.”
I didn’t want to do it alone. There was only one person I wanted there with me. Holding my hand.
“I need… I need… I need him.”
“Who? D?”
I nodded. Brent sighed, giving me the once over before he picked up the laptop and put his hand out.
“You two need to sort your shit out, you know that, right?”
“I know.”
I got up and took his hand. He gave it a squeeze before taking me upstairs.
“I can’t help it. How I feel I mean,” I said when I couldn’t stand the silence.
“Hey, I’m not judging. Personally think you and him just need to admit how you feel to each other and work it out.”
I looked up at him as we went up to the first floor. Brent was the only person who I felt comfortable talking about pretty much anything with. Well, the only person other than Dante himself. Maybe it was because Brent understood Dante and what I had to deal with when it came to him. Or maybe it was just because I liked Brent. He was straight forward and didn’t beat around the bush.
“How do you know we’ve not?”
“Because I know D and I’m starting to understand you too.”
“I wish things were different.”
“I’m sure he does too, but you’re stuck with what you’ve got so I suggest you make the best of a shit situation.”
I snorted. It was a shit situation, but the only saving grace was that I had finally found love even if it was with a complicated man. Brent was right yet again. I just needed to tell Dante the truth. We needed to put this stuff behind us because I was pretty sure Dante and I didn’t want to let each other go.
Brent left me in the living room with the laptop sitting on the coffee table and went in search of my errant boyfriend. Was he even my boyfriend? I mean he’d said we were in a relationship, but I didn’t want to make assumptions. I was being an idiot yet again. I was going to go with yes, Dante was my boyfriend and if he wasn’t on board with it, then tough shit. He’d made me fall in love with him.
I felt it the moment he entered the room. Looking up, I found him standing just inside the doorway, his blue eyes cautious. He looked so good dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt which hugged his muscular chest. I’d missed him even though we’d only spent a day apart.
I was on my feet before I could stop myself and walking towards him. He watched me approach him. I could’ve sworn he was about to say something but I didn’t let him. I pressed myself against his chest, wrapping my arms around his back and breathing in his familiar scent of citrus and sandalwood. He hugged me back, leaning his cheek against the top of my head.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“I missed you.” Tears welled in my eyes. “Don’t allow me to run off and spend the night away from you again. I don’t care how angry I am.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Yes, I can’t sleep without you. Promise me.”
He kissed the top of my head.
“I promise.”
I pulled away enough to look up at him. My anger was gone. All I saw was Dante. His blue eyes twinkling. His beautiful face. The face I loved so much. All his lines and contours. They were etched into my mind. Every inch of him.
Maybe it was stupid of me to forgive him for everything he’d done, but I was over beating myself up over the way I felt about him. I was done denying it. Done trying to run away from what was between us. I was in this with him for the long run.
“Brent said you couldn’t call your dad without me.”
“I need you to hold my hand.”
He gave me a lopsided smile.
“But you have to sit far enough away that my dad doesn’t know you’re here, okay? I want him to tell me the truth and I don’t know if he’ll do that if he suspects I’m not alone.”
“Okay… Can I kiss you?”
I nodded. He reached up, cupping my cheek before his mouth was on mine. Everything else faded away. It was just me and him. I shifted, moving my hands up so I could wrap one around his neck and the other tangled in his hair. The kiss deepened, tongues melding together as we pressed against one another.
It felt right. Being with him just felt right. He was it for me. The one. Even though we’d only really known each other properly for a few months, I was sure. Deep in my heart, in my soul, I felt it. Dante was the right one and I’d tell him just as soon as I’d got this conversation with my father over.
I pulled away, staring up at him. The words were on the tip of my tongue but I held them back. I didn’t want the shit with my dad hanging over me. I took his hand instead, pulling him over to the sofa. He sat far enough away from me that he wouldn’t be picked up by the camera.
I clicked on the call icon and waited as the camera blinked on and I could see my face on screen. I reached over, taking Dante’s hand. My dad answered the call and appeared on the screen a minute later.
“Lass,” he said.
“Dad.”
“How have you been?”
“Okay, I guess. How’s Mum?”
“Still mad at me, but she’s doing well.”
I was silent. Where did I even start? He shifted in his seat. I could see he looked tense through the screen.
“Dante told me, Dad. He told me why you gave me to him.”
His face fell further. There was no point me treading on eggshells. This conversation had to happen one way or another.
“Then you know about Zander.”
“I want your side of the story. I want to know if you really killed your best friend. I want to know if what Zach said is true about the blood debt, and were you and Mum having an affair?”
He sighed, fidgeting in his seat again. Dante’s hand tightened around mine. I couldn’t look at him even though I wanted to. How would I have been able to face this without him? I already felt like I was breaking inside all over again.
“I did, lass, but what you’ve got to understand is Zander wasn’t a good lad. He hurt your Ma. He was vicious and unkind behind closed doors. Your Ma and I weren’t having an affair, I was her shoulder to cry on. Zach made assumptions and I didn’t contradict him. It was easier than trying to convince him about his brother’s temperament.”
Did my father know Zach was the same? That he beat his own children. Dante hadn’t exactly told me the whole story, but I’d gathered that from what little he’d said. Maybe he would tell me soon.
“Why did you agree to the debt?”
“I didn’t want to go to prison and the police had no reason to suspect it was anything but an accident. I regret it, Lass. It was a stupid decision, but he was right there and I couldn’t stop myself. Not after I saw all the bruises on your Ma. He
was never going to stop and he told her he would kill her if she left.”
I felt sick. If what my dad was saying was true then Dante’s uncle was an awful person. It didn’t mean my dad had the right to take away his life, but I understood on some level.
“There’s something else, lass. Something your lad won’t have told you because they don’t know the truth.”
I fought against the urge to check Dante’s expression.
“Your Ma didn’t handle Zander’s death very well. We didn’t speak for a year, but when she did come see me, she told me she’d been with another abusive lad and he’d kicked her out because she was pregnant.”
The implications of what he just said whirled around in my brain.
“I always loved your Ma, so I told her I’d marry her and raise the baby as my own. Declan, your brother, isn’t mine. I’m so sorry, Liora. I didn’t want this to fall on your shoulders, but you are my first born. You were always destined to pay the blood debt.”
I was so shocked, I forgot to breathe. It was only when Dante squeezed my hand that I took in a rasping breath.
“What?” I whispered. “You mean… Declan is only my half-brother?”
“Yes. He doesn’t know, lass, and you can’t tell him.”
“Then why tell me?”
“You deserve the truth. I wish I’d never made that agreement with Zach, but his lad isn’t like him. He promised me he’d take care of you. He asked me so many questions about you. He genuinely wanted to know so he could make you happy. I know what I did was wrong, but I would’ve never given you away if I didn’t think you’d be safe with him.”
My heart thumped in my chest. I’d known Dante had asked my dad things about me, but I thought my dad had told him under duress. To know my dad actually thought somewhat highly of Dante surprised me.
“He is taking care of you, isn’t he?”
I was nodding before I realised it.
“Yes, Dad. He is. He’s not what I expected, but I’m fine here… with him. You don’t have to worry about that part. It’s only really, you know, Zach, who’s the issue.”
He gave me a small smile. I wasn’t sure how I felt about what he’d told me, only that I didn’t want to be angry with him any longer. He was my dad. I was well within my rights to rant and rage at him. And I could’ve, but I didn’t. I was just so tired of all the pain. All I wanted was to feel normal again.
I’d forgiven Dante so I could forgive my dad too. Forgive him for the shit he’d done because deep down I understood his motives. He wanted to protect the person he cared about the most. My mother. Even though it meant he had to sacrifice me. I wasn’t even born when he made that promise. It wasn’t until now, I realised how much it must’ve weighed on him.
“I’m glad, lass. I’m still sorry all the same. You’ll never know how much I love you and I’m so proud of you. You’re the strongest one of us all.”
“Thanks Dad. Um… I should go.”
I wanted to end this so I could talk to Dante and make sense of it all.
“Will… will he let you speak to me again soon?”
“Yes, I’m sure he will.”
“Be sure to give him my thanks, you know, for taking care of you.”
“I will, bye Dad.”
“Bye lass.”
I pulled my hand from Dante’s and ended the call. We sat in silence for a long moment.
“You were always destined to be mine,” was the first thing Dante said.
I looked over at him. His blue eyes were dark.
“You believe him?”
“What reason would he have to lie to you about something like that?”
“He wouldn’t.”
“Liora, I would trust your father’s word over Zach’s any day. You have no idea what a manipulative piece of work he is.”
I shook my head.
“I think I have some idea.”
“Are you okay?”
Was I? My feelings were tangled up inside. I wasn’t sure if I was in shock at my father’s revelations or I was just numb to it. There was one thing that was very clear to me. I needed something to focus on. Something which would give me clarity. Something only Dante could grant me. And I wanted to tell him how I felt.
I stood up, putting my hand out to him. He frowned.
“Come with me… please?”
His brow was still furrowed as he stood and took my hand.
“Where are we going?” he asked as I tugged him out of the room towards the stairs.
I didn’t answer, making him come up to the second floor with me. We stopped outside a closed door. One I knew only he had the key to.
“You want to go in there?” he asked, surprise lacing his features.
I took both his hands in mine, staring up into his beautiful face.
“I need it. You seem to think this is just what you desire, but I crave it too. I want the pain, Dante.”
“Are you sure you’re not trying to avoid what just happened?”
“No. I’m not. We’ve never had time to just let go and be with each other fully in there. That’s what I want. It helps me. Gives me freedom and clarity. I want to be able to focus and not have this tangled mess running riot inside me. I want your pain. Please.”
He let go of one of my hands and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Okay… as long as you’re sure. Hold on.”
He let go of my other hand and stepped away, going towards his bedroom. He reappeared moments later with the key in his hand. He stopped outside the door and started to unlock it. I put my hand on his arm. He looked down at me, eyes cautious.
There was only one more request I had for him.
“Can it just be you and me? No Master and Pet. Just Dante and Liora. Just us. No hiding behind names or masks.”
Chapter Twenty Two
Dante
My heart hammered against my chest. Why did Liora make me feel so fucking vulnerable? Always pushing. Always needing more. Could I really shed that last mask I hid behind and show her the real me? Could I let her call me Dante whilst I marked her back?
When Brent found me, I was finishing breakfast after having spent the night tossing and turning without her. Yesterday had been tough, but worth it. James and I were talking and he didn’t act like he hated my guts any longer. The truth had a funny way of setting you free. I didn’t want any more secrets. I was done with those. The final thing I kept back would come out soon. The one thing I had left to fight against Zach with. And it wasn’t a prospect I relished at all.
I hadn’t known what to expect when I got upstairs and saw her for the first time in twenty four hours. Maybe she would shout at me. Maybe she would tell me she hated me.
Neither of those things happened.
Liora held me tight, told me she missed me and that she never wanted to be away from me again. What did I do to deserve this elfin beauty? This girl with her halo of blonde hair who intoxicated me. The one who wanted my pain.
And now the real truth about Liora was exposed. She was always meant to be mine. She was Angus’s only child. As crazy and fucked up as it was, I think we both felt the truth of it deep in our bones.
Liora didn’t want to talk about what we’d just learnt. She wanted to play. And she wanted me to play as me. Not as her Master.
I dropped my hands from the door, leaving the key in the lock. She, of all people, deserved to see the real me. Why the fuck was I so scared? It’s not like Liora didn’t know who I was. It’s not like she hadn’t ripped open my soul and buried herself deep inside it.
I took a steadying breath. Was this the last thing we needed so we could admit all our truths? So we could let go of everything holding us back?
I raised my hands again, unlocking the door and pushing it open. I turned to her before she could step in.
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
“I’ve never been surer of anything.”
He
r green eyes told me she was telling me the truth. All I saw in them was her vulnerability. Her truth. Her determination.
“Okay. Just Dante and Liora.”
She strode into the playroom, flipping the light on before she stood at the end of the bed and waited. I walked in, shutting the door behind me before I locked it. I placed the key on the drawers and stepped up to her.
She raised her hands above her head. I pulled off her jumper followed by her t-shirt. Her bra came next. I unbuttoned her jeans, sliding them down her legs and lastly, her underwear. She stepped out of them for me, resting her hand on my shoulder to steady herself.
I folded each item of clothing neatly, placing them on top of the drawers too. She let out a shaky breath. I reached behind me and tugged off my own t-shirt, folding that and placing it next to her clothes. I was left in jeans and boxers. They wouldn’t come off yet. Not until she begged for my cock, which was already straining against my clothes in anticipation.
“Do you remember the safe word?” I asked.
“Tiger.”
“Good girl.”
I turned to her fully. She stood waiting for my instructions. Waiting for my command. My eyes scanned the room. How did I want her? What would I use? This was new. Just being me. I couldn’t fail her in this. I had to do it right. I had to show her the truth behind all the walls.
“I want you on your hands and knees on the bed.”
“Yes, Dante.”
I almost groaned, hearing my name on her lips. She crawled onto the bed and waited for me on all fours in the centre of it. I opened one of the drawers and tugged out four leather cuffs. I brought them over to the bed and attached one to each of her limbs. At each end of the bed there was a length of rope. They all joined together under the bed around a metal loop and the ends of those ropes were at my feet. I could make each one of her limbs completely immobile if I wanted to. Pulling the rope tight so she’d be spreadeagled on the bed.
I tied each length of rope to each cuff in turn. She wouldn’t be escaping any time soon. Just how much did Liora trust me? I hoped it was enough for the both of us.