Ruthless Devotion:His innocent captive

Chapter Three: The Interruption

My breath caught in my throat as the cool air of the room hit my bare skin.

Dante’s large, warm hands were lifting my sweater, his knuckles brushing against my ribs. A sudden rush of heat flooded my face, and I gripped the edge of the mattress behind me so hard my fingers ached.

I wanted to fight him, to scream at him to get off me, but my voice felt completely trapped in my throat.

The huge size of him, towering over me in the dim light of the bedroom, made me feel entirely helpless.

The sweater was halfway up my chest when a sudden, loud knock rattled the heavy oak doors of the bedroom.

Dante froze.

His hands stopped moving, remaining firmly against my skin. For a split second, his jaw clenched, and his gray eyes darkened with an intense, pure frustration that made my heart leap into my throat.

"Boss," a muffled voice called out from the hallway. It was his right hand man. "We have an urgent update from the docks. It’s about Leo."

The mention of my brother’s name hit me like a bucket of ice water. The fog in my brain instantly cleared. Leo. The reason I was trapped in this nightmare in the first place.

Dante let out a low, rough curse under his breath. He slowly pulled his hands back, letting my sweater drop back down around my waist.

The sudden loss of his touch felt surprisingly cold against my skin, a realization that made me despise myself. I pulled the collar of my sweater up, covering myself completely, and scrambled backward onto the large bed until my spine hit the headboard.

Dante didn’t follow me. He stood up straight, smoothing down his unbuttoned dress shirt, though his eyes never left my face.

The heavy, gaze he gave me like a prey to it's host made it clear that this wasn’t an escape—it was just a delay.

"Stay here," he commanded, his deep baritone dripping with an absolute authority that left no room for argument.

"If you so much as look at that balcony door, my men outside will ensure your stay here becomes much less comfortable. Do you understand me, Clara?"

I didn't answer. I just glared at him, burying my trembling hands under my knees so he wouldn't see how badly he had shaken me.

Dante gave me one last, lingering look before turning on his heel. He walked over to the door, unlocked it, and stepped out into the hallway, slamming the heavy wood shut behind him. The loud click of the lock echoing through the quiet room sounded final.

The moment he was gone, the tension in my shoulders snapped, and a shaky sob finally escaped my lips. I pulled my knees tightly against my chest, burying my face in my arms.

My whole body was shaking, but it wasn't just from fear. It was from the terrifying realization of what had just happened.

Dante Vitale was a monster, a criminal who had stolen me from my home and threatened my life. I was supposed to hate him with everything inside me. So why, when his hands were on my skin, had my heart been racing like that? Why hadn't I fought harder?

The dangerous, confusing heat that had pooled in my stomach still hadn't completely faded. I hated myself for it. I was his captive, a pawn in a game I didn't want to play, and yet my own body was treating him like fire I wanted to get closer to.

I looked around the massive, dark bedroom. The fire in the hearth crackled quietly, casting long, dancing shadows across the silk sheets. It was beautiful, luxurious, and completely suffocating.

I crawled to the edge of the bed and walked over to my small duffel bag. My hands were still numb as I unzipped it and pulled out a pair of worn-out sweatpants and an old t-shirt. I quickly changed out of my clothes, feeling like I needed to wash the scent of his expensive cologne off my skin.

Once I was changed, I walked over to the large glass balcony doors. Outside, the night was pitch black, except for the bright security lights illuminating the sprawling courtyard below. Two armed guards stood near the fountain, their rifles held tightly across their chests.

Escape was impossible. Even if I somehow managed to get past the locks and jump from the second floor, I wouldn't make it to the iron gates alive.

I returned to the massive bed, pulling the heavy velvet duvet up to my chin.

The sheets smelled faintly of him..rich, dark, and masculine.

I lay there for hours, staring at the ceiling, listening to every tiny sound in the hallway.

Every footstep made my muscles lock up, waiting for the door to open again.

I knew Dante would come back. He had made it clear that he owned me now, and a man like him didn't leave his property untouched for long.

As the early hours of the morning approached, exhaustion finally started to take over. My eyelids grew heavy, but just as I was drifting off into a restless sleep, I heard the faint sound of footsteps stopping right outside the double doors.

The heavy brass handle slowly began to turn.