Lucia’s POV
Dante’s phone beeped before I could respond. He pulled it from his pocket, glancing at the screen before cursing under his breath.
“What is it?” I asked, still breathless from his brutal kiss and the way his hands had branded my skin.
He didn’t look at me, his jaw clenched tight. “Press interview,” he muttered. “Those vultures won’t stop digging. I have to handle it.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Part of me was glad for the distance, but another part still felt raw from his kiss and the way he’d just claimed me like a possession. Without another word, he stormed past me.
I stayed frozen against the wall for a moment, catching my breath, before finally pushing myself to move. I needed to clear my head and shake off the way his touch made me feel both s
