He wasn't joking
813 Words
đź“– Chapter 16: Taken
Dante wasn’t joking.
After what happened with Victoria—
Everything changed.
“Stay close to me.”
“Don’t go anywhere alone.”
“Call me if anything feels off.”
At first, it felt like too much.
Too controlling.
Too intense.
But now?
I understood why.
Because the moment I let my guard down—
Everything went wrong.
It happened so fast.
One minute, I was leaving school.
The next—
A car pulled up beside me.
I barely had time to react.
The door opened.
A hand grabbed me.
“Let go of me!” I shouted, struggling.
But they were stronger.
Faster.
My heart pounded as I was pulled inside.
The door slammed shut.
“Drive.”
The car moved instantly.
“No—no, stop! Let me go!” I fought harder.
But someone grabbed my wrists.
Holding them tight.
“Relax,” a cold voice said from the front.
My blood ran cold.
Victoria.
“You—” my voice shook. “Are you insane?!”
She didn’t even turn.
“You should’ve listened,” she said calmly.
“I warned you.”
“You can’t do this!”
“I already did.”
Panic filled my chest.
My mind raced.
Dante.
He told me not to go alone.
And I didn’t listen.
“Please…” I whispered, my voice breaking slightly. “Let me go.”
Victoria sighed softly.
“You still don’t understand,” she said. “This isn’t about you.”
“Then what is it about?!”
Silence.
Then—
“Him.”
My heart dropped.
“You think you’re special,” she continued. “But you’re just a distraction.”
“I’m not—”
“You are.”
Her voice turned colder.
Sharper.
“And distractions… get removed.”
Fear gripped me fully now.
Real fear.
The car finally stopped.
I was dragged out.
Forced inside an unfamiliar building.
Dark.
Quiet.
Empty.
“Please…” I tried again.
No response.
They tied my hands.
Left me in a chair.
And walked away.
The door shut.
Silence.
My breathing became uneven.
My chest tight.
“Dante…” I whispered.
Meanwhile—
Dante’s world was already burning.
“She’s gone.”
Those two words were enough.
“What do you mean gone?” his voice was low.
Too low.
“She didn’t come home. Her phone is off.”
Silence.
Dead silence.
Then—
Everything changed.
“Find her.”
Not loud.
Not angry.
But terrifying.
“Now.”
Within seconds—
Calls were made.
Cars were moving.
Men were searching.
Dante stood still.
But the air around him?
It was dangerous.
“Who?” one of his men asked.
Dante’s jaw tightened.
His eyes darkened completely.
“Victoria.”
Back to me—
The door opened again.
My heart jumped.
Victoria walked in slowly.
Elegant as always.
“You look scared,” she said.
I glared at her.
“You’re crazy.”
“That’s what people say when they don’t understand power.”
She stepped closer.
“You should’ve walked away when you had the chance,” she said.
“I’m not afraid of you.”
That was a lie.
And she knew it.
She leaned slightly closer.
“You should be.”
Suddenly—
A loud noise echoed outside.
Gunshots.
My heart stopped.
Voices.
Shouting.
Chaos.
Victoria froze.
Just for a second.
Then—
The door burst open.
And he walked in.
Dante.
But not the Dante I knew.
This one—
Was pure danger.
His eyes locked onto me immediately.
Sharp.
Checking.
Alive.
“Liana.”
Relief hit me instantly.
“I’m here,” I whispered.
His gaze shifted.
Slowly.
To Victoria.
And everything went cold.
“You made a mistake,” he said.
Victoria didn’t move.
Didn’t speak.
“You touched what’s mine.”
The room went silent.
Dante walked toward me first.
Untying my hands carefully.
Gently.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
“No.”
His hand brushed my face lightly.
Checking.
Making sure.
Then—
He turned back.
And this time—
There was no softness left.
“You don’t get a second warning,” he said.
Victoria swallowed slightly.
But didn’t step back.
“This isn’t over,” she said.
Dante’s lips curved slightly.
But there was no warmth in it.
“No,” he said.
“It ends now.”
I grabbed his arm.
“Dante… don’t.”
He paused.
Just for a second.
Then looked at me.
And something in his expression softened.
Barely.
But enough.
“Let’s go,” he said quietly.
And just like that—
We left.
But I knew something now.
Something I couldn’t ignore anymore.
This wasn’t just love.
This wasn’t just danger.
This was a world where—
One wrong move…
Could cost everything.
And I was already too deep to turn back.
- Writer
