Chapter 7: You Don’t Run From Me
1000 Words
Aria lasted three days.
Three days under his roof.
Three days of silence, control, and rules that pressed in on her from every direction.
It was suffocating.
Every step she took felt watched.
Every decision felt restricted.
Even breathing felt… controlled.
“This isn’t living,” she muttered under her breath as she paced her room.
It was early evening.
Too quiet.
Too still.
And Dante hadn’t been around all day.
Which made it worse.
Because even when he wasn’t there—
His presence still was.
Her eyes drifted to the door.
Then to the window.
Then back again.
Her heart started beating faster.
No.
She wasn’t doing this anymore.
“I just need air,” she whispered.
But deep down, she knew it was more than that.
She needed freedom.
Even if it was just for a moment.
The hallway was silent.
Aria stepped out carefully, her movements slow, cautious.
Her eyes scanned the space.
No guards in sight.
No footsteps.
Nothing.
Good.
Her heart pounded louder as she moved quickly, heading toward the staircase.
Each step felt like a risk.
Like she was crossing a line she wouldn’t be able to uncross.
But she didn’t stop.
She couldn’t.
Not anymore.
By the time she reached the front door, her hands were slightly trembling.
This was it.
One step.
That’s all it would take.
She reached for the handle.
Paused.
Just for a second.
Then—
She opened it.
Cool air rushed in instantly.
Fresh.
Free.
Her chest expanded as she stepped outside.
For the first time in days…
She could breathe.
She didn’t go far at first.
Just down the driveway.
Then a little farther.
Her steps became quicker.
Lighter.
Hope crept in.
Maybe this wasn’t impossible.
Maybe she could still have control over her life.
Even a little.
“Going somewhere?”
The voice came from behind her.
Low.
Calm.
Dangerous.
Aria froze.
Her heart stopped.
Slowly…
She turned.
Dante stood a few steps away.
Hands in his pockets.
Expression unreadable.
But his eyes—
Dark.
Sharp.
Focused entirely on her.
Her breath caught.
“How—”
“You broke rule one.”
His voice cut through her words effortlessly.
Simple.
Direct.
Her chest tightened.
“I just needed air,” she said quickly.
“You have windows.”
“That’s not the same.”
Silence stretched between them.
Heavy.
Tense.
Aria lifted her chin slightly.
“I’m not a prisoner.”
Dante’s gaze didn’t waver.
“No,” he said quietly.
“You’re under my protection.”
“That’s not protection,” she snapped. “That’s control.”
Something flickered in his eyes.
Dark.
Dangerous.
He took a step closer.
Then another.
Aria’s heart started racing again.
Not from fear alone.
Something else mixed in.
Something she didn’t want to feel.
“You think this is a game?” he asked, his voice lower now.
“I think this is my life,” she shot back.
“And you don’t get to control it.”
That was it.
The line.
The moment everything shifted.
In one swift movement, Dante closed the distance between them.
His hand wrapped around her wrist.
Firm.
Unyielding.
Aria gasped softly as he pulled her slightly closer.
“Listen carefully,” he said, his voice dangerously calm.
Her breath caught.
“You don’t run from me.”
The words weren’t loud.
But they carried weight.
Authority.
A warning she couldn’t ignore.
“I wasn’t running,” she said, even though her voice wavered slightly.
His grip tightened just a little.
“Don’t lie to me.”
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
She should pull away.
Fight him.
Say something.
But she couldn’t move.
Because of the way he was looking at her.
Like he saw right through her.
Like he already knew every thought in her head.
“You think I’m keeping you here for no reason?” he continued.
“Yes,” she said immediately.
“Then you’re more reckless than I thought.”
Her jaw tightened.
“I just want my life back.”
Dante’s expression hardened slightly.
“That life is gone.”
The words hit harder than she expected.
Her chest tightened painfully.
“You don’t get to decide that,” she whispered.
“I already did.”
Silence fell.
Sharp.
Unavoidable.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The tension between them thickened.
Heavy.
Almost suffocating.
Then slowly—
Dante released her wrist.
But he didn’t step back.
He stayed close.
Too close.
“You want freedom?” he asked quietly.
Her breath caught.
“Yes.”
His gaze locked onto hers.
Cold.
Certain.
“Then survive long enough to earn it.”
Her heart skipped.
“What does that mean?”
“It means,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, “you follow my rules… or you don’t survive long enough to break them.”
A chill ran through her.
But this time—
She didn’t look away.
Because something inside her refused to back down.
Even now.
Even here.
“Fine,” she said finally.
Her voice was quieter now.
But not broken.
“I’ll follow your rules.”
A pause.
Then—
“For now.”
Something flickered in his eyes again.
This time…
It almost looked like approval.
Dante stepped back slowly.
The distance between them returned.
But the tension didn’t.
That stayed.
“You’re not leaving this property again without permission,” he said calmly.
Aria nodded once.
Not because she agreed.
But because she understood.
For now…
She had to survive.
He turned and started walking back toward the house.
Not checking if she would follow.
Because he already knew she would.
Aria stood there for a moment longer.
The night air no longer felt free.
It felt cold.
Heavy.
Restricted.
Just like everything else.
Slowly…
She turned.
And followed him back inside.
Because one thing was clear now.
This wasn’t just a contract anymore.
This was a battle.
And she had just lost the first round.
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