Between sun and storm

chapter 18

Lila started taking steps backward, and Dante watched her feet move away from him in fear. He smirked and took a step forward toward her. Without saying anything, she turned around and started running away from him. She didn't know where she was going or what would happen if she got lost; her only goal was to get as far away from him as possible.

After taking a few steps, she noticed a dead body lying in front of her. She halted and stared at the man. Blood was flowing from his temple, his eyes and mouth open as if he had been in extreme pain, and after great suffering, life had finally left his body.

Dante casually stalked toward her, noticing she had stopped running and was staring at the dead man whose brain he had shot out. For him, this sight was nothing unusual, but he knew that for her, it was a trauma she would never forget.

He walked up behind her and held her waist with one hand. She flinched but didn't struggle, standing still as her mind stopped processing. His other hand moved toward her eyes, covering them to prevent her from seeing the gruesome scene any longer.

"Shhhh. Don't look at it, it doesn't matter. Take a deep breath and relax, okay? It's fine, it's okay," he murmured sweet nothing in her ear. His breath touched her skin, causing goosebumps to appear. She shuddered at the sensation.

Her voice became faint. "He...he's...he's in...p-pain... I want to...help him," she said softly before screaming and fighting. "Let me go! I want to save him... You...you murderer...leave me!" She struggled, trying to free herself.

Dante held her tightly, his heart bleeding at her words, but he forced himself to remain stone-hearted. "Enough!" he shouted. Lila flinched and stopped struggling, her knees giving out, but Dante held her close. Her back was pressed flat against his front, and she was breathing heavily.

She couldn't see anything because of his hand covering her eyes, but she could feel the cold aura around her. "You're not like this...you're not," she whispered.

He interrupted her. "I am. I've always been like this. You just didn't know who the hell I am. I told you it wasn't right to trust a stranger, but you didn't even care." He turned her around. Her eyes, red and filled with tears, looked up at him, sadness and questions brimming within them-questions he could never answer.

Her trust was shattered. Her innocent eyes had witnessed tragedy and pain. "Lila... Lila, look at me. Come back to me. Listen, we have to stick to the plan, we have to-"

She screamed at the top of her lungs, "There is no 'we'! I don't know you, I don't care, just...just-" She couldn't find the words.

Dante's grip tightened on her waist and shoulders, making her wince in pain, but her words had blinded him with rage. He was furious, though he didn't even know why. His expression remained calm. "Lila, I can see where this is going." He gripped her jaw tightly. "Don't you dare think about betraying me or going to the authorities. You know too much. It's better for you to keep your mouth shut, or I'll have to find a way to ensure it. Understood?" His voice was low and menacing.

Lila, dazed and overwhelmed, couldn't comprehend who he truly was. When he raised his voice again, "Understood?" she flinched and nodded.

"Let's go. I'll get you a ride, then you can go your way and forget about me," he said, calming down as he released her. She stumbled but eventually stood still. Dante walked over to the dead body to retrieve a phone. As he bent down to pick it up, he suddenly heard a gunshot, followed by Lila's gasp.