Twisted Loyalty

Chapter 16: Dealing With Demons

Dante

The house is quiet as we step through the door, our arms loaded with bags from the day's shopping trip. Sienna had stopped protesting my paying for everything after the third store, but that didn't mean she wasn't still surprised by the number of things I insisted she take. Dresses, jeans, shoes, accessories—it was more than she needed, but I wanted to make sure she had everything. She deserves more than enough.

We drop the bundles of bags on the floor near the room she's staying in, the soft sound of fabric rustling as they settle. I glance at her as she moves toward the bed, placing a few more bags on the plush comforter. She's quieter now, maybe still adjusting to this new world she's stepped into. The way her face softened earlier when I told her she wouldn't have to go back to her father's—it was something I can't shake. Like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, even if she wasn't ready to admit it yet.

I'm about to say something when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, seeing Nico's name flash across the screen. My body goes tense immediately.

Finally.

I answer the call, stepping toward the doorway for a little privacy. "Nico?"

"We found him," Nico says, his voice tense but triumphant. "Enzo. He's holed up in an old warehouse near the docks. We've got eyes on him, and he's not going anywhere."

I feel the rush of adrenaline surge through me, my jaw tightening as I take in his words. It's time. The anger I've been holding back since last night resurfaces, sharp and cold. Enzo made a mistake when he thought he could hide. He's going to regret every second of what he put Sienna through.

"I'm on my way," I say, my voice low, controlled.

I hang up the phone, turning back toward Sienna. She's standing by the bed, unpacking one of the bags, her back turned to me. The soft light from the window casts a glow over her figure, and for a second, I hesitate. The thought of leaving her, even for just a little while, feels wrong. But I need to deal with Enzo. I need to put an end to this.

Sienna turns, noticing the shift in my expression. "What's going on?" she asks, her voice tinged with concern.

I take a step closer, trying to soften my tone. "I have to go deal with something. I'll be back soon."

Her eyes widen slightly, the hint of panic creeping in. I can see it in the way her shoulders tense, the way her hands pause in their movement. She doesn't say anything, but I can feel the fear starting to rise—the thought of being left alone again, even in this safe space.

I can't leave her like this. I step forward, closing the distance between us, and place my hand gently on her shoulder. "You're safe here, Sienna. No one's going to touch you. No one's going to hurt you. I promise."

Her eyes meet mine, filled with uncertainty. I can feel the weight of everything she's been through pressing down on her, the fear that something else could go wrong. For a second, I want to kiss her head, to hold her, to let her know that nothing—nothing—will ever hurt her again. But I stop myself, forcing that part of me down. She doesn't need that right now. She needs reassurance, not confusion.

She hesitates, her lips parting as if she wants to say something, but then she just nods, the tension in her shoulders loosening ever so slightly. "Okay," she whispers, her voice soft but trusting.

I give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, my hand lingering for a moment longer than necessary. "I'll be back soon," I tell her again, making sure she knows I'm not going far.

She nods again, and I force myself to step back, to leave the room even though every instinct in me wants to stay. I need to deal with Enzo. For her.

As I head toward the front door, my mind is already racing with what I'm going to do when I get to the warehouse. Enzo thought he could hide. He thought he could escape what's coming to him. But he's wrong. He's going to learn that no one crosses me and walks away from it.

The warehouse isn't far, but it feels like an eternity as I drive. My mind keeps going back to Sienna, the way she looked at me, the way she hesitated but trusted me enough to let me go. She's been through so much, and the last thing I want is for her to feel abandoned again. But this is something I have to do. For her.

When I pull up to the warehouse, the sight of Nico and the others waiting outside sends a surge of anticipation through me. This is it.

This is where the rat dies.