Twisted Loyalty

Chapter 22: A Father's Lies

Sienna

The midday sun filters through the large windows of Dante's living room, casting soft rays of light across the space. It's peaceful here, quieter than I ever imagined it could be. I'm curled up on the couch, a book resting in my lap, though my focus has drifted away from the words. Everything feels different now. The world outside Dante's walls feels far away, like it belongs to another life entirely.

I try to sink back into the book, but my mind keeps wandering. Thinking about last night. About Dante. About how he made that promise to burn the world for me. There's a strange comfort in it, something I didn't expect to feel after everything that's happened.

Suddenly, my phone buzzes from where it's resting on the coffee table. The sound jolts me out of my thoughts, and I reach for it, glancing at the screen.

Dad.

As soon as I hear my father's voice on the other end of the phone, my heart seizes. The calmness in his tone doesn't fool me—it's the calm before the storm.

"Sienna, where the hell are you?"

The question hits me like a slap, but I try to stay steady. "I'm safe," I answer quickly, my voice tight with tension. "I'm okay."

There's a pause, thick and ominous. "Safe? Where?" His voice tightens with each word, demanding an answer. "Sienna, where are you?"

I glance toward the hallway, where I know Dante is working. My fingers grip the phone tighter as I try to think of what to say. I don't want to tell him, but I know he won't stop until he gets something. "It doesn't matter. I'm safe, and that's all you need to know."

The shift in his voice is instant, the irritation boiling over. "It does matter," he growls, the thin mask of calm cracking. "I came home to find my men dead. You're gone. What kind of mess have you left behind, Sienna? Tell me where you are. I'm sending men to come get you."

"I don't need anyone to come get me," I try to stay firm, but my voice wavers. "I'm fine where I am."

The anger seethes through the phone, his words cutting sharper now. "Sienna, I'm not playing games. Tell me where you are. Now."

A surge of panic bubbles inside me, tightening my chest. I need to change the subject, anything to get him off my back. "Did you know what Enzo tried to do?" My voice is softer now, but edged with accusation, the anger laced with a tremor of fear.

There's a brief pause, and then a cold, dismissive sigh. "Yes. I knew."

I freeze. "You knew?"

His voice hardens, condescending. "Of course I knew. He was going to be your husband, Sienna. I told him to make sure you knew your place."

My stomach twists in revulsion. I can barely hold the phone, my hands shaking. "You told him to do that?" My voice rises, trembling with disbelief. "Do you even know what he tried to do to me? He—he—"

"Sienna." My father's voice cuts through like a blade, sharp and commanding. "Grow up. You're not a little girl anymore. I told Enzo to do what was necessary. This is how things work. You belong to this family."

"Belong?" I shout, the anger bursting free, my chest heaving with every word. "He tried to force himself on me. You wanted him to—"

"Enough!" my father snaps, his voice booming through the phone. The force of it sends me reeling back emotionally, the years of his dominance pulling me into that familiar place of submission. "I've had enough of your tantrums. You will come home, and that's final."

I feel my defiance crumbling under the weight of his words, fear sinking its claws into me. My throat tightens, and I struggle to hold on to any last thread of strength I have. I open my mouth to respond, but I can't find the words.