Twisted Loyalty

Chapter 24: The Night of Pretending

Sienna

The soft light of the vanity casts a warm glow across the room as I stand in front of the mirror, applying the finishing touches to my makeup. My reflection stares back at me—lips painted a deep, wine-red, eyes carefully lined with black. The dress I'm wearing clings to my curves, a sleek, dark emerald gown with a plunging neckline and delicate straps that shimmer in the light. The fabric falls perfectly over my body, hugging me in all the right places, the slit on the side revealing just a hint of my leg as I move. Elegant. Sexy. A statement.

Is this really happening? The thought keeps circling in my mind, refusing to settle. Tonight is the night. The night Dante and I are going to make this lie public. The night I'm going to stand by his side, wearing a ring that means nothing, in front of people who will see me differently from now on. I'll be his fiancée—untouchable, protected, a pawn no longer.

But as I stare at myself in the mirror, doubt gnaws at me. Can I really go through with this? Can I really pull this off? Pretending to be engaged to Dante—pretending this is all real? It feels so heavy, so much bigger than I thought it would. It's one thing to say yes, but now that the night is here, the weight of it all feels almost suffocating.

A knock on the door startles me out of my thoughts, and I take a deep breath before turning toward the sound.

"Come in," I call, smoothing my hands down the front of my dress, trying to calm my racing heart.

As soon as Dante shuts the door behind him, the atmosphere in the room shifts. The energy between us thickens, a current pulling me in, impossible to ignore. His eyes sweep over me, dark and hungry, and my breath catches in my throat. There's a raw intensity in his gaze that I wasn't prepared for, something dangerous lurking just beneath the surface.

"You look stunning," Dante says, his voice low, almost a growl. It sends a shiver down my spine, and I can't help the way my body reacts to it, a heat pooling low in my belly.

I clear my throat, trying to ignore the way his eyes are undressing me, but it's futile. "Thank you," I manage, my voice sounding weaker than I intended. "You look... good too."

Good? That's all I can come up with? Dante looks like sin incarnate in that suit, like he's stepped out of some forbidden fantasy, and the best I can do is good?

He smirks, a slow, knowing curve of his lips that makes my pulse race. He doesn't say anything, but the way he looks at me—like he's seconds away from closing the distance between us and devouring me whole—makes the air feel heavy between us.

Without another word, he steps forward, bridging the gap, and before I can react, his hand slides around my waist, pulling me flush against him. The sudden contact steals the breath from my lungs, and all I can do is stare up at him, wide-eyed, as his face inches closer to mine. His scent—dark, masculine, intoxicating—invades my senses, making it impossible to think about anything else.

"You clean up nicely, Little Flame," he murmurs, his breath warm against my lips. His voice is thick with something I can't quite place—something possessive, predatory.

Before I can even form a response, his lips crash against mine, and my world tilts.

The kiss is everything I didn't know I needed. It's rough, demanding, and I melt into it, my hands instinctively gripping the front of his jacket to keep myself upright. Dante deepens the kiss, his hand sliding from my waist to the back of my neck, holding me firmly in place as his tongue grazes the seam of my lips, demanding entrance. I part them without hesitation, a soft moan escaping me as he takes what he wants, his kiss turning hotter, more intense.

My body responds instantly, a wave of heat flooding through me as he pulls me tighter against him. I can feel the hard lines of his body pressing against mine, his hands sliding down my back, teasing the bare skin at the base of my spine. It's overwhelming, the way he commands every inch of me, every movement, and I give in to it, sinking deeper into the kiss.

Just as quickly as he started, he pulls back, leaving me breathless and aching for more. His lips hover inches from mine, and I can feel his warm breath on my skin as he smirks, clearly enjoying the effect he has on me.

"Easy," he whispers, his voice thick with amusement. "We've got a party to get to."

I blink, dazed, still trying to catch my breath. My body is humming with desire, every nerve on fire from his touch, and all I want is for him to keep going, to forget about the party and everything else. But Dante's not done teasing me. He knows exactly what he's doing, and I can see the dark satisfaction in his eyes as he takes a step back, leaving me aching for more.

"You think you can just kiss me like that and walk away?" I manage to say, my voice shaking slightly from the intensity of it all.

Dante chuckles, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Watch me."

He turns away, heading toward the door, and I'm left standing there, breathless, my body buzzing from the aftermath of his kiss. I can still feel the heat of his hands on my skin, the press of his lips, and it takes everything in me not to chase after him and demand more.

But then he pauses at the door, glancing over his shoulder with a wicked grin. "Are you ready?"

I nod, my mouth suddenly dry. Ready? No. Not really. But what choice do I have? I agreed to this, and now I have to see it through.

"Yes," I manage to say, my voice steadier than I feel.

He holds out his arm, and I take it, slipping my hand into the crook of his elbow as he leads me out of the room. My pulse quickens as we make our way downstairs, each step bringing me closer to what feels like the edge of a cliff.

Outside, the cool night air greets us, a welcome contrast to the heat building inside me. Dante opens the door of his sleek black car and gestures for me to get in. I settle into the seat, my dress pooling around me, and within seconds, he's in the driver's seat, starting the engine with a low rumble.

We pull away from the house, the quiet streets of the city slipping by as we head toward the venue. Dante rented out an entire space for tonight—a private, elegant location far enough away from his home to keep his sanctuary hidden. He doesn't like hosting at his house. Too many people, too many eyes. He doesn't want anyone knowing where he truly lives, not even for a party like this.

The city lights flash by, and I can't help but feel the tension rising inside me. My hands twist in my lap, my nerves threatening to get the better of me. The weight of tonight, the lie we're about to sell, it's all crashing down on me at once.

Dante glances at me, his eyes catching the way I'm fidgeting. Without a word, he reaches over and takes my hand, his fingers wrapping around mine in a firm but gentle grip. The touch is unexpected, and I freeze, my breath hitching as I look at him.

Then, without breaking eye contact, he lifts my hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss to the back of it. His lips are warm against my skin, a contrast to the cold knot of anxiety tightening in my chest.

"You're going to be fine," he murmurs, his voice low and soothing. "I won't let anything happen to you."

The gesture, the way he's looking at me, it all catches me off guard. For a moment, the stress of the night fades, replaced by something else. Something warm, something that sends a shiver down my spine. I should pull my hand away. I should thank him and leave it at that. But I don't. I let his hand linger in mine, let the warmth spread through me, let myself feel... something.

"Thank you," I whisper, unsure of what else to say. His touch, the way he's looking at me—it's throwing me off balance, but in a way that I can't bring myself to push away.

He lets go of my hand after a moment, focusing back on the road, but the warmth lingers. The kiss on the back of my hand feels like it's still there, pulsing with a quiet energy that I can't ignore.

For the rest of the drive, I'm quieter, my mind running through a thousand different thoughts. I can't stop thinking about how effortlessly he reassures me, how he makes me feel safe, even in the midst of all this chaos. And maybe, just maybe, this won't be as impossible as I thought.