Chapter 33: The Last Stand

Bella sat on the edge of her bed, her breath coming in short, uneven bursts.

Her skin was still burning, her body still aching.

Not from the fight.

From the bond.

From him.

She gritted her teeth, clenching her hands into fists.

"No."

She wouldn't let this consume her.

She wouldn't let Dante win.

She had spent weeks fighting him, resisting him, proving that she wasn't just another one of his possessions.

She wasn't going to fall now.

Not when she was so close to breaking free.

A knock at the door made her stiffen.

She knew who it was before she even turned.

"Go away, Dante."

Silence.

Then—

The door opened anyway.

Dante stepped inside, his blue eyes dark, unreadable.

"I told you to leave me alone," Bella bit out, glaring at him.

Dante tilted his head, his lips curling into something slow, deadly.

"And I told you—"

He stepped closer, the heat of him wrapping around her like smoke.

"—you're mine, Bella."

Bella's breath hitched.

Because the way he said it—

Calm. Steady. Unbreakable.

Made her feel like she was already losing.

"You think you can fight this forever?" Dante murmured, his voice a slow, dangerous taunt.

Bella's chest rose and fell rapidly, her heart hammering against her ribs.

Because she didn't have an answer.

Not anymore.

Dante leaned in, his lips a whisper away from hers, his breath hot against her skin.

"Give in, Bella."

Bella shook her head, refusing to speak, refusing to surrender.

Dante's smirk deepened.

"I can wait."

Then, just as slowly as he had come—

He turned and left.

Leaving Bella wrecked, breathless, and completely, utterly ruined.

Because she knew.

He wasn't going to chase her anymore.

Now, it was her turn to come to him.

And fuck, that terrified her more than anything.