Chapter four

Dante's POV

Seraphina's screams echoed in my mind long after I locked her away.

She thought she could escape me. That she could just walk away like I was some ordinary man, like my power, my influence, my control over her life meant nothing.

Foolish.

I sat in my study, fingers pressing against my temple as I replayed the scene in my mind. The way she had glared at me, her defiance burning even as fear flickered in her eyes. She was brave—I'd give her that. But bravery without strategy was reckless and Seraphina? She was playing a dangerous game.

A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Enter."

Luca stepped inside, his expression grim. My most trusted man, my enforcer. He had been with me through wars, betrayals, and bloodshed and yet, even he hesitated to meet my gaze tonight.

"Janet has been secured," he reported. "She's in the basement, as you ordered."

I nodded, standing slowly. "And Seraphina?"

"She's locked in her room but Dante…" Luca hesitated.

I turned to him, my patience thinning. "Speak."

He sighed. "You should've let her go."

A bitter laugh escaped me. "Let her go? And what, Luca? Let her run into the night, thinking she's won? Let her believe for even a second that she has power over me?"

"She's not a prisoner," he said carefully. "At least, she wasn't supposed to be."

I clenched my jaw, stepping past him to the bar cart. Pouring myself a glass of whiskey, I took a slow sip before meeting his gaze.

"She belongs to me." My voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the steel beneath it.

Luca exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "She doesn't see it that way."

"She will."

Silence stretched between us.

I could feel the weight of his disapproval, but it didn't matter. Seraphina wasn't just some woman I could toss aside. She had tested me, pushed me. And that… that intrigued me more than it should have.

"I'll deal with her myself," I said finally.

Luca's expression darkened. "And Janet?"

I downed the rest of my drink, letting the burn settle in my throat. "She betrayed me. You know what happens to traitors."

His jaw tightened. "She was only trying to help her friend."

I slammed the glass onto the table, the sound slicing through the tension.

"That's exactly the problem."

Another silence.

Then, softer— "Don't push Seraphina too far, Dante. Some cages break the bird before they make it sing."

I didn't answer.

Because the truth was, I wasn't just trying to cage Seraphina.

I was trying to make her mine.

And I wasn't going to stop until she understood that.

***************

I arrived at her door minutes later.

The guards stepped aside as I turned the key, pushing it open. The dim glow of a single bedside lamp cast shadows across the room.

She was sitting on the bed, knees pulled to her chest.

The moment she saw me, her eyes blazed with fury. "Go to hell."

I smirked. "I've been there, tesoro. It's not as bad as you think."

She stood quickly, backing away as I stepped inside. "What do you want, Dante?"

I closed the door behind me, letting the lock click into place. "Do you really need to ask?"

Her hands curled into fists. "I'm not yours."

I chuckled, slow and deliberate. "Oh, but you are and the sooner you accept it, the easier this will be."

She glared at me, defiant as ever. "You can control my body, lock me in this room, but you will never control me."

I took a step closer. She didn't move.

"You think this is about control?" I murmured, tilting my head. "No, amore mio. This is about you learning."

She scoffed. "Learning what? That you're a monster?"

I exhaled sharply. "That running from me will always end in failure."

She swallowed hard. I could see the fear creeping back in, but she tried to mask it with anger.

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She flinched.

Good.

Fear meant she understood.

I leaned in slightly, my voice a whisper against her ear. "Tell me, Seraphina… do you still want to leave?"

She didn't answer right away.

Then, through gritted teeth— "Yes."

I pulled back, studying her. She was shaking. Not just from fear—but from something else.

Rage.

Defiance.

And beneath it all, a part of her that wasn't as certain as she pretended to be.

"Then we have a problem," I said simply.

She lifted her chin. "Because I won't break?"

I smiled. "Because you already are."

Her breath hitched, and for the first time, doubt flickered across her face.

Good.

I turned, heading for the door. But before I left, I glanced over my shoulder.

"Sleep well, mi amore. You'll need your strength."

And then, I was gone.

Because tomorrow…

Tomorrow, she would learn.

As I walked out of Seraphina's room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. She was starting to break, to realize that she was no match for me. I had her right where I wanted her.

I made my way back to my study, my mind already turning to the next step in my plan. I had to keep pushing her, to keep breaking her down until she was nothing more than a shell of her former self.

And then, I would rebuild her. I would make her into the perfect companion, one who would obey me without question.

I sat down at my desk, pouring myself another glass of whiskey as I began to think about the best way to proceed. I had to be careful, to make sure that I didn't push her too far. I didn't want her to break completely, not yet.

As I sat there, lost in thought, I heard a noise coming from outside my study. It was a faint rustling sound, one that seemed to be coming from the hallway.

I frowned, my mind instantly going on high alert. Who could be sneaking around my mansion? I had guards posted everywhere, and I knew that no one could get past them without my knowledge.

Unless...

Unless it was someone who had been hiding in plain sight all along.