Page 45 of Vow of Hate

“Am I wrong?” I challenge.

He looks into my eyes for a long moment. My mom hasn’t moved at all behind me. I know she’s waiting to shoot Dante the second she gets.

If I’m being honest, the thought of Dante dying doesn’t sit right with me. He’s awoken this animal inside of me and I need him to snuff it out. I want to give him my body because I’m desperate for his touch.

But how can I want a monster like him to touch me?

“Am I wrong?” I ask again. “We all have things we care about in life. Surely there’s one thing you care about.”

He doesn’t look away from me.

“If you truly hate me as you claim,” I continue, “then you won’t have any problems shooting me in the head. So just shoot me. And then Gabriel can never use me against you. Problem solved.”

“I could just kill you and then your mother.”

“Not if I kill you first,” she threatens.

Dante chuckles but he doesn’t turn to her. His eyes are only for mine. “You think you hold any power over me, Sienna?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “But why haven’t you fired your gun yet? If I meant nothing to you, you would have already killed me. So kill me, Dante.”

“It would be easy.”

“So do it.” My heart is beating so fast, it hurts. I don’t want to die but I also need a release to this ache inside of me and if death is the answer, then so be it. At least I’ll go down saving my mom.

Dante’s eyes flick to my lips and linger there. I frown. What is he thinking?

After a long beat, he lowers his gun to his side. I breathe out.

“I won’t kill you,” he states. “You’re no fun to me dead.”

“Is that all I am? Just fun to you?”

“What else would you be to me, Sienna?”

“You killed Edward for me. You opened up to me. I can tell I get under your skin sometimes. What am I to you?”

“An amusement,” he sneers. “Nothing more.” I flinch. Dante will always be a monster through and through.

And yet, my body still aches for him. I hate him even more for it.

“Let’s go,” he orders.

“I am not letting you take my daughter,” Mom says.

“I have faster reflexes than you,” Dante explains. “You’re hurt. You know I’ll win.”

I turn to my mom and place my hand on her gun. “It’s all right. I’ll go back with him. If it means saving your life, I’ll do it.”

Tears well up in my mom’s eyes. My strong mom who fought for me for so long. “How can I let you go back with that monster?”

“You have to. I’ll return to you one day. I believe it. And we’ll be safe. We’ll escape to America then. I promise.”

A sob escapes her as she throws her arms around me. I cling to her like I might die if I let her go.

I’m the first one to pull back because I know we’re delaying the inevitable. She cups my face, staring into my eyes. It’s like she’s trying to give me as much strength as she can muster.

“At least give her clothes,” she says to Dante. “At least give her that. Please.”