Page 66 of Vow of Hate

“And now I’m taking that permission away. You will not touch her. Not anymore.”

Jack’s lips curl into disgust but he doesn’t object. Good. This way I don’t have to kill him like I did Edward. Though, it could be fun.

I turn to Sienna, crying in a ball on the ground. Something hits me hard in the stomach.

Guilt. It’s fucking guilt.

I needed to treat Sienna like my prisoner to remind myself that that’s where she stands. But the sight of her crying her eyes out. The sight of her curled into a ball. The sight of her so scared looking when she’s been so brave before…

I fucking hate it.

“Everyone out,” I order. “This party is done.” I pick Sienna up in my arms but she screams and wiggles out of my grasp. She ends up falling back onto the ground, crying harder.

None of my guests move.

“Everyone out!” I shout. That gets them to move. I only speak when it’s just me and Sienna again. “Sienna.” I reach my hand out to her but she scoots away from me on her hands and knees.

“Why did you do that to me?” she asks. “Why did you let him hurt me? Why do any of this to me? I hate you. You’re a monster.”

“You already knew that about me. You already hated me.”

“Not like this. I thought…”

I scoff. “You thought what? That I had any redeeming qualities. I have none, Sienna. I am a fucking monster. You know that.”

She pushes herself to her feet and wipes away her tears. “So then why did you stop Jack from hurting me more? Why?”

I have no answer for her.

“Why did you do that to me, Dante?” she asks in a soft voice, sounding even younger than she is. “Why do any of this to me?”

“I…” I have no answer for her.

She storms away from me but then she quickly bends over, gasping, clutching her back.

“Sienna?” I ask, rushing over to her side.

“Don’t.” She holds up a hand. “Don’t act like you care for me. Just don’t do it, Dante. Please. You’re only going to hurt me more.”

I stand back and watch as she returns to her full height. She keeps her head high as she walks back into her bedroom and shuts the door.

I wanted to humiliate Sienna tonight. Remind us both that we’re only captor and captive.

But in this moment, I know what I need to do. I can’t keep Sienna. I can’t keep pretending there’s anything between us because there can’t be.

She needs to die.

I burst open her bedroom door with my gun drawn. Sienna gasps but then stands still, waiting for me to shoot her.

“You said death would be preferable than anything else,” I say.

“Just do it,” she whispers. “Just put me out of my misery. Please.”

I need to kill her. Then no one can use her against me. I’ll have no more weaknesses. I’ll be the strong, chaotic Dante everyone knows me to be. The lonely one.

Fuck.

I lower my gun to my side and Sienna breathes out. “Go.”