Page 42 of Blood Vows

“You took me there last night,” she pointed out.

“Because I needed somewhere secure,” he explained.

“And now it suddenly isn’t safe?” she asked.

“It’s secure.” Dante’s jaw tightened. “It’s also where Isabella lives.”

Elena understood immediately. “You think I put her in danger.”

“I think whoever is hunting you puts everyone around you in danger.” That hurt, but she tried not to let it show. Dante seemed to see it anyway. “That came out wrong.”

“No, it didn’t,” she whispered.

“Elena.” He reached for her, and she pulled her arm away from him.

“It’s fine,” she spat.

“It’s not what I meant,” he said.

“You meant exactly what you said. People around me are in danger.” She looked at the ruined bedroom and her clothes scattered across the floor. She looked at the broken furniture and at the place where a man had died while searching for something connected to her father. Dante was right, and that was the worst part.

She wrapped her arms around herself. “So maybe I shouldn’t be around anyone.”

Dante went very still, and then he crossed the room. “No.”

She looked up. “No, what?”

“You don’t get to do that,” he said.

“Do what?” she asked.

“Turn this into your fault,” he said. His voice had softened, but somehow that made the words hit harder. “Someone spent years setting you up. They stole your identity. Opened accounts in your name. Put a target on your back. None of that happened because of something you did.”

Elena swallowed. “You don’t know that.”

“I know enough,” he said.

“You’ve known me for a day,” she reminded.

“And in that day, you’ve had someone shoot at you, another man tear apart your apartment looking for something your father left behind, and a picture show up with tomorrow’s date written on it.” His dark eyes held hers. “I'm starting to know plenty.”

Elena hated the sting behind her eyes. She looked away before he could see it, but knew that it was too late. Dante reached for her. She thought he might touch her face, but instead, his hand settled on her uninjured shoulder—warm, heavy, and steady.

“You’re coming with me.” For once, the command didn’t make her want to fight. That probably should have worried her, but it didn’t.

“Is your house safe?” she asked.

“Yes,” he assured.

“How safe?” she asked.

“No one knows where I live,” he said.

She frowned. “No one?”

“Just Luca,” he said.

“You do know that Luca counts as someone, right?” she asked.