ANMELDENDante's POV I watched her go, adjusting myself discreetly with a shake of my head, then poured refills into travel mugs, my mind shifting back to logistics. A quick text to Mara: "Any hits on the email sender?" Her reply buzzed in almost immediately: "Encrypted layers peeling back—looks like a VPN hopscotch, but metadata on the photo points to a pro setup, likely a hired eye. Upping surveillance; tail's in position at campus." Good—proactive, no stone unturned. I wouldn't let anonymous shadows touch Cassidy; she'd been through enough rebuilding her trust after her past. By the time she came back down—dressed in form-fitting jeans that hugged her curves just right, a cozy oversized sweater that screamed autumn comfort, and her hair tied back in a loose ponytail—she looked every bit the focused, brilliant student I admired. Her backpack was slung over one shoulder, laptop peeking out, and she grabbed her travel mug with a grateful smile. "Ready, chauffeur? Or are you still daydreaming
Dante’s POV The machine hummed to life with a familiar whir, the rich aroma of freshly ground beans filling the air, chasing away the last cobwebs of sleep. Sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows in golden beams, casting a warm glow over the marble counters and the scattered remnants of last night's takeout—empty cartons of Thai food we'd devoured between laughs and lingering touches, the spicy remnants still lingering faintly in the air like a memory of our heated evening. I leaned against the island, watching the dark liquid drip into the pot with rhythmic precision, my mind replaying the confrontation at the restaurant like a looped video: the rival's hasty retreat, the satisfaction of turning a potential disaster into a strategic win. It should have felt like closure, but that cryptic email this morning—"You think you won? Watch your back. -E"—with the attached photo of Cassidy on campus, had reignited a flicker of unease. A veiled threat, no doubt from someone with a gr
Dante's POV "Yes... God, yes," she replied, legs wrapping tighter around me, heels digging into my back. With a shared groan, I sank into her—slow at first, inch by inch, the heat and tightness enveloping me like a velvet glove, homecoming in the most primal sense. She stretched around me, a perfect fit, her nails digging into my shoulders as she adjusted, a soft moan escaping.We moved together, rhythm building from tender to urgent, her nails digging into my shoulders, my hands gripping her hips as I drove deeper, each thrust a punctuation to unspoken vows—harder, faster, the angle shifting to hit deeper, her cries spurring me on. Sweat slicked our skin, breaths mingling in gasps and moans, the couch protesting with every shift, springs creaking in protest. She met me thrust for thrust, legs locked around me, her inner walls clenching in that rhythmic way that always pushed me to the edge, milking me with every withdrawal and plunge. "Harder," she demanded, voice breaking, head th
Dante’s POV Heat built slowly at first, her lips yielding under mine, the kiss a spark that ignited the embers we'd kept banked all day. Cassidy's hands fisted in my shirt, pulling me closer as if to fuse us together, her body arching into me on the couch, soft curves pressing against the hard lines of my chest. The rom-com droned on in the background, the canned laughter from the screen a mocking counterpoint to the raw intensity building between us—the quickening breaths, the subtle hitch in her throat as my tongue traced hers, delving deeper to taste the lingering spice of arrabbiata mingled with the sweetness that was uniquely her, like honeyed warmth on a cool evening. My fingers threaded through her hair, thick and slightly tangled from the day's wind, tilting her head for better access, the strands silky and warm from the fading sun she'd walked under earlier. My other hand skimmed down her side, slipping under the hem of her sweater to find bare skin, smooth and heated, the
Dante’s POV Pasta. Normalcy. Home. The words echoed in my mind like a lifeline, pulling me back from the precipice the day had dragged me to. I pocketed the phone with a faint smile, the glow of Cassidy's message cutting through the lingering haze of tension that clung to the boardroom air. The city skyline outside the windows had shifted from midday glare to the soft amber of late afternoon, shadows lengthening like fingers reaching for the horizon. I gathered my things methodically—tablet into briefcase, notes folded with crisp precision—rebuilding the armor the meeting had momentarily dented. The day's surprises still rang in my ears, but they felt distant now, echoes from a vault I intended to keep sealed. I'd meant what I said in my resolve: focus on the future, on us.As I straightened my tie in the reflective glass, the door buzzed softly—Mara, my ever-efficient sentinel, poking her head in. "Mr. Ashford? The Forbes prep is ready—talking points emailed. Also, the auditor left
Dante's POV Her plea hung in the air, raw and exposed, the woman who'd once matched my ambition now laying it all bare, vulnerability twisting her features into something almost unrecognizable. Evelyn—fierce, unyielding Evelyn—begging like this? It was a sight that might have swayed me once, back when her fire had ignited mine, when we'd conquered deals and each other with equal ferocity. But now? It rang hollow, a performance born of loneliness rather than love. Her tears streamed unchecked, mascara smudging in dark rivulets down her porcelain cheeks, her grip on my jacket loosening as if the fight was draining out of her. The boardroom, with its panoramic views of the city I'd claimed as my kingdom, felt like a stage for this unwanted revival—a play I had no interest in reprising. I released her wrists gently but firmly, stepping back to create space, the cool air rushing in like a barrier. My heart pounded, not from desire, but from the surge of clarity cutting through the chaos







