Victoria's Visit

Cassandra woke slowly, warm and safe in Dante’s arms. Fragments of last night came back to her—the tears, the breakdown, the way he’d held her through it all. The weight of fear was still there this morning, but it felt lighter. Easier to carry.

She turned in his arms, watching him sleep. Without the usual hardness in his face, he looked younger. Softer. Almost boyish.  

Her fingers moved on their own, tracing the sharp line of his jaw.

His eyes fluttered open. “Good morning,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep.

“Good morning.”

“Feeling better?”

She nodded, leaning into his touch. “You stayed.”

“I told you I would.” He pulled her closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’m not going anywhere.”

---

Dante made breakfast.  

Cassandra sat at the small kitchen table wrapped in a blanket, watching him. He moved with purpose—cracking eggs, flipping toast, pouring coffee. How could one man be so fierce and so gentle at the same time?

He set a plate in front of her. “Eat. You need your strength.”

She took a bite, then looked up. “What’s our plan? With Marcus Kane?”

Dante sat across from her, his jaw tight, eyes serious.  

“We fight him,” he said. “We use the information my father gave us. Find his weaknesses. And we take him down.”

“He’s dangerous, Dante. He killed my mother.”

“I know.” His hand covered hers across the table. “But we’re not letting him win. We’re going to finish what your mother started.”

Cassandra’s throat tightened. “We’re going to expose him.”

“Together.”

---

After Dante left for work, the silence in the cottage pressed in.  

She tried to read. The words blurred.  

She tried to clean. Her hands trembled.

Her phone rang.

Relief hit her instantly. “Sam?”

“Cass!” Samantha’s voice was bright. “I’ve been trying to reach you for days! Where have you been?”

“I’m okay, Sam. A lot’s been happening.”

“I can imagine.” Samantha’s tone softened. “But listen—I have news. The final year exam schedule is out! We’re graduating soon!”

Cassandra’s heart stopped.  

“Sam, I—”

“Can you believe it? After everything, we’re finally graduating! I’m so excited—”

“Sam.” Cassandra’s voice came out barely a whisper. “I don’t think I’m graduating with you.”

Silence.  

Then: “What do you mean?”

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. “I’ve missed too much school. With the necklace, the danger, being at the mansion… I’ve barely been to class. I don’t think I can catch up in time.”

“Cass, you can’t give up. You’ve worked so hard—”

“I know.” Her voice cracked. “But there’s too much happening. Too much danger. I don’t even know if I’ll be alive in a few weeks.”

“Don’t say that.” Samantha’s voice turned fierce. “You’re walking across that stage with me. I don’t care what it takes. We’ll figure it out.”

Cassandra gave a weak laugh, wiping her eyes. “You always know how to make me feel better.”

“That’s what friends are for.” Samantha softened. “Seriously, Cass. You’re not alone.”

“I know. Thank you, Sam.”

---

Dante’s day dragged—meetings, calls, decisions. But his mind kept drifting back to the cottage. To Cassandra. To the way she’d looked at him that morning: vulnerable. Trusting.

He was packing up when his office door opened.

Victoria.

She wore a short, revealing gown that left little to the imagination. Her heels clicked on the floor. Her smile was predatory.

“Hello, Dante,” she purred. “I thought we could talk.”

His jaw tightened. “Victoria. What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been thinking about you.” She stepped closer, hand reaching for his chest. “About us.”

He caught her wrist. “There is no us. There never was.”

“I could be good for you,” she whispered, lips brushing his ear. “Better than that little girl you’re playing house with.”

His eyes went cold. He stepped back. “Leave. Now.”

“I don’t think you really want me to—”

“I said leave. Don’t make me call security.”

Victoria’s smile faltered. Anger flashed in her eyes. “You’re making a mistake.”

“Get out.”

She snatched her bag and slammed the door behind her.

Dante stood alone, heart pounding. Victoria’s visit had rattled him. Worse—it left him craving. Her touch. Her scent. The way she’d pressed against him.  

It made him want only one person.

Cassandra.

---

He drove home too fast. Knuckles white on the wheel. All he could think about was her—her lips, her body, the way she felt in his arms.

The cottage lights were on.  

She was in the kitchen, reading. She looked up, surprised. “You’re back early.”

Three steps. That’s all it took. His hands cupped her face and his mouth crashed into hers—hungry, demanding.

She melted into him, hands sliding up his chest. “Dante—”

“I need you,” he murmured against her lips. “I need you now.”

“What happened?”

“Victoria.” His lips trailed down her neck. “She came to my office. To seduce me.”

Cassandra stiffened. “What?”

“I sent her away.” He pulled back, eyes dark with want. “But it made me realize something. I don’t want anyone else. I only want you. And I need you to know that.”

Her heart pounded. “Show me.”

He lifted her off the counter and carried her to the bedroom. Laid her down gently. His hands mapped every inch of her.

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips. “Only you.”

“I love you too.”

He undressed her slowly, reverently. His mouth left fire in its wake. She arched into him, gripping the sheets.  

“Please,” she whispered. “I need you.”

He entered her slowly, filling her completely. She gasped, nails digging into his back. They moved together—urgent, tender, desperate.

She broke first, shuddering against him. He followed with a groan, burying himself deep.

---

After, they lay tangled, sweat cooling on their skin. Dante traced circles on her back.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “About Victoria—”

“Don’t.” She looked up at him. “You sent her away. You came home to me. That’s all that matters.”

He pulled her closer. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

---

Later, he noticed how quiet she’d gone. Distant.  

“What’s wrong?”

She told him about Samantha’s call. The exams. The fear that she was losing her future. Her normal life.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever graduate,” she whispered. “I don’t know if I’ll ever have a normal life.”

Dante pulled her into his arms. “You will. I promise. When this is over, we’ll figure it out. We’ll make it happen.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I’m not letting you give up on your dreams.” He kissed her forehead. “And I’m not letting anyone take them away from you.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Always.”