Chapter Sixteen - 24/7

Dante didn’t give me time to catch my breath.

The moment he wrestled the gun out of my reach, he grabbed my upper arm, hauling me to my feet like I weighed nothing. I dug my heels into the carpet, but it barely slowed him.

“You’re unbelievable,” he muttered, dragging me toward the basement stairs.

“Let go of me,” I snapped, yanking against his hold.

He didn’t.

He didn’t even look at me.

“You break out of a locked basement,” he said flatly, “then sneak into my room and try to stab me in my sleep.”

“In my defense,” I bit out, “you have a very stab-able face.”

He huffed a laugh — the bastard actually laughed — but didn’t stop pulling me along.

We reached the top of the basement stairs.

I braced myself.

Here we go again.

Chains.

Cold.

Darkness.

But he didn’t move.

He froze.

Completely.

I frowned, breath still sharp from the fight.

“What? Lost your nerve?”

“No,” he said, voice low and thoughtful. “I just realized something.”

He turned his head slightly, studying me like I was a puzzle he’d finally found the corner pieces for.

“You’re getting out too easily.”

“Imagine that.”

He ignored me and released my arm — only to grab my wrist instead, firmer, more controlled.

Then he pivoted sharply and marched me toward the bedroom next door.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“A better idea,” he said.

That tone…

That tone never meant anything good.

He shoved the door open with his shoulder, pulling me inside.

The room was spare — a bed, a dresser, a nightstand. Nothing else. No windows.

A room designed not for comfort…

…but containment.

Dante went straight to the dresser, yanked open the top drawer, and pulled something out.

Metal glinted.

My stomach sank.

Handcuffs.

Not the flimsy ones I’d picked before.

These were thick, reinforced steel — double-locking, impossible to shim with a pin.

He lifted them with a slow, deliberate smirk.

“You’ve made one thing very clear,” he said, stepping toward me.

“You can’t be trusted alone.”

“No kidding,” I muttered.

His hand shot out, gripping my chin and forcing my eyes up to his.

“I wasn’t asking for commentary.”

My pulse jumped, but I didn’t look away.

He leaned in, voice a low growl.

“Since you keep escaping, fighting, sneaking into my room, and trying to kill me—”

“Trying,” I interrupted. “Keyword.”

He squeezed my chin, not painfully — just enough to silence me.

“The only way I can actually keep an eye on you,” he finished, “is if you’re next to me. Twenty-four hours a day. Wherever I go… you go.”

I stared at him.

“You’re joking.”

“No,” he said. “I’m done underestimating you.”

He held up the cuffs between us.

“You’re staying with me now.”

A laugh burst out of me — sharp, disbelieving.

“That’s your brilliant solution? Chain me to yourself?”

“Yes,” he said simply.

“You realize that’s insane, right?”

His eyes darkened.

“You have no idea how insane I can get when someone threatens my life. Repeatedly.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re the one who kidnapped me.”

“And you,” he said, stepping closer, “are the one who keeps making me rethink every rule I’ve ever had.”

My breath hitched.

His expression shifted — something hungry, frustrated, and undeniably intrigued flickered across his face.

“You,” he murmured, “are forcing my hand.”

“No,” I shot back. “You’re just losing control.”

He smirked. “If I’d lost control, you’d be dead.”

My jaw clenched.

He lifted the cuffs, brushing the cold metal along my wrist.

“You’ll be chained,” he said quietly, “but not to a wall.”

I swallowed hard.

“To what, then?”

He clicked the cuff open.

“To me.”

My heart slammed against my ribs.

I stepped back instinctively — a mistake.

He caught my wrist mid-retreat and pulled me forward.

“Absolutely not,” I snapped.

“You don’t have a choice.”

“You can’t drag me around like a dog.”

“No,” he agreed softly. “I’ll drag you around like the weapon you are.”

My breath caught.

And then—

for the first time—

I saw something in his eyes that wasn’t amusement or rage or dominance.

Something like… respect.

“You’re too dangerous to leave alone,” he said. “Too clever. Too unpredictable.”

His grip tightened.

“And if you keep pulling stunts like tonight, someone else in this house is going to kill you before I can stop them.”

I blinked.

That—

That almost sounded like concern.

His voice dropped to a whisper.

“I’m not losing track of you again.”

And then the cuff clicked around my wrist.

Not tight.

Not painful.

Just… final.

I glared up at him.

“This is a terrible idea.”

He smirked.

“It’s brilliant. You’ll see.”

“You can’t keep me like this.”

“I wasn’t asking for permission.”

He lifted the other end of the chain — and attached it to his own wrist.

My breath froze.

“What the hell are you doing?” I snapped.

“Exactly what I said.”

A dark smile curved the corner of his mouth.

“We’re together now.”

I yanked the chain.

He yanked back.

“You break out,” he said, “and you’re dragging me with you.”

I stared at him in horrified realization.

“You’re insane.”

“Probably.”

He tugged me closer with a flick of his wrist — and I stumbled into his chest.

“And you,” he murmured, brushing a loose strand of hair from my cheek,

“are stuck with me.”