All Chapters of His Body Craved Mine, His Heart Chose Me: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

(Dante’s POV)The next morning, Dante called a press conference.He sat at the head of a long table, his face stone in the flash of a hundred cameras."About the billboard last night," his voice was low, laced with menace. "I need to clear something up—I never agreed to a divorce from my wife, Elara."A murmur swept through the reporters."Those so-called divorce papers," Dante continued, "were nothing more than a little spat between us. Anyone who tries to use this to drive a wedge between us, or to attack my family, will pay a heavy price."His gaze swept over them, and the chilling authority of the Don silenced the room.For the next seventy-two hours, the Chicago underworld erupted.Dante unleashed a wave of brutal, devastating revenge on the Rosetti family, more ruthless than anything he'd ever done before.And after every strike, he sent the same message: "This is for my wife, Elara. Anyone who harms her will face the wrath of the Moretti family."It was the first time he had eve

(Dante’s POV)The car had just roared to life when Dante’s phone rang again."Dante, where are you? My hand… it’s hurting again. It hurts so much…" It was Ava, her voice choked with sobs.Dante’s heart lurched. "What?"Dammit. He gripped the steering wheel, the image of the ugly scar on Ava’s hand flashing in his mind. She’d gotten it five years ago saving his life, and the nerve damage had never fully healed. It flared up whenever the weather changed or she got emotional.He glanced at the time. Ten minutes until Elara's flight took off.He felt like he was being torn in two.Finally, he slammed the wheel, wrenching the car around and heading for the hospital.Ava had saved his life. He couldn't just leave her.This is the last time, Dante told himself.Ava lay in a sterile white bed, her face as pale as the sheets. Her right hand was wrapped in thick bandages."Dante!" She burst into tears the moment she saw him. "You came. I thought… I thought you weren't going to come.""What happe

To lift my spirits, Liam took me to a ski resort outside of Boston.Dressed in a white ski suit, I flew down the slopes, feeling a joy I hadn't felt in ages.Liam was an excellent skier. He patiently taught me new techniques, his hand steadying me whenever I started to wobble."You're a fast learner," Liam said with a laugh. "It figures. Artists always have good coordination."I laughed too. "Thanks for the compliment, professor."As we rested in the lodge at the top of the mountain, I felt a profound sense of ease. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, warm and comforting."Elara," Liam said, his expression suddenly serious. "I want to ask you something.""What is it?""Would you consider… being with me? I mean, really being with me."My heart sped up, and I felt a blush creep into my cheeks. This kind, gentle man… I had seen how good he was to me these past few weeks. With him, I felt cherished. I felt respected."Liam, I…""Elara!"An angry voice ripped through the air behind

(Dante’s POV)Dante took a deep breath and opened the encrypted file Vincent had sent.The first thing was security footage.It clearly showed Elara, alone, dragging his bleeding body to safety. The camera caught the exact moment her hand was sliced open by a piece of broken glass on the ground.A few minutes later, she ran off to get help. That's when Ava emerged from the shadows.First, she cut her own hand. Then she called her own men to carry Dante away.When Elara returned with bandages, all that was left was a pool of blood.Dante felt like he’d been struck by lightning. He was frozen.He remembered, once, in bed, tracing the long, raised scar on Elara’s hand.He had never asked about it.He remembered Ava, showing him her "wound," her eyes full of tears as she said, "Dante, I don't regret it. It was worth it to save you."And he, like a fool, had believed her, had been moved by her, had treated her like a precious saint.The truth only got uglier.Bank records of Ava paying a wa

I woke up to the thick smell of mildew.My hands and feet were bound tightly to a chair with coarse rope.It looked like an abandoned warehouse, the air thick with the smell of rust and dust."You're awake."A hoarse, twisted voice spoke in front of me.I looked up and saw the person standing there. It was Ava.No, you couldn't call that a face anymore.Half of it was covered in grotesque scars, as if it had been eaten away by acid. Her eyes were filled with a crazed, burning hatred.She looked like a demon clawed back from hell."Surprised?" she said, dragging a wounded leg as she limped toward me, a gun in her hand. "This is Dante's handiwork. He threw me in the ocean, pulled me out, threw me back in. He ruined my face and told the world he was done with me... He said he wanted me to feel the pain you felt."She let out a shrill, hysterical laugh."He destroyed me, and it's all because of you! Elara! You bitch!" She yanked my hair, pressing the cold barrel of the gun to my temple. "N