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Short filmTranscript
00:00My feet feel like they've been personally victimized by a meat mallet.
00:05It's two in the afternoon, the Miami sun is acting like it has a personal vendetta against my complexion,
00:11and I've just finished a double shift that paid barely enough to cover my rent, let alone my sanity.
00:18I cut through the park, squinting against the glare bouncing off the bay.
00:23The heat here is physical, a heavy blanket that smells like salt and exhaust,
00:28but right now, I'm too tired to care.
00:31I just want to get to the bus stop, collapse into a plastic seat, and disassociate until I get home.
00:38Then I hear it, a sound so pathetic that it actually cuts through the traffic noise on Biscayne Boulevard.
00:46Meow.
00:47I stop, my sneakers skidding on the pavement.
00:50No, I tell myself aloud.
00:52Elena, keep walking.
00:54You cannot afford a pet.
00:55You can barely afford cheese.
00:58Meow.
00:59I groan, tilting my head back to the cloudless, blindingly blue sky.
01:05Why?
01:06I follow the sound to a massive oak tree near the walking path.
01:10The shade is a relief, but what I find at the base of the trunk makes my chest tighten.
01:16It's a kitten, tiny, white, and trembling so hard it looks like a vibrating cotton ball.
01:22It's alone, staring up at me with wide, terrified blue eyes.
01:28Oh, come on, I mutter, crouching down.
01:30My knees pop.
01:31Where's your mom, little guy?
01:33I reach out, and the kitten doesn't even hiss.
01:37It scrambles into my palm like I'm a life raft, digging tiny needle claws into my wrist.
01:43Careful, a deep voice says from above.
01:46He's got a sharp grip.
01:48I jump, nearly dropping the cat.
01:51I didn't hear anyone approach, which is terrifying.
01:54But when I look up, the fear is immediately replaced by a different kind of shock.
01:59The man standing over me is excessive.
02:03That's the only word for it.
02:05He's wearing a charcoal suit that fits him like a second skin, tailored to within an inch
02:11of its life.
02:12In this humidity, he should be sweating through the silk lining, but he looks cool, composed,
02:18and devastatingly handsome.
02:20He's got dark hair swept back, a jawline that could cut glass, and eyes the color of
02:26burnt espresso.
02:28I straighten up, clutching the kitten to my chest.
02:31Do you make a habit of sneaking up on women in parks, or is today a special occasion?
02:36He smirks.
02:38It's a slow, dangerous expression that makes my stomach do a traitorous little flip.
02:43I wasn't sneaking.
02:45You were just preoccupied.
02:47He steps closer.
02:48He smells like sandalwood and money.
02:51Dangerous money.
02:53Is this your cat?
02:54I ask, shielding the fluff ball with my hand.
02:57Because if you abandoned him here, I'm going to hit you with my purse, and it's heavy.
03:02I have a lot of change in there.
03:04He chuckles, a low rumble that I feel in the soles of my tired feet.
03:09I didn't abandon him.
03:11I placed him.
03:12I blink.
03:14Placed him?
03:15Like a decorative throw pillow?
03:17Like bait.
03:18The air between us suddenly feels heavier than the humidity.
03:22I take a half step back, but my back hits the rough bark of the oak tree.
03:27Excuse me?
03:29He slides his hands into his pockets, looking at me with an intensity that feels like a physical touch.
03:35He's not looking at the kitten anymore.
03:38He's looking at my mouth, then my eyes.
03:41He says, his voice smooth, velvety, and completely insane.
03:47Most people walked right by.
03:49Too busy.
03:50Too selfish.
03:50He takes another step, invading my personal space until all I can see is the shark knot of his tie.
03:58I'm a sucker for sad noises, I snap, trying to keep my voice steady.
04:03Look, if this is some weird social experiment for TikTok, I'm not signing the release form.
04:09He tilts his head, studying me like a rare painting he's deciding whether or not to buy.
04:15No cameras, Alina.
04:17My heart stammers.
04:18I didn't tell you my name.
04:20You didn't have to.
04:22He reaches out, and for a second, I think he's going to touch my face.
04:27Instead, he runs a thumb over the kitten's head, his knuckle brushing the pulse point of my neck.
04:33His skin is hot, his touch electric.
04:36I put the kitten here to mark my future.
04:40Looks like I caught her.
04:41The cat, I breathe, my brain short-circuiting.
04:45He meets my eyes, and the air leaves my lungs.
04:49No, not the cat.
04:52I am not handing a defenseless animal over to a guy who thinks marking his future involves abandoning livestock under a maple tree.
05:01I clutch the cardboard box tighter to my chest, staring up at him.
05:05The sun is blazing, bouncing off the asphalt and the terrifyingly shiny black car idling behind him, but he doesn't even squint.
05:16Dante, if that's even his real name, just cocks a brow, looking less like a pet owner and more like a man who owns the bank that foreclosed on your house.
05:26Livestock, he repeats, his voice a low, smooth rumble that vibrates in my chest.
05:34It's a cat, Elena, not a cow.
05:37You said you put it there.
05:39I did.
05:40Which makes you a psychopath.
05:42The corner of his mouth twitches.
05:44It's a dangerous, barely-there smile.
05:47He reaches for the door handle of the massive, sleek sedan.
05:51A Maybach, I realize with a jolt.
05:53I've only ever seen these in music videos or parked illegally in handicapped spots by influencers.
06:00If you don't trust me, he says, opening the back door with a fluid motion that screams gentleman predator, then you'd better get in.
06:10Unless you have a vet on speed dial and the funds to cover emergency diagnostics.
06:15I hesitate.
06:16My bank account currently has double digits, and none of them are prominent numbers.
06:22The kitten mews pitifully inside the box, a sound like a squeaky toy losing its air.
06:28Fine, I snap.
06:30But if I wake up in a bathtub without a kidney, I'm haunting you.
06:34Noted.
06:35I slide into the interior, and it's like entering a different tax bracket.
06:40The air is crisp, chilled to perfection, and smells of rich leather and something woody and expensive.
06:48Sandalwood, maybe?
06:49Or just the scent of absolute power.
06:52The seats are a buttery cream color that makes me instantly panic about the dirt on my jeans.
06:58Dante slides in next to me, bringing a wave of heat and that intoxicating scent with him.
07:04There's plenty of room, but he feels massive, sucking all the oxygen out of the space.
07:11To the vet, he tells the driver, a thick-necked guy who looks at me in the rearview mirror with mild confusion.
07:17Which one, boss?
07:19The best one.
07:20I scoff, settling the box on my lap.
07:23The best one is going to charge you $500 just to look at him.
07:27Dante turns slightly, his dark eyes sweeping over me, lingering on the fray of my t-shirt before meeting my gaze.
07:35It's not judgmental, exactly.
07:37It's calculating.
07:39Like he's appraising a piece of art he hasn't decided to buy yet.
07:43I think I can manage the copay, he draws.
07:46Must be nice, I mutter, peeking into the box.
07:49The kitten, a scruffy tuxedo with one goopy eye, is trying to chew on the cardboard flap.
07:56So what do you do, Dante, besides leaving cryptic omens in public parks?
08:02Import-export, he says instantly, the classic non-answer.
08:06Right, imports of what?
08:09Illegal exotic animals?
08:10Fabergé eggs?
08:12Olive oil, he lies.
08:14He lies so smoothly, it's almost insulting.
08:17And real estate.
08:19You look like you import trouble.
08:22He laughs then, a short, dry sound that surprises me.
08:26He rests his elbow on the center console, leaning closer.
08:30The sunlight filters through the tinted glass, catching the gold of his watch,
08:34a heavy, intricate thing that probably costs more than my entire college education.
08:40I don't have to import trouble, Elena, he says,
08:43his voice dropping an octave, intimate and velvety.
08:48It usually finds me, or, in this case, climbs into my car and accuses me of being a psychopath.
08:56I haven't ruled out the psychopath thing yet, I shoot back,
09:00though my heart does a treacherous little flip when his knee brushes mine.
09:04The contact is electric, warm and solid through the denim.
09:08I instinctively pull my leg back, but there's nowhere to go.
09:13Fair enough, he says, holding my gaze.
09:15The intensity in his eyes is heavy, unblinking.
09:19But this pico-path is paying the bill, so try to be nice.
09:24I'm always nice, I lie.
09:26We'll see.
09:27He looks down at the box, as the kitten lets out a loud, wet sneeze.
09:31A tiny speck of mucus lands on the pristine, cream-leather armrest.
09:37I freeze.
09:38Dante looks at the spot, then he looks at me.
09:41That, he says, deadpan, is coming out of your inheritance.
09:46The elevator doors slide open with a soft, hydraulic whoosh.
09:51And for a second, I'm convinced I've died,
09:54and gone to a very chic, very expensive version of heaven.
09:58I expected a dungeon, or maybe a brooding, velvet-draped man cave that smells like cigars and secrets.
10:08Instead, Dante's penthouse is a cube of blinding light.
10:12It's a glass fortress suspended over the city,
10:15with floor-to-ceiling windows that turn the mid-morning sun into a physical weight.
10:21The floors are polished white marble, the furniture is low and Italian,
10:26and everything screams, don't touch me unless you're insured.
10:31Do you own the sun? I ask, squinting as I step out.
10:35Or do you just rent it on weekends?
10:38Dante walks past me, his movement fluid and predatory, like a panther in a three-piece suit.
10:45He tosses his keys onto a glass console table.
10:48The sound echoes sharply.
10:50I find shadows hide too many rats, he says smoothly.
10:55He turns, leaning back against the table, crossing his arms.
10:59The sunlight hits his profile, lighting up the amber flecks in his dark eyes.
11:05He looks irritatingly perfect.
11:07Welcome to the top, Elena.
11:09I'm still clutching the kitten against my chest.
11:13The poor thing is trembling, probably overwhelmed by the sudden ascent to the stratosphere.
11:19It's aggressive, the view, I mean.
11:23It's clear, he corrects.
11:25I like clarity.
11:27Right, well, clarity, thanks for the ride.
11:30But unless you have a litter box made of Swarovski crystals hidden somewhere,
11:35I really should be going.
11:37I have a shift at the diner in three hours.
11:40You don't.
11:41I bristle.
11:42Excuse me?
11:43You don't have a shift.
11:45He pushes off the table and walks toward the kitchen area,
11:49an island of white stone that looks larger than my entire apartment.
11:54I called my boss?
11:55Who even are you?
11:57I'm the man who just bought you a cappuccino.
12:00Keep up.
12:01He taps a button on a sleek espresso machine that probably costs more than my car.
12:07And the man with a proposition.
12:10I don't do propositions.
12:12I snap, clutching the kitten tighter.
12:14Especially not with guys who kidnap me via luxury elevator.
12:19Dante turns, holding a small saucer of cream.
12:22He ignores my outrage entirely,
12:25his focus shifting to the ball of fluff in my arms.
12:27He walks over, invading my personal space with that terrifyingly calm confidence.
12:34He smells like bergamot and cold, hard cash.
12:38Put him down, he says softly, gesturing to the marble island.
12:42I hesitate, then set the kitten down.
12:45The little guy wobbles, sees the saucer,
12:48and immediately dives face first into the cream.
12:52Dante watches the cat, a ghost of a smile touching his lips.
12:56It softens his sharp features just enough to make my stomach do a traitorous little flip.
13:02Then he looks up, pinning me with that intense, unblinking stare.
13:07I travel, he says, his voice dropping an octave.
13:11A lot.
13:12My schedule is volatile.
13:15This, he gestures vaguely at the luxury around us,
13:18is no place for a living thing to be left alone.
13:22But I intend to keep him.
13:24Okay, I say slowly, so get a pet sitter.
13:28There's an app for that.
13:30I don't trust strangers in my home.
13:33I am a stranger.
13:35You're different, he counters,
13:37his gaze dropping to my scuffed sneakers
13:39before dragging slowly back up to my eyes.
13:43The heat in his look is undeniable, heavy, and deliberate.
13:47You found him.
13:49You stopped.
13:50Most people would have walked by.
13:53That makes you responsible.
13:55That's twisted logic.
13:57It's leverage, he says dryly.
14:00Here is the deal.
14:01You live here.
14:02You ensure he doesn't chew through the wiring of my security system.
14:07You keep him alive.
14:08I laugh.
14:10A sharp, incredulous sound.
14:11You want me to be a live-in nanny for a cat you found 20 minutes ago?
14:17Look, Dante, or whatever your name is,
14:19I have bills, real ones.
14:22I can't pay rent with thank yous and a view of the skyline.
14:25He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a folded check,
14:30sliding it across the cold marble until it rests next to the kitten's tail.
14:33Weekly, he says.
14:36I look down.
14:37I don't want to look, but I do.
14:40The number written there in elegant black ink makes the air leave my lungs.
14:45It's more than I make in three months of slinging hash browns and dodging handsy truckers.
14:51That's illegal, I whisper.
14:53That has to be illegal.
14:55It's a consulting fee, he says, leaning in close.
14:59His hand brushes mine on the counter.
15:01Just a graze, but it sends a jolt of electricity straight up my arm.
15:06He doesn't pull away.
15:08And what do you get out of it?
15:10I challenge, trying to ignore the way his proximity is making my heart race.
15:15Especially not with a tamed cat.
15:18Dante's eyes darken, his gaze flicking to my lips for a fraction of a second before returning to my eyes.
15:25Peace of mind, he says, his voice rougher now.
15:28And the assurance that when I come home, the house won't be empty.
15:33The sunlight blazes through the glass walls, exposing everything.
15:38The dust motes dancing in the air.
15:40The desperation in my bank account.
15:42And the trap snapping shut around me.
15:46I need a contract, I say, my voice shaky but stubborn.
15:50Dante smirks, the predator satisfyingly fed.
15:54I'll have it drafted by noon.
15:56The sun on the terrace is aggressive, practically interrogating me.
16:00Bouncing off the pristine white tablecloth and the gold rim of my sunglasses.
16:05It's a spectacular day in the city.
16:08Blue skies, no smog.
16:10Just the kind of crisp, high-definition brightness that makes everything look expensive.
16:15Especially him.
16:17Dante sits across from me, looking like he just stepped out of a GQ shoot centered on lethal weapon concealment.
16:24He's wearing a light gray suit that probably costs more than my entire student loan debt.
16:30And he's dissecting a lobster tail with the precision of a surgeon.
16:34Eat, Elena, he says, without looking up.
16:37The truffle oil loses its integrity if it gets cold.
16:40I'm not hungry, I lie.
16:43I'm starving.
16:45My stomach is practically staging a coup.
16:47But I'm trying to make a point.
16:49And we need to establish some ground rules.
16:52I accepted the lunch invite because you said we needed to discuss the living arrangements.
16:57Not because this is a date.
16:59Dante pauses, fork halfway to his mouth.
17:03His eyes, dark and heavy-lidded, flick up to meet mine.
17:06Who said it's a date, Gatina?
17:09I acquire.
17:11I bristle at the nickname, Kitten.
17:14It's a callback to the stray he claimed he planted for me.
17:17A manipulation tactic wrapped in fur.
17:20I'm not an acquisition.
17:22I'm a temporary guest, until I get my apartment situation sorted.
17:26That's rule number one.
17:28Rule number one, he repeats, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips.
17:33Eat the lobster.
17:34Before I can retort, a phone buzzes against the marble table.
17:39It's not a ringtone.
17:40It's a single, sharp vibration that sounds like a warning shot.
17:45Dante's expression shifts instantly.
17:47The playful arrogance evaporates, replaced by a cold, dead calm that drops the temperature
17:53on the terrace by ten degrees.
17:55He picks up the phone.
17:57Speak, he answers.
17:59I grab my water glass, watching him over the rim.
18:03Is that so?
18:04Dante asks softly.
18:06He leans back, one arm draping over the chair, looking entirely too relaxed for whatever is
18:12happening on the other end of the line.
18:14He watches a seagull land on the railing, his eyes tracking its movement while he issues a
18:19death sentence.
18:20Tell Mr. Vance that his counteroffer is insulting, not because of the money, but because he thinks
18:27I'm stupid enough to accept it.
18:29He pauses, listening.
18:31The silence stretches, taut as a wire.
18:34No, Dante says, his voice is smooth, like velvet over gravel.
18:41Don't negotiate.
18:42Go to the warehouse.
18:44Liquidate the assets.
18:45I choke on my water.
18:48Liquidate?
18:48Yes, he continues, his gaze suddenly snapping back to me, pinning me to my chair.
18:55Burn it down.
18:56Make sure he's watching from the street when the roof collapses.
19:00I want him to feel the heat.
19:02He hangs up and sets the phone face down, then picks up his fork again.
19:07The risotto's is excellent here.
19:09You should try it.
19:10I stare at him.
19:12The ambient noise of the city, distant sirens, chatter from other tables, seems to fade out.
19:19Did you just order an arson?
19:21Dante slices a piece of lobster.
19:24It's a restructuring of assets.
19:26You told them to make sure a guy feel the heat?
19:31Metaphorically, he lies, his face a mask of perfect, terrifying neutrality.
19:36You said, burn it down.
19:38Real estate is a volatile market, Elena.
19:42I let out a short and credulous laugh, leaning forward.
19:46My heart is hammering against my ribs, but strangely, it's not just fear.
19:51It's adrenaline.
19:53It's the sheer absurdity of sitting in the sun, surrounded by floral centerpieces,
19:58while this man plays God with a lighter.
20:01So, I say, resting my chin in my hand, matching his stare,
20:05do you write the gasoline off as a business expense, or is that strictly out of pocket?
20:10Dante freezes.
20:13For a second, I think I've pushed too far.
20:16I think he's going to snap, tell me to shut up, or worse.
20:20Instead, he slowly chews his food, swallows, and then smiles.
20:26It's not his usual polished, public smile.
20:29It's something else.
20:30It's dark, genuine, and hungry.
20:33He looks at me like I'm the only volatile thing in the city that he actually wants to keep.
20:39You have a sharp tongue, he murmurs, his voice dropping an octave, vibrating right through the table to my knees.
20:48Most people would be trembling right now, asking to go to the ladies' room to call the police.
20:53I'm not most people, I say, though my voice is a little breathier than I intend.
20:59And I already told you, I'm not afraid of you.
21:03Dante reaches across the table.
21:05I flinch, but he only takes my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles with deliberate, possessive pressure.
21:12The heat of his spin shocks me.
21:14You should be, he says, softly, his eyes darkening as they trace the line of my throat.
21:21But I think I prefer that you aren't.
21:24It makes the chase much more interesting.
21:27I'm not running, I whisper, trapped in his gaze.
21:31Good, he says, squeezing his hand before letting go.
21:35Then eat your lunch.
21:37We have a busy afternoon.
21:39I need to buy you a dress for the gala tonight.
21:42I didn't agree to a gala.
21:45Consider it rent, he says, and turns back to his lobster,
21:49the terrifying king of the jungle enjoying his meal in the sun.
21:54Grab his back legs, Dante.
21:56He's turning into a liquid.
21:58I am trying, Dante grunts, his grip tightening gingerly around the slippery,
22:03soaky torso of the kitten.
22:05For a creature that weighs less than a hamburger,
22:08he has the strength of a devastatingly angry god.
22:12Less talking, more scrubbing, I command.
22:15Dodging a spray of suds as the kitten, Benny, thrashes in the porcelain sink.
22:20Sunlight blazes through the floor-to-ceiling window of Dante's penthouse bathroom,
22:25illuminating the absolute chaos we've created.
22:28The marble floor is a splash zone.
22:30The air smells like lavender pet shampoo and expensive cologne.
22:35Benny lets out a yowl that sounds suspiciously like a curse word,
22:38wiggles free from Dante's large, scarred hands, and executes a full-body shake.
22:44It's like a sprinkler system going off.
22:47Dirty, soapy water flies everywhere.
22:50It hits the mirror, it hits the pristine white towels, but mostly it hits us.
22:55I shriek, shielding my eyes, while Dante just stands there,
22:59taking the brunt of the assault with a stoic, unimpressed expression.
23:04Water drips from his nose, his crisp white dress shirt,
23:07which probably costs more than my student loans,
23:10is now plastered to his chest, translucent, and outlining every ridge of muscle underneath.
23:15Well, Dante says, wiping his face with a slow, deliberate hand.
23:21That went well.
23:22I burst out laughing.
23:24I can't help it.
23:25The feared dawn of the city,
23:27the man who supposedly makes grown men weep for mercy,
23:31has just been humbled by a six-week-old tabby.
23:34You look, I wheeze,
23:36leaning back against the cool tile of the bathtub,
23:39sliding down until I'm sitting on the floor.
23:41You look like a wet dog.
23:43Dante looks down at me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
23:47He abandons the sink,
23:49Benny is currently grooming himself triumphantly on the vanity,
23:52and sinks down to the floor beside me.
23:55He stretches his long legs out, crossing his ankles.
23:58I prefer aquatic chic Elena.
24:01It's the latest trend in Milan.
24:03Is it?
24:04I tease, my breath catching slightly as he shifts closer.
24:08The space between us feels suddenly charged,
24:10heavy with something that isn't just humidity.
24:13The sunlight reflects off the puddles on the floor,
24:16casting rippling patterns on the ceiling.
24:19Dante turns his head,
24:20his dark eyes locking onto mine.
24:23The humor in them fades,
24:24replaced by that quiet, simmering intensity
24:27that always makes my stomach do a backflip.
24:30He reaches out,
24:31his thumb brushing a droplet of water from my jawline.
24:34His skin is rough, warm, and dangerous.
24:38You're soaked, he murmurs.
24:40So are you, I whisper.
24:42My heart is hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird.
24:46Your shirt is ruined.
24:48I have others.
24:49His gaze drops to my lips, then back up to my eyes.
24:52The sarcasm is gone.
24:54I didn't care about the shirt, or the mess.
24:57You care about everything, Dante.
24:59You're a control freak.
25:01Usually.
25:02His thumb traces my lower lip,
25:04sending a jolt of electricity straight to my toes.
25:07But not with you.
25:08With you, I find the chaos acceptable.
25:12I swallow hard, trying to keep my voice steady.
25:15Is that why you helped me with the cat?
25:17To embrace chaos?
25:19Dante's hand stills against my cheek.
25:21He holds my gaze,
25:22his expression unreadable,
25:24guarded, yet terrifyingly open.
25:27Elena, he says softly,
25:29his voice a low rumble in the quiet bathroom.
25:32You think finding that kitten under the oak tree was an accident?
25:35I blink.
25:36What?
25:37The tree outside your apartment, he continues,
25:40his thumb stroking my cheekbone.
25:42I knew you took that route home every Tuesday.
25:45I knew you'd stop.
25:47You have a bleeding heart for anything small and helpless.
25:50I pull back slightly, confusion knitting my brows.
25:53You… you knew?
25:55I put him there, Dante admits,
25:58his eyes dark and possessive.
26:00I needed an introduction that you wouldn't run from.
26:02I didn't want the kitten, Elena.
26:05I wanted the woman who would save him.
26:07The air leaves my lungs.
26:09I stare at him,
26:10at the calculated brilliance behind his beautiful face.
26:14It's crazy.
26:15It's manipulative.
26:17And God help me,
26:18it's the hottest thing I've ever heard.
26:21Sunlight floods the living room,
26:23bouncing off the floor-to-ceiling windows
26:25like it's trying to blind me.
26:27It's noon, bright and cheerful,
26:29in a way that feels aggressive,
26:32given that my stomach is currently doing backflips.
26:35I shouldn't have looked in the study.
26:37I definitely shouldn't have touched the mouse on the computer
26:40that costs more than my entire college education.
26:43But I did, and I saw the files.
26:46Not business ledgers or hitlifts.
26:48Videos.
26:49Surveillance footage.
26:51Me buying coffee three weeks ago.
26:53Me tripping over a curb last Tuesday.
26:56Me, unaware,
26:58living my boring, broke life
27:00while Dante watched from this glass tower
27:02like some kind of high couture god.
27:05He didn't just stumble upon me under that tree.
27:08He was waiting.
27:10Okay, Bean, I whisper,
27:12my hands shaking
27:13as I scoop the sleeping tabby off the velvet cushion.
27:16We're evicting ourselves.
27:18Right now.
27:19The kitten mews,
27:20a tiny, vibrating protest
27:22against being manhandled into my canvas tote bag.
27:25But I don't stop.
27:26I grab my sneakers,
27:27not bothering to tie them,
27:29and sprint toward the private elevator on socked feet.
27:32The penthouse is massive and silent,
27:35save for the low hum of the central air.
27:37Dante is on the terrace,
27:39pacing in the sunshine,
27:41arguing into his phone about shipping containers.
27:43I have a two-minute window.
27:45Maybe three.
27:46I skid to a halt in the foyer
27:48and jam my thumb against the elevator's down button.
27:51Nothing.
27:52The light doesn't blink.
27:53The brushed steel doors reflect my messy bun
27:56and the sheer terror widening my eyes.
27:59Come on, I hiss, hitting it again.
28:01Don't be like this.
28:03It's biometric.
28:05The voice is smooth, low,
28:07and comes from right behind me.
28:09I freeze.
28:10My heart hammers against my ribs
28:12like a bird caught in a vent.
28:13I turn slowly,
28:15clutching the tote bag to my chest like a shield.
28:18Dante is leaning against the archway leading to the kitchen,
28:21holding a glass of iced coffee.
28:23He looks infuriatingly relaxed.
28:26The midday sun catches the sharp angle of his jaw
28:29and the silver of his watch,
28:31making him look like a GQ cover model
28:33who just happens to own the city skyline.
28:36He isn't out of breath.
28:38He isn't even shouting.
28:39Going somewhere, Alina?
28:41He asks.
28:42Coffee run, I lie.
28:44My voice squeaks,
28:45so I clear my throat and try for indignant.
28:48We're out of creamer.
28:49I can't live like this.
28:51His gaze drops to the tote bag,
28:53where Bean's orange head is poking out,
28:56blinking sleepily at the marble floor.
28:58With the cat?
28:59And your laptop charger?
29:01He likes the drive-thru, I say, lifting my chin.
29:05It provides necessary mental enrichment.
29:08Dante doesn't smile.
29:09He sets the glass down on a console table
29:11and takes a step toward me.
29:13Then another.
29:15He moves with that predator grace.
29:17Silent, controlled, inevitable.
29:20The expansive, sun-drenched foyer
29:22suddenly feels very small.
29:25You saw the monitors, he states.
29:28It's not a question.
29:29I saw enough to know this is way above my pay grade, Dante.
29:33I'm a barista.
29:34I have student loans and a dying succulent collection.
29:38I don't do, I gesture vaguely at him,
29:40at the luxury, at the invisible cage.
29:43Targeted surveillance.
29:45Protection, he corrects, stopping inches from me.
29:49He smells like sandalwood and expensive espresso.
29:52You were checking my perimeter
29:54before I even knew you existed.
29:57That's not a meet-cute, Dante.
29:59That's a felony.
30:00Details.
30:01He places a hand on the elevator door
30:03next to my head, boxing me in.
30:05He's not touching me,
30:07but I can feel the heat radiating off him
30:09through his crisp white shirt.
30:11You're panicked, I get it,
30:12but you're not leaving.
30:14Watch me.
30:15Open the door.
30:16No.
30:17Dante, seriously,
30:18you can't just keep people in a penthouse.
30:21It's weird.
30:22I'm not keeping people.
30:24I'm keeping you.
30:26His eyes search mine,
30:27the dry humor bleeding out of his expression,
30:30replaced by something heavier,
30:32something raw that makes my breath hitch.
30:35Out there, you're exposed.
30:37In here, you're mine.
30:40Being yours sounds like a hazard,
30:42I shoot back,
30:43though my resolve is melting
30:44under the intensity of his stare.
30:47What happens when you get bored,
30:49when the novelty wears off
30:50and I'm just another person who knows too much?
30:53His jaw tightens.
30:55He leans in,
30:56his forehead almost resting against mine.
30:59The sunlight wraps around us,
31:01exposing every fleck of gold
31:03in his dark, unyielding eyes.
31:05That's the problem, Alina,
31:07he murmurs,
31:08his voice dropping to a rough whisper
31:10that shivers down my spine.
31:12I don't collect things for sport.
31:14I don't borrow.
31:16His free hand comes up,
31:17his thumb brushing a stray lock of hair
31:19behind my ear.
31:21His touch is careful,
31:22terrifyingly gentle,
31:24and completely at odds
31:25with the danger rolling off him.
31:27I don't know how to let go
31:29of the things I've decided to keep,
31:31he says softly,
31:32and I decided on you
31:33a long time ago.
31:35The late afternoon sun
31:37hits the glass railing
31:38of the penthouse terrace,
31:40turning the entire Los Angeles skyline
31:42into a smear of gold and smog.
31:45It's blindingly bright,
31:47the kind of California day
31:48that demands sunglasses
31:50and an overpriced iced latte,
31:52but right now,
31:53my hands are full.
31:55Specifically,
31:56they're full of a very small,
31:58very sleepy ball of gray fluff
32:00that is currently purring
32:02against my ribcage.
32:04Dante leans against the railing,
32:06his tailored suit jacket
32:07discarded on a patio chair
32:08that costs more
32:09than my student loans.
32:11He's watching me with that look,
32:13the one that sits somewhere
32:14between a predator eyeing a gazelle
32:16and a man admiring a masterpiece.
32:19It's unnerving.
32:21It's also incredibly hot.
32:24Stop looking at me like you bought me,
32:26I say,
32:27shifting the kitten to my other shoulder.
32:29I didn't buy you, Elena,
32:32Dante says smoothly,
32:34swirling the amber liquid in his tumbler.
32:36I acquired you.
32:38There's a distinction.
32:39You're impossible.
32:41I'm efficient,
32:42he takes a sip,
32:43his eyes never leaving mine.
32:45And I'm right.
32:47I scoff,
32:48scratching the kitten behind its ears.
32:50About what?
32:51That I'd keep the cat?
32:53Anyone with a soul
32:54would have picked him up.
32:55You left a pedigree Scottish fold
32:57under an oak tree
32:58in a public park, Dante.
33:00That's not a romantic gesture.
33:02That's entrapment.
33:03He pushes off the railing
33:05and closes the distance between us.
33:07The air suddenly feels thinner,
33:09charged with the static electricity
33:11that seems to radiate off of him.
33:13He smells like sandalwood,
33:15money,
33:16and danger.
33:18It wasn't a trap,
33:19he murmurs,
33:20stopping just inches from me.
33:22It was a marker.
33:24I blink,
33:25looking up at him.
33:26A what?
33:27A marker,
33:28he repeats,
33:29his voice dropping an octave,
33:31vibrating right through
33:32the soles of my sneakers.
33:34In my world,
33:35everyone takes.
33:36They see something valuable,
33:38they grab it.
33:39They see weakness,
33:40they exploit it.
33:42I didn't need a woman
33:43who would walk past
33:44a helpless thing
33:45because it was inconvenient.
33:47I didn't need a shark.
33:48I have enough sharks.
33:50He reaches out,
33:51not for me,
33:52but to run a large,
33:54calloused thumb
33:54over the kitten's head.
33:56The contrast,
33:57his lethal hand
33:58against the soft,
33:59fragile fur,
34:01makes my breath hitch.
34:02I needed balance,
34:04Dante continues,
34:05his gaze shifting
34:06from the cat to my lips.
34:08I needed someone brave enough
34:10to save something
34:11that couldn't save itself,
34:13because that means
34:14you're brave enough
34:15to handle me.
34:16My heart does
34:17a traitorous little flip.
34:19You think you need saving,
34:21Don Moretti?
34:22A corner of his mouth
34:23quirks up,
34:24that dry, arrogant smirk
34:26I've grown addicted to.
34:28I think I need a future,
34:30and the moment you picked him up,
34:32I knew you were it.
34:33So you put him there
34:35to mark your territory,
34:36I ask,
34:37trying to keep my voice steady,
34:39but failing.
34:40I put him there
34:41to mark my future,
34:42he corrects softly.
34:44You didn't just find a cat,
34:46Elena.
34:46You found your place.
34:48The banter dies in my throat.
34:50The sarcasm I usually use
34:52as a shield
34:53feels useless
34:54against the raw intensity
34:56in his eyes.
34:57He's not joking.
34:58For all his wealth,
35:00his jets,
35:00and the terrifying power
35:02he wields over this city,
35:03he's looking at me
35:05like I'm the prize.
35:07You're insane,
35:08I whisper,
35:09but I'm leaning in.
35:10I'm thorough,
35:12he counters.
35:13He takes the sleepy kitten
35:14from my arms
35:15and sets it gently
35:16on the cushioned lounge chair
35:17next to us.
35:18Then,
35:19his hands are on my waist,
35:21heavy and possessive,
35:22pulling me flush against him.
35:24Tell me I'm wrong,
35:26he challenges,
35:27his face inches from mine.
35:28The sunlight flares behind him,
35:31framing him in a halo of light
35:33that he definitely doesn't deserve.
35:35You're arrogant,
35:37manipulative,
35:38and dangerous,
35:39I say,
35:39my hands sliding up
35:41the crisp cotton of his shirt
35:42to grip his shoulders.
35:44And,
35:44and,
35:45you're not wrong.
35:46Dante doesn't smile this time.
35:48He just stares at me
35:50with that quiet,
35:51burning intensity,
35:52as if memorizing my defiance.
35:55Good.
35:56He kisses me then,
35:57and it's not tentative,
35:58it's a claim.
36:00It tastes like expensive scotch
36:02and absolute certainty.
36:04The city noise below us
36:05fades into a dull hum,
36:07drowned out by the pounding
36:09of my own heart.
36:10As the sun finally dips
36:12below the horizon,
36:13painting the sky
36:14in violent shades
36:15of orange and violet,
36:17I stop thinking about the danger
36:18and just let myself fall.
36:21I kept the kitten.
36:22I guess,
36:23I'm keeping the monster too.
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