His words felt both enticing and dangerous.
“Let’s make him regret it.” Vito convinced.
I stared at Vito, disbelief and anger swirling inside me. His proposal had hit me like a lightning bolt, but somehow, I knew there was no turning back. Not after everything that had happened. Not after Marco’s betrayal.
"I'll do it," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. The words tasted like poison on my tongue, but they were the only ones I could think of.
Vito’s lips curled into a slow, almost predatory smile. “Good. You’re making the right choice.”
Without another word, he stepped forward, closing the distance between us. The air in the room seemed to shift, crackling with an energy I hadn't expected. His hands cupped my face, so gentle yet both familiar and foreign. His thumb ran over my lower lip once, and I felt a sudden shiver down my spine.
And then, in a single, daring stroke, he kissed me.
I froze at first, every fiber of my being rebelling against the kiss. Then something in me snapped. Anger. Hatred. All the emotions I had bottled up for years, all directed at Marco—the man who had used me, betrayed me—I let the kiss happen.
I kissed him back.