The moment Elena processed Dante's words, her blood ran cold.
Brother.
The revelation should have meant something—should have made her feel safe.
But looking into Dante's eyes, all she saw was danger.
"I don't need saving," she said, her voice sharp despite the fear crawling up her spine.
Dante chuckled, crouching in front of her. "That's the thing about captivity, little sister. You don't realize you're trapped until someone shows you the way out."
Elena stiffened as he reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
She jerked her head away. "I belong to Alessio."
Dante's expression darkened, his hand gripping her jaw with bruising force. "No, Elena. You belong to the De Lucas. To your real family."
Before she could respond, the warehouse doors exploded inward.
A rain of bullets tore through the room.
Screams. Chaos. Death.
And then—
Alessio.
He emerged from the smoke like a demon, dressed in black, his gun raised, his expression murderous.
His men stormed the warehouse, cutting through Dante's guards with brutal efficiency, but Alessio's eyes never left her.
Dante cursed and yanked Elena up, pressing a knife to her throat.
"Stop," he growled. "Or she dies."
For the first time, something flickered in Alessio's eyes—something deeper than rage.
Something primal.
Elena's breath hitched.
He would kill everyone for her.
And then—
He did.
With deadly precision, Alessio fired, the bullet slicing through Dante's wrist.
Dante roared in pain, dropping the knife.
Before he could recover, Alessio was on him.
He tackled Dante to the ground, fists raining down in unrelenting fury.
Each punch was savage, fueled by a possessive, undeniable truth.
Elena was his.
And no one—not her so-called brother, not the bloodline she barely understood—would ever take her from him.
By the time Alessio stopped, Dante was barely breathing.
Elena couldn't move, couldn't speak.
Until Alessio turned to her, chest heaving, hands stained with blood.
"Come here." His voice was rough, commanding.
Her knees trembled.
She should have run.
She should have been afraid.
But instead—
She obeyed.