“Come to dinner.” The invitation ripped from her throat in a husky whisper. Her heart pounded so loud she swore he heard, especially when a slight smile curved his lips.
“I’ll be there at seven.”
He rose from the chair and walked out of her office without a backward glance.
Selina’s hands trembled as she grasped the contract. She closed her eyes to steady her breath, then reached for the phone. “Tom, come into my office. I have news.”
She replaced the receiver.
***
It was done.
Selina let herself into her apartment and kicked off her heels, wincing at the pain in her arches. She shrugged out of her jacket and hung it neatly in the closet. Then made her way into the kitchen to pour a much-needed glass of wine.
Tom was now lead and would take care of Forrester. She explained as much as she could to her co-worker, even hinting that Forrester had made inappropriate moves, but closing the deal was paramount to Inferno. Tom had even fought with her on the decision, proving himself a loyal teammate, but she knew she had no other options. She refused to work with Forrester, and stepped off the team.
As the promotion slipped away, the knowledge that she’d chosen correctly settled in her gut. If she was demoted, so be it. She planned on speaking to her boss in the morning and giving him as much information as possible. Maybe he'd understand. Maybe he wouldn't.
She had played her hand the best she could.
Her step lightened as she hummed under her breath and uncorked a bottle of Pinot Grigio. The night of the attack, she believed her life was over. Dante had given her back the freedom to feel safe. Daniel had given her the freedom to choose and be strong enough to deal with the consequences. She shook her head as she thought about the two incredible men who had changed the woman she was.
A noise echoed from the back room.
Selina paused mid-sip and listened. Silence greeted her, but a strange fear prickled her nerve endings. She tried to force herself to relax, but suddenly the apartment felt dangerous. Almost as if she wasn't the only one in her own house.
Feeling ridiculous, she moved towards the living room to pick up her phone. Maybe if she had the receiver in hand ready to dial someone, she'd feel better. Selina scooped it up and carried it back in the kitchen, smirking at her uneasiness. How many times had she watched horror films and yelled for the lead actress to get the phone? Damned if she'd act stupid in her own life. Of course, she still had moments of fear and jumpiness from the attack. Maybe they’d never truly go away.
A squeak. Was that a footstep?
Hell, she'd had enough. Who cares if she lost her pride? She was starting to freak out and her gut squeezed. Selina hit the dial tone and began to press 911, not caring as long as she had the ability to get the police there in an instant.
No dial tone.
Dread slithered and struck. For a moment she froze, unable to move. Her ears drummed with a strange roaring. Her cell phone. In her purse.
Move
her mind screamed.
Move now
!
Selina ran toward the door.
Forrester stepped in front of her.
A scream ripped from her mouth. He moved quickly and the trauma of her past attack caused her bones to rattle like a skeleton as terror nailed her to the floor. He spun her around and held a knife to her neck, his breath hot and rancid as it blew across her cheek. "So you wanna play games?" he crooned, tightening his hold. "I like games. Especially the ones we're going to play tonight."
A sob tore out of her throat. A fast whirlwind of images flew past her vision.
Men ripping at her clothes. The icy pavement underneath. Dante saving her. Dante promising once marked they can no longer hurt another woman.
"No," she whimpered. The blade near the sensitive skin of her throat kept her still. Her gaze skittered across the kitchen for a weapon. Butcher block too far away. Cell phone tucked in her purse. Dishtowel, spoons, a napkin.
The bottle of wine.
"Thought you could outsmart me by putting Tom in charge? No one says no to me, bitch. I'm gonna show you tonight I'm in control."
"They'll lock you up." Her words squeaked from her mouth. "You'll have nothing. You’re too well known to get away with this. Everyone will know."
"Not this time. Have you forgotten what money can buy, little girl? Friends. Witnesses. Your doorman is gone, and the security tape is already being shipped my way. No one will know I was here. Not to mention my buddy who will swear under oath we got drunk over a competitive game of poker.” Terror launched through her and a sob escaped her lips. “That’s right, this time no asshole is going to show up to stop me. Now be good and I won’t hurt you. Too much.”
With a sickening motion, his other hand ripped at her shirt. Buttons flew. The delicate fabric ripped and the sound echoed in her ears with memory. His big hand grabbed at her breast as the world began to spin in terror.
Suddenly, he screamed.
The knife dropped. Selina didn't hesitate. She whirled and grabbed the bottle by the neck, then swung it around in a slashing arc.
The bottle hit him hard against the temple and he fell down.
As the screams echoed, Selina turned to run, then caught the burning smell of flesh.
Flames lit the mark on his arm. His shirt caught on fire. As blood trickled from his head, he shook his arm frantically, but the symbol heated in perfect scrawls and lines.
Selina watched, transfixed, unable to move as she watched Forrester burn.
The scene unfolded as if in a dream. The door crashed open, and Daniel ran into her apartment. He turned his head and screamed in the hallway, "Call 911!” Then rushed over to her, his hands frantically checking her for blood, his eyes forcing her to meet his and break her spell.
"Selina? Can you hear me? Are you okay?"
She nodded and pointed to Forrester. "He hid in my apartment." Her body shook. "He's burning."
On another level, she wondered why Daniel didn't seem shocked at the sight of Forrester and his arm in flames. With calm motions, he moved to the kitchen, filled a glass of water, and dumped it on top of Forrester. The fire died, but the scent of cooked flesh rose to her nostrils. The man writhed and moaned with agony.
The next hour played out in slow motion. The police. Questions. Her neighbors poking their heads nosily through her door. Removing Forrester in handcuffs. Daniel calmly answering the police and explaining he came to pick her up for dinner, walked in the door, and found Forrester on the ground with a knife at his side. The police concluded there must have been some kind of substance on his arm that caused the alcohol to burn his arm.
Finally, the crowds were gone, and she was left with Daniel alone in her apartment.
He tucked her on the couch and covered her with a blanket. Made her some hot tea. Then sat beside her and held her close.
His arms and body caused a familiar ache and memory to pound. She knew his scent. The feel of his arms. The muscled chest and strong legs.
And thought of Dante.
Why hadn't he appeared? This time Daniel had saved her, but the betrayal of her midnight lover cut deep with agony. Hadn't he sensed the danger?
"Selina, look at me."
He tipped her chin up. As she looked deep into his eyes, another image burst forward, until they twisted together in a mark of fire and rattled her soul. The final puzzle piece clicked into place.
Her finger came up to trace the jagged scar on his cheek.
Both men had been marked.
Both men had the same seething gaze that shred past the surface and bared her essence.
Both men's touch made her ache with desire.
Dante.
Daniel.
Suddenly, Selina knew. Her heart stopped, then sped up so fast she felt as if she were choking at the sudden rush of blood. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm the man who loves you."
She stared at his beloved face, reflecting the two men she’d fallen in love with, and pressed trembling fingers to her mouth. “H-h-how is this possible?”
Half of her wanted to jump into his arms. The other half was still in shock from the attack, and the knowledge she’d been lied to. As if he sensed her conflict, he gently framed her face between his hands and gazed into her eyes.
"My real name is Dante Stark. Everything I've told you has been the truth. After my mother was attacked, I came into my true powers and went to live with my aunt. She helped train me and taught me to control the call of fire. Shortly afterward, I began being pulled into scenes of assaults. It was a difficult gift for me to handle, requiring secrecy. My aunt held a huge trust fund from my parents and when I turned twenty-one, I inherited it. I invested in a few companies, learned everything about property and real estate, and then decided to start my own company. Inferno Enterprises."
Selina gasped. She felt his body tighten in a muscle lock, but he continued.
"I realized I couldn't keep a low profile. I’d be required to do social networking and become well known. It began to conflict with my real gift - to help women. I realized I needed secrecy, so I decided to put my friend and business partner, Chase King, in charge of Inferno. I wanted to be a part of the day-to-day operations in a manner that would allow me to keep a low profile. I began working in the mailroom, which was a perfect cover."
"My God, this whole time you were the owner of Inferno?"
He nodded. "When you came to me with the Forrester problem, I was sick. One call would’ve gotten you the promotion. But I knew you needed to solve it and make your decisions on your own."
He knew her. Knew how her heart and her mind worked, and respected her enough to accept it instead of changing it. Still, her mind spun, and she pulled slightly away from him, needing some distance. "Did you know that Forrester had attacked before?"
His face darkened in self-disgust. "No. When I mark the men, I don't know their names. I only know once they're marked, if they ever try to touch a woman with any violence, the symbol will burn. If I had known or you’d shared the knowledge, I would have stepped in sooner. I would've never let you get near the scumbag. I'm so sorry, Selina. Can you forgive me?"
Her world tilted on its axis. Joy fought with confusion and a sense of betrayal. While she fought her growing feelings for both men, struggled with accepting each of them on their own terms, Dante had known the truth. Or Daniel. Who was he really?
A chill skated down her spine. He looked at her with so much love and devotion, yet he allowed her to suffer. He never trusted her with the truth. And all the time Daniel came into her office, offering friendship and support, he’d known everything about her. Had the power to promote her. Had she fought this hard to achieve partnership for nothing? Was he always going to promote her no matter what choices she made, because he had strong feelings? Her brain ached and she desperately tried to sift through her thoughts.
“It’s not about forgiveness,” she finally said. She hugged her arms around her chest. “It’s about trust. Did I work this hard for nothing? Were you on the sidelines, ready to jump in and give me what I wanted because you wanted me?”
His lips tightened. “No. I swear to God on everything I hold dear, each step in Inferno was your doing. Chase was always in charge of the day-to-day operations. You proved your worth on your own accord, and no matter what happened with Forrester, Chase would’ve given you partnership. I respect you, Selina. I would never take something so precious from you.”
She believed him. He realized her drive to succeed on her own made up the core of who she was, and he’d never interfere. “And Forrester? If he hadn’t broken in, would you have ever told me the truth?”
Pain darkened his eyes. “Yes. I was going to tell you tonight.”
“As Daniel? Or Dante?”
“Both. I am both, Selina. I’ve loved you as Daniel for over two years, and Dante the moment you allowed me to help heal you. I’m asking you to allow both men to love you.”
Her lower lip trembled. “I already do,” she whispered. “But why did you wait so long? All this time, I was so confused, torn between both of you. Your voice. Your scent. Why didn’t I put it together?”
“I was careful. And sometimes we miss what’s right in front of us for a reason. You weren’t ready to know. Besides the mask, I made sure to wear my cologne as Dante, but not Daniel. I deepened my voice. There may have been clues, but I think you needed to believe in both men for a while.”
He was right. She needed Dante’s tenderness and touch. She needed Daniels’ friendship and quiet passion. Together, they made her whole.
“I love you. I had to say good-bye to you as Dante because I didn't think a relationship could ever work. Not in the light. But what you said to me that night was true. I needed to take a chance. I just don't know if I'm being a selfish bastard by asking you to be with a man like me. If you’d even be able to handle it. I can leave. Give you time to think. I’ll do whatever you need."
She stared up at him. Agony carved out his features, but his jaw clenched with determination. He was offering her a future if she was brave enough to take it. And in that blinding moment, Selina realized all roads had always led to him. It may have been a twisting path filled with thorns, but the outcome was worth it.