Whispers of Passion [REVISING]

59 | Is This Really The End?

DIANA
***

As my eyes fluttered open in the dimly lit room, I caught sight of Dante slipping into a jacket, his movements hasty yet purposeful.

With a faint shoosh, the frigid chill the winter season brought wafted the lightweight curtains into the air, adding a subtle eerie atmosphere to the night.

Pushing myself up from the bed, the soft sheets cascading around my waist, I couldn't shake the sense of unease that settled in the pit of my stomach. "Where are you going?" I questioned, my voice still thick with sleep, but edged with concern.

Dante hesitated, his gaze flickering briefly to meet mine before averting away. "I need to meet someone," he finally replied, his tone guarded and distant.

"Someone like who?" I rubbed my heavy-lidded eyes, my brows furrowing along.

"Alessio."

Alessio. The name hung in the air like a heavy fog, casting a shadow over the room. My heart clenched at the mention of his name, a knot of worry tightening in my chest. "Alessio? Dante, what's going on?" I pressed, my questions coming out in a clump.

His oversized t-shirt draped over my lower body stopping mid-thigh, barely shielding me from the cold as I moved toward him, promptly sitting up on my knees. Dante pulled his chain above his head, the glint of gold catching the faint light filtering through the window. His expression remained inscrutable, betraying nothing of the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. "It's something I have to do, Diana. It's complicated, and I can't promise I'll be back right away."

The weight of his words hung heavily between us, thick with unspoken fears and uncertainties. My eyes went dry, and the feeling of tears began to prick at the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill over. "Dante, please," I pleaded, the words tumbling from my lips in a desperate whisper. "Don't do this. If you're in trouble, we'll find another way. You can't just leave me wondering if you'll come back."

Even though he didn't look at me much, I noticed how his gaze softened as he approached me. The play of shadows and lights cast darkness over his typically light and vibrant eyes, adding to the air of apathy and mystery that surrounded him.

With a soft but somber smile, he studied my features, taking his time to drag his gaze across each one. He ducked his head, shaking it slightly almost as if pained him to look at me.

"I need you to trust me, Diana," he murmured, his fingers gently grazing against my skin as they placed the cross-chain around my neck. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe." His promising words and his faint, teasing touch spread heat through my body like wildfire, reminding me of the effect he always had on me.

As he stood before me, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight, I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding settled over me. The quiet intensity of his gaze held mine, his hazel eyes searching for something I couldn't quite gauge. At that moment, it felt as though we were teetering on the edge of something monumental, a precipice looming before us.

"I don't want to lose you, Dante," I whispered, my voice barely more than a breathless plea as I reached out for his hand to pull him closer.

"I know, I know," Dante's deep, husky voice resonated through the stillness of the wintry night. His tone, was a soothing coo amidst the chill, wrapping me in a cocoon of fleeting warmth and reassurance.

With a swift motion, he gently took hold of my hand, his touch firm yet tender, guiding it to the nape of his neck. His other muscular arm wrapped around my waist, pulling our bodies together in an intimate embrace. The contrast of his solid frame against the softness of my own sent a rush of heat coursing through my veins, dispelling the icy grip of the night.

As I found myself enveloped in his secure embrace, I felt an overwhelming sense of protection and comfort, as if I had found a solid and immovable person to lean upon. It was as though he could shield me from anything that might cause me harm. His natural masculinity was palpable, and it shone through in every action he took. I found myself basking in that feeling of safety and security, even as I knew that it was only a temporary respite from the uncertainties ahead of me.

His lips brushed against mine in a tender kiss, the bittersweet taste of goodbye lingering on his lips. Our foreheads pressed against one another, and the temptation to kiss him one more time consumed me, so I kissed him for the second time, then the third. Each detail of the kiss was etched into my mind, bound to never forget the softness of his passionate but slow kiss and the mix of emotions that hit me when our lips touched for - possibly - the last time.

My fingers went from around his neck to being weaved through the thick locks of his mane, brushing against each ribbony soft strand. His whisper broke through the serene night, "I love you."

The memory of the first time we ever muttered those words to each other filled every corner of my mind, bringing about the continuation of the tears I believed I had under control. I shut my eyes tightly nearly to the point where it burned.

I stood there, my eyes closed, trying to breathe in the crisp night air, the aroma of his cologne filled my nostrils, and it was as if time had stopped. It was a warm, musky fragrance that clung to his skin like glue, and it only served to amplify the yearning I felt to be near him. The more I breathed it in, the more I longed to cling to everything that reminded me of Dante, the man whose presence had become my addiction. "I love you too," I murmured, the words a fervent prayer whispered into the night as he wiped away a stray tear.

"Don't cry for me, Principessa. You're too beautiful to cry." His thumb dropped from my lips to my chin, lifting my gaze to his.
(Princess)

A shaky laugh left my lips from his words but I remained silent. "I'll see you soon," he placed a single kiss on my temple before looking at me one more time, his glinting greenish-brown eyes still as captivating as the first time I looked into them.

Then, he turned to leave, the sound of his footsteps fading into the darkness, I was left alone with the echo of his words and the ache of his absence. The room felt emptier somehow, the weight of his departure pressing down on me like a heavy blanket. And as I watched him disappear into the night, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling that this goodbye might be more final than either of us realized.