INWY~87

Chapter 87

“There’s no need to go far.”

Dante’s gaze shifted past the car, toward something behind it. A chill raced down Riena’s spine, her eyes trembling violently.

He wasn’t bluffing—she could tell. Maybe she shouldn’t have provoked him further. Realizing the weight behind his words, Riena swallowed dryly.

She tried to twist away from him, but Dante only let out a cold laugh before seizing her wrist and striding forward with force.

Dragged roughly along, Riena stumbled until they stopped before a small front door—her home.

“Open it.”

His voice fell coldly above her head.

“I never said I’d let you in,” she replied, shaking her head slowly.

“You said it yourself—you’d take responsibility for what you said. You’re not a child, are you?”

Dante’s mocking smile made her bristle.

“If you don’t open the door…” His tone turned lower. “Well, who knows what a madman might do.”

“…Are you threatening me?”

At that, Dante’s golden eyes darkened.

“Threatening?”

A short, bitter laugh escaped between his lips.

“You asked me what I wanted, and I told you. Now you call it a threat?”

His face twisted with growing irritation—when suddenly:

“—You really brought all that, ma’am?”

“She likes this kind of thing! And she should eat seasonal fruit, you know!”

Riena’s heart plummeted. It was Sharon’s voice—and the flower shop owner’s.

She snapped her head around. They weren’t in sight yet, still climbing the hill, but their voices were getting closer.

No. She couldn’t be seen like this—with Dante here.

Her face drained of color. Dante merely watched her in silence, his gaze clearly saying, Well? What will you do now?

Whether she panicked or not, he stood back and let her flounder.

“This hill is so steep! Every time I come up here, I feel like dying.”

“You’re still young! You shouldn’t be so tired. Even I’m climbing it!”

Their voices grew closer. A few more steps and they’d reach the top.

Watching the hill in mounting panic, Riena finally—

Click.

She shoved her key into the lock, turned it, and the door opened. In one desperate motion, she pushed Dante inside and shut the door behind them.

The house was silent. Only the faint sound of breathing and the rapid pounding of her heart filled the dark space.

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dimness.

Dante blinked once, then lowered his gaze toward her.

“…Hm? Maybe she’s not home,” came Sharon’s voice from outside.

“Maybe she’s just sleeping,” the other woman replied.

Riena pressed herself against the door, barely daring to breathe. Her heartbeat sounded so loud she was afraid they might hear it.

Then—

“Hicc.”

Oh no.

She knew that when someone was startled, hiccups could come out, but why now, of all times?

Riena clapped her hand over her mouth, panicking as another hiccup threatened to escape.

“Did you hear something? Does Riena keep a pet?”

“No, she said she can barely take care of herself!”

The words sent shivers down her spine. They were seconds away from finding out.

Desperately, Riena tried to hold her breath, squeezing her lips shut as her chest rose and fell rapidly.

Dante, watching her silently, curved his lips faintly.

Then, in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper, he murmured,

“You don’t want to get caught, do you?”

Riena’s wide eyes darted toward him.

“…Want me to stop it for you?”

In the darkness, his golden eyes gleamed faintly like embers.

Before she could answer, before she could even react—

He reached out, pried her trembling hand away from her mouth, and pulled her close.

Her hand, which had been pressed tightly against her lips, fell easily under his grip—too easily.

And then, Dante lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers.

Her body went rigid. Heat surged through her, her lips burning from the sudden touch. 

Her breath caught—then escaped in a trembling exhale that brushed against his mouth.

“…Mm—”

At that soft sound, Dante pulled back just a fraction, murmuring quietly,

“Don’t make a sound.”

And then he kissed her again.

Riena squeezed her eyes shut, her mind spinning.

Even as his lips deepened against hers, Dante’s hand moved slowly along her back—steady, deliberate, as if his only intent was to calm her, to stop the hiccups.

Her eyelashes trembled as the warmth of his mouth pressed deeper, more insistent.

Knock, knock.

The wet sound of their lips parting was swallowed by the sound of knuckles on wood.

Riena froze, her entire body tensing.

Dante only pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.

“Riena—”

“Guess she’s not home. Maybe she went out shopping?”

“That’s too bad… Then let’s just leave this here by the door.”

Her hiccups had long since stopped. What remained now was only the frantic thudding of her heart.

Tap, tap.

Get off me. Now.

Riena’s trembling fist tapped weakly against his arm, careful not to make noise.

From above her, Dante let out a small, muffled laugh against her lips.

Then, after a brief pause, he finally released her—slowly, reluctantly.

Riena immediately pressed a hand over her mouth again, her breath unsteady.

So that’s how he planned to stop my hiccups?

She strained to listen. 

The voices outside had faded. 

They must have left.

She exhaled shakily and parted her lips to speak—

“Oh my, whose car is this?”

…They hadn’t left.

Riena inhaled sharply, frozen.

“Oh? You’re right. Wait—that’s… wow, this is one of those royal models, right? Only a handful of people in the kingdom own one!”

“Come on, let’s go, ma’am! Please!”

“Why? Let me take a peek. It’s not every day you see one of these!”

“Please, I’m begging you—let’s go! You know what, let’s just close the shop early and have a girl’s night tonight!”

Even whispering frantically, Sharon must have realized something. 

Her words tumbled out faster, and finally, the sound of hurried footsteps faded down the path.

Only once the silence returned did Dante arch a brow.

“You’re good at holding your breath. Getting better at it, maybe?”

His taunting voice echoed softly in the dark room.

Riena frowned and lifted her head to glare at him.

“…What now?”

“Well,” he said, his tone casual, “we probably look pretty suspicious—me and you, hiding together in a dark house.”

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her anger was so tangled with disbelief that she could barely speak.

“At least they don’t know we kissed,” he added lightly.

“…Are you kidding me? Who in the world stops hiccups like that?”

“What else was I supposed to do? Ah—maybe you don’t realize this.”

He tilted his head toward the door and drawled lazily, “You didn’t lock it.”

“…What?”

“If you’d made even a small noise, those nosy women would’ve turned the knob. I fixed your mistake for you, Riena.”

Do you understand?

That was what his raised brow seemed to say.

Riena turned her head away, eyes shutting tightly.

She was too stunned to speak—too caught up in the mess he’d dragged her into once again.

With a tired sigh, she covered her face with both hands.

They’d been arguing so fiercely just minutes ago, yet somehow, everything had flipped so absurdly out of control.

And now—just like he wanted—he was inside her house.

A shameless intruder who’d kissed her without a word of warning.

Step.

At the sound of footsteps, she lowered her hands.

Dante was strolling leisurely through her living room, scanning the space as though it belonged to him.

Flustered, she marched after him.

“Please leave, Your Grace.”

He turned, one hand casually tucked into his pocket.

“Not even a cup of tea for your guest? How rude.”

“You’re not a guest,” she shot back. “You weren’t invited.”

“You’re the one who pushed me inside.”

“That—! That was because I had no choice!”

His lips twitched, eyes glinting faintly with amusement.

“Oh? Like when I helped stop your hiccups?”

He said it like a joke, light and teasing.

“I’m the one who helped you, after all.”

“….”

“So shouldn’t you treat your savior a little more kindly, Riena?”

Smooth. Always smooth.

The Duke of Behern could make even sin sound like reason.