CHAPTER 79: THEATER ROMANCE

"Not at all. It’s not a problem," she said, dropping the photo on his desk before turning on her heel to leave.

Nathan had always been greedy, but now—she finally saw him for who he truly was.

First, it was her. Then he found Evangeline, and when Eva got in her way, she had been eliminated. Then came Alisha, and Nathan’s hungry eyes had shifted again. And now, shamelessly, he wanted to crawl back to Eva...who was already dead.

The cycle was never-ending. He was never satisfied.

Nathan watched her retreating back with a perplexed expression before snorting. Slowly, he picked up the picture from the desk and studied it with a crooked smile tugging at his lips, as though mocking everything and everyone.

**

"What are we doing here?" Alisha asked when Dante pulled the car into the brightly lit parking lot of the cinema.

Dante’s lips curled into a grin. "We’re going to watch a movie, of course. What else do people do at a theater?"

She gave him a scowl that could have cut glass.

He chuckled, but Alisha’s eyes narrowed. She hadn’t phrased her question properly, so she tried again, folding her arms across her chest.

"I know that," she said with an eye roll. "But why here? You said you were taking me somewhere to chill."

"And what’s better than chilling with popcorn and a screen bigger than our house wall?" he countered smoothly.

Alisha had no retort. She simply watched him step out of the car with his usual confidence and round to her side to open the door for her.

The moment their feet touched the pavement, passersby began to notice them. Phones came out almost immediately, flashes lighting the evening.

Dante slipped an arm securely around her waist, his casual charm making the crowd cheer, while Alisha, accustomed to the attention by now, gave a practiced smile and posed gracefully until they finally slipped inside the theater lobby.

"We could have just done this at home," she muttered under her breath.

"Exactly. But I wanted to go on a proper date with my wife."

Her heart gave a faint thud at that word—wife. He had been calling her that often lately, as if the repetition alone would make her accept it fully.

"You want ice cream?" he asked suddenly.

She blinked at the abrupt change in topic, but before she could answer, he was already steering her toward the concession stand.

"What’s your favorite flavor?" Dante asked, his grin bewitching, his tone too casual for the intensity in his eyes.

Alisha looked away quickly, focusing on the tubs of ice cream. "Chocolate."

He ordered without hesitation, handed her a cone, and grabbed one for himself. Then, dragging her by the hand as if she might escape, he led her to the ticket booth.

On the outside, Dante looked like his usual carefree self, but inside, he was a tangled mess of nerves. He had missed the chance to take her out the previous off day, so he’d decided to make up for it today. He’d picked her up from Veila, bringing her here—it wasn’t much, but it was something.

Was it good enough for her? He couldn’t tell.

As Alisha licked her ice cream with visible delight, Dante’s heart squeezed. Was she pleased because of the date...or just because of the chocolate? He honestly didn’t know, and the uncertainty drove him crazy.

"So..." he began awkwardly. "Tell me about your day."

Alisha arched a brow at him, her lips still glistening with chocolate ice cream.

"What?" she asked flatly.

He coughed, realizing he might have picked the most boring possible question. "Never mind."

She tilted her head slightly but said nothing, assuming he’d simply spoken too softly. In truth, she had been far too engrossed in savoring her ice cream to pay full attention. Alisha had always had a sweet tooth. She could finish a whole liter of it without guilt if she wanted to.

When Dante clammed up, she gave a small shrug and went back to enjoying her cone, her face lighting up in a way she didn’t even notice. Dante noticed, though. And that sight alone was worth the entire trip.

Half an hour later, they entered the theater.

Alisha frowned immediately when she saw the movie title. "A horror film? Really?"

Beside her, Dante wore a devilish grin.

Rico had told him women always ended up clinging to their men during scary movies. He’d thought it was genius advice—until the first terrifying jump scare hit.

Thirty minutes in, Dante was the one wrapped around Alisha. His popcorn had already scattered across the floor, completely forgotten.

Alisha pinched the bridge of her nose, exasperated.

"Why would you pick a horror movie when you can’t even handle it?" she hissed.

"How was I supposed to know it would be this scary?" Dante whispered back defensively, his voice trembling as his eyes darted to the screen.

She let out a sharp sigh.

His large arms were around her waist, his leg somehow thrown over her lap. At this point, he resembled a terrified koala clinging for dear life.

When another grotesque monster lunged at the characters on screen, Dante shrieked and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

Alisha rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might stay that way. "You’re such a big baby," she muttered, though her voice lacked bite. She didn’t push him away.

Instead, she leaned back into her seat, casually munching on the remaining popcorn as bodies dropped on screen. Her expression was calm, almost bored.

Dante, however, felt nothing calm. His embarrassment grew, but beneath it was something else—a quiet thrill. She hadn’t shoved him off. She was letting him hold her, letting him hide in her neck, letting him breathe her in.

Her scent was sweet, warm, like honey melting in the sun. His face stayed buried in her shoulder, and he could feel the steady pulse at her neck calling to him.

Before he realized it, he tugged her closer. A dangerous line crossed his mind, but he ignored it. He wanted more.

She didn’t object, her eyes still glued to the screen, but that only made his control slip further. His nose brushed her skin, and in a moment of reckless instinct, he darted out his tongue and gave her a quick lick.

Alisha stiffened. A jolt rushed through her body like static.

Dante did it again. Smaller, teasing licks, as if savoring her taste.

Her fingers tightened around the popcorn bag. She tried to convince herself she was imagining it. He wouldn’t—he couldn’t possibly be licking her neck in a public theater. Right?

But then his teeth sank lightly into her skin. She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes squeezing shut. She bit her lip to stifle any sound.

There were still people around. She couldn’t react or make a scene.

Dante sucked gently at the spot to ease the sting, his lips hot against her skin. When the light from the screen flickered across her neck, a dark mark bloomed there.

A hickey.

His grin was pure satisfaction.

And Alisha...was torn between shoving him away and letting him do it again.