Piper stood frozen in her living room, her mind racing as the weight of Dante's return pressed down on her. The quiet house, once a refuge from the chaos of her life, now felt like a fragile bubble on the verge of bursting. Her hands shook as she replayed Dante's chilling voice in her mind, the smooth menace in his tone making it clear — he wasn’t done with them yet.
Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she glanced down to see a message.
Gabriel: I’m on my way. Don’t open the door for anyone but me.
Piper’s heart pounded, her eyes scanning the empty room as if the walls themselves could betray her. She knew Gabriel would be here soon, but until then, she was on her own. The shadows in the house felt darker, thicker, as if Dante’s presence had already begun to seep in. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was watching, waiting.
With a deep breath, Piper moved to the window and peered outside. The street was quiet, the only light coming from the soft glow of the lampposts. She had always thought her neighborhood was safe, a place where she and Lily could start fresh. But now, even her own home felt like a trap.
She glanced down the street, half expecting to see Gabriel’s car pull up any second. But instead, the sound of tires screeching around the corner made her heart skip a beat. A black sedan sped past her house, and Piper’s stomach lurched. Was it someone from Dante’s crew? Or was she just jumping in the shadows?
The car disappeared down the street, leaving her standing there, gripping the windowsill so tightly her knuckles turned white. She couldn’t afford to fall apart now. She had Lily to think about.
Lily.
The thought of her daughter jolted Piper into action. She rushed down the hallway, her bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor as she made her way to Lily’s bedroom. Her daughter was fast asleep, her small body curled up under the blankets, her breathing soft and even. Piper’s heart ached as she stood there, watching her innocent little girl sleep. She had no idea how much danger they were in, how close Dante was to tearing their world apart.
“I won’t let him hurt you,” Piper whispered, her voice trembling. “I swear, I’ll protect you.”
As quietly as she could, Piper stepped out of the room and gently closed the door behind her. She couldn’t wake Lily — not yet. Not until she had a plan.
The doorbell rang, and Piper’s breath caught in her throat. She froze, her pulse pounding in her ears. Gabriel wouldn’t ring the bell. He would text her to let her know he was outside. So, who was it?
Her mind raced as she moved to the front door, her hand hovering over the handle. She was about to peer through the peephole when her phone buzzed again. Gabriel’s name flashed on the screen.
I’m here. Back door. Now.
Piper’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly abandoned the front door and made her way to the back, unlocking it and pulling it open just as Gabriel stepped inside. His face was tense, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger.
“Did anyone follow you?” Piper asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Gabriel shook his head, closing the door behind him. “No. But we can’t take any chances. Dante’s more dangerous than Victor ever was. He’s smart, Piper. He won’t come at us directly. He’ll wait for the right moment.”
Piper shuddered at the thought. She had been through so much already — fighting off Victor, dealing with Noah’s betrayals, navigating her complicated feelings for Gabriel and Jasper. But this... this felt different. More sinister.
“Why is he back?” Piper asked, her voice shaking. “I thought you said he was dead.”
Gabriel exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “I thought he was. We had every reason to believe he didn’t make it out of that raid. But Dante always had a way of slipping through the cracks. He’s not the kind of man who forgives and forgets.”
Piper swallowed hard. “So what do we do? Do we go after him? Do we run?”
Gabriel stepped closer, his expression softening as he reached for her hand. “We don’t run, Piper. Not this time. Dante will come for us, whether we hide or fight. But I’m not going to let him hurt you or Lily. We’re going to be smart about this. We’ll set up surveillance, make sure the house is secure, and we’ll watch for any sign of him.”
Piper nodded, though the fear still gnawed at her insides. “What about Jasper? Should we tell him?”
Gabriel hesitated for a moment before nodding. “He should know. The more eyes we have on this, the better.”
Piper pulled out her phone, sending a quick message to Jasper, letting him know what had happened and that Gabriel was at the house. Within moments, Jasper responded: I’m on my way.
The minutes ticked by slowly, each one heavy with the weight of the danger looming over them. Piper paced the living room, her nerves on edge as she waited for Jasper to arrive. Gabriel stood by the window, his sharp eyes scanning the street outside.
“He won’t attack us head-on,” Gabriel said quietly, more to himself than to her. “He’ll wait until we’re vulnerable.”
Piper’s heart raced. “So what do we do in the meantime? Just wait for him to make his move?”
Gabriel turned to her, his expression serious. “We stay alert. We keep our guard up. And when the time comes, we strike first.”
Before Piper could respond, there was a knock at the back door. Gabriel tensed, reaching for the gun tucked under his jacket, but Piper quickly recognized the sound of Jasper’s voice calling out, “It’s me.”
She opened the door to let him in, her heart pounding as Jasper stepped inside, his face drawn with concern. He took one look at her and Gabriel and knew something was wrong.
“What’s going on?” Jasper asked, his voice tight. “What’s this about Dante?”
Piper quickly filled him in, telling him everything Gabriel had said about Dante’s return and the threat he now posed. As she spoke, she could see the tension building in Jasper’s expression. He had always been protective of her, and now that this new danger was on the horizon, she could tell he was ready to do whatever it took to keep her safe.
“This guy’s not going to stop,” Jasper said, his voice low. “If he’s anything like Victor, he’ll come after you with everything he’s got.”
“He’s worse than Victor,” Gabriel said, his tone grim. “Much worse.”
Jasper’s eyes darkened. “Then we take him down. Before he gets the chance to hurt anyone.”
Gabriel nodded, but there was a heaviness in his gaze, a weight of guilt that hung between them. Piper could see it — could feel it. Gabriel blamed himself for this, for Dante’s return, for dragging her into this world of violence and danger. And though she didn’t blame him, she couldn’t help but feel the toll it was taking on them both.
“I don’t want you two fighting over this,” Piper said suddenly, her voice firm. “I need you both working together. For Lily’s sake.”
Jasper’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “We will. But I’m not leaving you alone with him,” he added, casting a glance at Gabriel.
Piper rolled her eyes, exasperated. “This isn’t about choosing between you two. It’s about surviving. We need to stay focused.”
Gabriel stepped forward, his gaze softening as he looked at her. “She’s right. This isn’t about us. It’s about keeping Piper and Lily safe.”
The tension in the room was thick, but Piper refused to let it consume them. They had to work together if they wanted to survive this. The rivalry between Gabriel and Jasper had to take a backseat to the greater threat.
As the night wore on, the three of them went over their plan — setting up extra security around the house, checking the perimeter, and preparing for any sign of Dante. They didn’t know when he would strike, but they were ready for him.
By the time midnight rolled around, Piper’s exhaustion was beginning to catch up with her. Gabriel insisted on staying at the house, keeping watch from the living room while Jasper took the first shift outside. Though she knew they were both nearby, Piper still found it difficult to sleep, her mind replaying Dante’s words over and over again.
She had fought so hard to rebuild her life, to create a safe space for her and Lily. But now, once again, the shadows of Gabriel’s past were closing in, threatening to tear everything apart.
As she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Piper wondered how much more she could take. She had been through so much already — how much longer could she keep fighting?