Chapter 25: Chapter 25

THE PIECES IN THE CHESSBOARD MOVE

DANTE

He only had to send a warning bell to his security team for them to get to work immediately, he too noticed the flash of light, squinting his eyes slightly, as he dragged Janelle closer to himself, at first he had thought it was a pointer, aiming to kill her, but he looked closer only to notice that it was a photograph that had been taken.

"Get to work immediately, make sure the team doesn't loose track of him or her", he said as he urged her into the car, entered the other side and ordered his chauffeur to drive off.

While they were in the car, he kept stealing glanced at her, she was fidgeting, tapping her hands continuously on her clothed thighs and biting her lower lips.

He couldn't resist her, she was a beauty to behold, but he felt like all wasn't well, since she was fidgeting, then certainly, she must be panicked about something.

"Is everything okay?", he asked, bringing his hands to hers as he covered her small hands with his large ones.

She slowly removed her hands from his, turning to face the window, watching as the car whizzed pass other cars, the street lights, trying to control the swirl of emotions running through her mind.

"Lani?, You can talk to me", he continued tenderly, wanting to know what was going on in her head.

"Nothing", she cut him off immediately.

He noticed how brazen her tone was, he knew that yes, something must be wrong, he wasn't about to give up, "You can't say nothing when clearly there's something wrong. Is there anything you want?, I could provided it for you immediately, maybe you don't feel safe in your apartment, I could get you another apartment, increase your security...", he paused, he had over said his words.

Immediately her eyes softened, turning to look at him, he had been so good to her, treating her with all the care and love Rashid never gave to her when she needed him the most, but then... something he said last seemed to create an alarm bell in her head.

"Wa-wait, you said s-some-thing like increasing my security, I don't understand, have you been keeping security teams around my house?", she questioned in a mild tone.

"No... no, er-errem, that's not what I mean, I was only saying that because of the person who had been taking pictures, maybe you feel like there's a breach in your safety and er-errem you want me to...", he didn't finish as she butted in immediately.

"You are lying to me Dante!, You can't even look straight in my eyes, I don't want you to do anything for me, you have done much and I'm perfectly okay with that. Your hiring security team for me, I feel like you're invading my privacy. No, let me put it in a more detailed statement, You Dante are invading my privacy and it's not cool, it's not cool at all", she yelled.

"Lani wait, I'm only doing this for you, I can't just let you stay in such apartment, you could be in danger and I don't want any of that, so please".

He was doing it because he knows he has enemies who might want to use Leilani as a trap to get to him and he wasn't about to let that happen.

"Don't please me Dante, Don't!!!", she snapped.

"You keep security personnels who tell you when I'm in the house, when I'm out, when I go to see a friend?, And you say it's not invading of my privacy?", she snapped.

Just when she thought she was finally free from the grip of possessive men, now, here's another one sharing the same space with her in the back of a fu-ck-ing expensive Bentley brand.

"It's not like you visit any friend, You just have Delilah and you don't go to her house", he asserted.

She shook her head in disbelief, did he know he was pushing her to her limits, he was meant to shut the fûck up, yet he continued talking, saying things she doesn't want to hear, she was tempted to give him a resounding sleep, but all she could hear in her head, was a deep, reassuring voice of her father, telling her to calm down, control herself.

"Dante?, Do you actually know you're making things worse?, You know what?, STOP this car, I want to come down, the help is over it's limit", she said, clutching tightly onto the inner handle of the car door and hitting the window.

"Lani!!", he growled harshly, grabbing her fist.

"Let go of me this instant!!", she snapped.

"Lani I'm done with this attitude of yours, you ain't getting down until I drop you in your apartment and make sure you are safe, and stop clutching unto the door, my driver wouldn't stop unless I tell him to", he chuckled.

"There's nothing funny about this Dante, stop this car right now, stop it, unless...", she threatened.

"Lani please calm down, this is the federal highway and you can see how busy the road is, you could get yourself hurt with this flaring temper of yours", he smoothed.

"It's none of your concern", she babbled.

"Of course it is", he replied hastily.

"Why?, What makes you think my getting hurt is any concern of yours?", she hissed.

"I can't let you hurt, because, because, all through my life, you've been the only woman to make me happy, make my heart beat thunderously just from seeing you, hearing your voice, replying my calls, my texts, and if anything happens to you, I seriously would be mad at myself, so please just stay calm, it's just three minutes more before we reach your apartment", he declared.

She felt herself weakening, he was just too sweet, any woman would melt under his touch, and just like other women, she felt it too.

"For now, let me just be sure you're safe", he placated, before his phone began ringing.

He looked at the screen and turned off the phone temporarily.

She saw the gesture he did, her brows creasing in a frown, "Pick up your call, why ain't you accepting the call?", she asked, putting her legs atop each other.

"It's nothing, let me just drop you off", he reassured.

"Don't tell me it's nothing, or no one. I saw you earlier when you called your boys. So??", she rolled her eyes.

"I was going to handle this myself, but since you are adamant about knowing, they caught the person that had been taking the photograph.

"Take me there, now?", she urged, as Dante ordered his Chauffeur to turn back.

~~~~¶¶¶ΩΩ¶¶¶~~~~

Janelle walked into the basement hand in hand with Dante, from the putrid smell of the place, she knew this wasn't the first time he had to use the basement, but she wouldn't ask, because unlike some other people she doesn't like invading ones privacy, so she let it off.

Dante's eyes were on her the whole time as she walked, waiting for her to ask him about here, but no question was forthcoming.

Once they walked into the room, the whole boys bowed their head in obeisance, "Boss, the fool wouldn't speak up", one said.

"He sure would talk once, now I'm here", Dante said.

Janelle stood at a corner watching the men smirk from the last statement of their boss, Dante.

"It's not a HE, it's a SHE", they said.

"One of your long list of girlfriends then?", Janelle laughed, there was nothing to worry about, only that, the lady might be seeing her as a competition.

"Turn on the limelight", Dante ordered.

Once the lights were turned on, Janelle was met with Bella, the popular town's slut, who Delilah had warned her about of being so obsessed with one ARAB PRINCE.

Dante heard the sharp intake of breathe from Janelle and he tuned immediately to ask if she knows her.

"Yes, she works in the same modelling agency with me", Janelle replied in a shaky voice.

"Lady, I'm not the woman beater, but if you wouldn't tell me what you've been to, and who sent you, I wouldn't mind crushing you with my bare fingers", Dante said. He wasn't threatening her, because certainly he would do that.

"No Dante, she wants me, you need not waste your time on her", Janelle replied.

Her face looked bloodied and battered from the beatings Dante's boys had given to her, but she still won't budge. She really was strong.

Bella gave out in a fit of hysterical laughter.

"Who sent you?", Janelle asked, it was just a question she asked once before Bella began talking.

She spat out the blood in her mouth, grinning widely which showed her bloodied teeth.

"Your husband, or maybe your ex", Bella said as she began laughing again, so loud and dramatic.

Dante turned to look at Janelle, his brows creased in a frown.

"What's she talking about?", Dante questioned.

"I don't know", Janelle feigned ignorance.

"Your ARAB PRINCE husband?, Still haven't hit something in your head?", Bella slurred wickedly.

Dante was still looking at Janelle, before he arched a brow.

"Dante since I began working with BELLA'S MODELLING AGENCY, there's this rumour which had been going around, but now I think it's no rumour. About her obsessiveness with this god-damned Arab Prince, but I didn't think it was that serious, there's nothing to worry about, please just let her go and take me home", Janelle chortled, talking so fast, her heart beating rapidly.

"Married?, Of course not!", Janelle laughed in disbelief, giving Bella this penetrative gaze.

Now everything was fitting in, the pieces in the CHESSBOARD had finally moved, and she knew she was running out of time, because certainly he already had gotten her.

She almost could not breathe, "Take me home please", she told Dante.

"Take her out, remember to blindfold her, drop her very far away from here", Dante ordered his boys before leaving.

Once Dante had dropped her in her apartment, he made to stay until she had entered her apartment before he drive off.

"CLOSER", A text popped into her phone. She tried calling the person back, or at least texting the person back, but the number read unavailable. It was a private number.

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