The smell of the flowers was everywhere, but it didn't make Leo feel better. It felt like a trap. Every lily in the garden was a reminder that Dante was watching him, even when he wasn't there.
"He doesn't want to be a monster," Etienne had said just a minute ago. "He's just trying to keep you safe from people who want to hurt him."
Leo looked at the white petals. "I'm a doctor, Etienne. I belong in a hospital, not a cage made of flowers."
"I think you belong exactly where I put you," a deep voice said.
Leo's heart skipped a beat. Dante was standing in the doorway. Etienne immediately looked at the ground and stepped away. The air became thick and heavy. Dante didn't look at the garden. He looked at the way Leo had been smiling at Etienne.
Dante walked over. He had his sleeves rolled up, showing his tattoos. He stopped right in front of Leo, his eyes narrowing.
"Etienne," Dante said, his voice low and cold. "Go to the gate. Now."
As Etienne walked away, Leo felt angry. "He was just being nice to me, Dante. You should try it sometime."
Dante grabbed Leo's chin and lifted his face up. His eyes were dark and full of fire. "Nice? Is that what you call it? You looked very happy talking to him."
Leo laughed, but he was shaking. "Are you actually jealous? He's your own man! Maybe if you weren't so mean, I wouldn't have to talk to other people to feel human."
Dante's grip got a little tighter. He stepped so close that their chests touched. "Etienne is here to protect you. But I don't like the way you look at him. I don't like other men seeing that side of you."
"I'm not an object, Dante!" Leo snapped.
"You are mine," Dante growled. He leaned down until his face was an inch away. "I built this place for you. I picked these flowers because I knew you liked them. And then I come out here and see you giving away smiles that belong to me."
Dante's voice was full of a strange, dark anger. He sounded like a man who was afraid of losing his most precious prize.
"Don't smile at other men like that again," Dante said. He rubbed his thumb over Leo's lip. "If you want to be 'nice,' be nice to me. Only me."
Leo wanted to push him away, but his body felt weak. The way Dante looked at him—like he was the only thing that mattered in the world—was terrifying but also intense.
"You're crazy," Leo whispered.
"I'm a man who keeps what belongs to him," Dante answered.
Suddenly, a loud noise filled the air. A helicopter was landing nearby. Dante's face changed instantly. The jealous lover was gone, replaced by the cold Boss. He let go of Leo and looked at the sky.
"The Council is here," Dante said. His voice was like ice now. "Go back inside. And Leo? Remember what I said. If I see you smiling at other men like that again, we are going to have a very different problem."
Dante walked away fast. He had a war to fight, but Leo stood frozen among the lilies. He realized he was the obsession of a man who wanted to own every look, every breath, and every smile he had.