Page 35 of Vices and Vows

I shove him away from me and glare at him before he nods.

“You have two weeks. If you don’t fuck with me, I’ll keep my mouth shut and play the dutiful son. But if you try?—”

“I get it,” he snaps, interrupting me.

“Good.” I turn and walk toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

I ignore him and keep walking.

I nod to Veck, one of my crew of guys loyal to me. They were the ones who visited me weekly and kept me informed of what was going on outside those concrete walls. They were my eyes and ears on the ground. Lately, they’d noted that Dano and my father had been closing ranks, making it clear anyone loyal to me was out. They knew nothing of Dano’s plans to off me, and to say they were pissed is an understatement. Finding out that Dano was into kids fucked with a lot of them. Some of my guys have a history of being abused themselves.

He follows me out to my car, climbing into the driver’s seat as I sit beside him, pulling out my cell phone and dialing.

When the call connects, I speak before they can. “Is it ready?”

“Yes. You’re sure about this?”

“I ever do anything I wasn’t sure of?” I drawl, making Veck snort.

I’m a dog with a fucking bone when I get something in my head, fixating on it until I lose my fucking mind. And right now, Nova is that bone. She has no idea what she’s signing herself up for or what kind of monster she is tying herself to. And when she realizes, it will be too late. I meant what I said about letting her go. Even if she bores me and I tire of her, I’ll never let anyone else touch her. She’s mine.

“Right. I’ll scope it out. Be there in an hour.” He hangs up on me, so I dial the next number that I added myself before I woke Nova the other day.

“Hello?”

“Be ready in thirty minutes. I’ll pick you up from your place.”

I hang up before she can protest. I’m sure she would’ve liked a little time to pretty herself up—not that she needs it—but I only have a small window of time. The sooner it’s done, the better.

“You have everything figured out?” Veck asks.

My crew knows about Nova and my reasoning for marrying her. They just don’t know about her involvement in Dano’s death or her reasons for marrying me. I can’t keep them in the dark forever though, not when they’ll be the ones watching over her.

“For the most part.”

“Does she have any idea what she’s getting into?”

“She’ll learn soon enough.”

“I still think you’re fucking insane. You’re one hundred percent sure she’s Vigo’s daughter?”

“Yes.”

“Your families hate each other. I know she doesn’t have a relationship with him, but does she know how much you loathe each other? More to the point, if shit hits the fan, do you think she’d pick you over him?”

I look at Veck and consider telling him about how she saved my life—taking out my brother and shit—but I keep it to myself. I won’t risk telling anyone what she did until they know and trust her. I wasn’t lying when I said she’d be crucified if the truth came out. They have no fucking idea that she has more courage than most men I’ve met.

“You don’t know me at all if you think I’d give her a choice. Once my ring is on her finger, I’ll put a bullet in her father’s head before I let her go.”

“Yes, I’m sure that will go down well.” He rolls his eyes.

“She warned me,” I tell him, hinting at what type of person Nova is.

“She what?”

“She came to the prison and warned me to watch my back around my brother. I brushed her off, so fucking sureof Dano’s loyalty because he’s my blood, but the seeds grew. I tried to ignore it, blamed her for making me doubt him. But in the end, it was her warning that saved me. She’s the reason why?—”

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