Page 17 of Crimson Vows

“I guess good morning is in order,” I murmur, my voice rough as she stirs next to me.

Gia lifts her head to look at me, taking in the stubble along my jaw before she lifts a finger to my dark hair, sweeping it off my forehead. This connection is like nothing I’ve ever felt. I wanted it, but it’s also so deep that it scares me a little. I would do anything for this woman.

What I let her do to me last night... a younger version of me would have killed a man for even suggesting I partake in an interaction like we had. I was completely submissive to her, and somehow, it ended up being the catalyst that made me feel closer to her than anyone else in my life.

“It looks like we broke one of the rules you mentioned,” I add, my lips curving into a teasing smile as I prop myself up on one elbow.

“And which rule is that?” she asks.

“No sleepovers,” I answer.

She grins back at me, and with a flicker in her eyes, she laughs before saying, “I don’t recall much sleeping.”

“Ah, I suppose you’re right,” I agree, my voice laced with amusement. My hand slides along her side, tracing the curve of her hip.

She gently pushes my hand away before sitting up and pulling the sheet to cover herself. “Besides, I guess that rule doesn’t really apply to fiancés.”

“So that did happen,” I reply.

Gia sighs. “I must be crazy because it did.”

“I mean, I think we’re both a little crazy, but I don’t think that’s why you agreed to marry me. I warned you that I’m irresistible,” I say with a smirk.

Gia stiffens, and suddenly, I can tell the lighthearted nature of our conversation has disappeared. “Yeah, well just so you know, I’m not about to repeat mistakes I’ve made in the past.”

My stomach sinks in response to her statement. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Vincent.” She spits out the name like it’s poison. “He treated me like some pawn in his strategy, not a person with feelings and dignity.” She wraps her arms around her torso as if shielding herself from the memories.

“Gia, Vincent...” I reach for Gia’s hands, making sure my touch is gentle. “I understand your pain. But believe me when I say his intentions... they were never to hurt you.”

“Are you really defending him? Intentions don’t mean shit when you’re on the receiving end of his callousness,” she retorts.

“Wait, I don’t understand,” I start with a puzzled look. “From what Vincent told me, you both agreed your engagement was a business arrangement. I get that how he ended things was disrespectful, but if that’s all it was to the two of you, why so much anger?”

“Seriously?” Gia scoffs. “Your cousin seemed to leave out the fact that he was the one that suggested we try to actually make it more than just business. I would have been fine if he had left it as that, but he pretended to care about me. He made me start to have feelings for him, only to humiliate me.”

My eyes widen as I take in her words, my grip tightening on the sheets. “Gia, I’m sorry. It’s fucked up that he did that, and I’m not trying to defend his actions. I’m just saying... I know he actually cared about you. It tore him up when he realized he had feelings for someone else.”

“When he realized?” she repeats, her mouth falling open in shock. “You mean the day after he fucked me? Yeah, say what you will, but Vincent is a piece of shit. He doesn’t care who he hurts, and Eva will figure that out for herself soon enough.”

“There is absolutely no excuse for his behavior, and Vincent has a number of flaws, but he also—”

“No!” she exclaims, her anger flaring. “There are no buts in this conversation. I was humiliated, used, and treated like I didn’t matter. When he asked me to that dinner with the other captains, he knew he had no intention of marrying me. Only a monster would deliberately hurt someone like he did.”

“That’s not fair. He was trying to avoid bloodshed that night. He thought if he managed to get your father at the dinner without suspecting what we knew, maybe there was a chance he could expose him in that setting and avoid a war breaking out. He had to do it that way to ensure he kept the other captains on his side.”

“You really fucking believe that? He didn’t need me there that night to get my father to show up,” Gia argues. “That piece of shit did what he did to me because he wanted to humiliate my father, and he used me to do it.”

I shake my head, her image of my cousin not matching the man I’ve grown up with. However, the more she spoke, the more I could see her side of the situation. “You’re right. He should have figured out another way.”

“How in the hell can you lie there and defend what he did in the slightest and then expect me to trust you? If you can’t see how fucked that entire situation was, why should I believe that you’re any different?” Her nostrils flare, but I can’t blame her for her distrust.

“I won’t ever hurt you, Gia.”

“He made the same claims, so sorry if I don’t jump back in line to have my heart shattered by another member of the King family. Don’t ask me to love you, Marco, because I can offer you my body, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to offer much more.”

The hurt flashes across my face before it disappears behind a mask of resolve. “Look at me,” I urge, cupping her face with roughened hands. “I am not Vincent. And I swear on my life, I won’t let him, or anyone else, ever make you feel this way again. I’m not asking you to trust me without actually earning it.”

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