Page 15 of Broken Vows

“Because Tasha Armstrong—” He swallows hard, but there’s more to it than realizing he said too much. “I need her.”

How lame. “For what do youneedher? You don’t seem to want for anything.”

“This is so fucked up.” He closes his eyes, drops his head back, and curls his hands into fists. “I’m in love with her,” he growls.

Oh.

“And if any other man so much as looks at her, or touches her, never mind fucks her, I will leave a trail of bodies behind.”

Oh, hell.He isn’t faking it. He is as sincere as a man can get.

Matteo opens his eyes and leans into my space. “And you know what?You’llbe to blame for the carnage.”

“Oh, dear. We can’t have that now, can we?”

As much as I’d like to wipe the Mafia off the face of the earth, I need to keep my cool here. If he is really in love with her, Matteo will move heaven and earth to get to Tasha in time. Those rings on her finger should have spelled it out for me, but how was I to know? That said, I know better than to take his word for it. I stroll back into my cabin and check the time on my phone where I tossed it to the bed. “It’s almost six. What time does this disgusting auction kick off?”

“At nine tonight.”

“And where?” I ask, expecting some dungeon in the Cannes underworld.

“The St. Chalamet’s presidential suite.”

TheSt. Chalamet?Posh. I can get onboard with that. Seems Stephano likes to do things in style.

“You should have spoken up sooner. It’ll take time to head back.” Plus, I have to get dressed for a private party at the St. Chalamet’s presidential suite. I’d love to see how this goes down…and I’d love to see Stephano again. Even if only to vex him by gate-crashing his auction.

Matteo steps inside my cabin, and his menacing presence makes me want to shrink, but I pull tall and face him.

“Make it happen,” he hisses.

“A couple of things,” I say, not giving him an inch. “Promise me this Tasha Armstrong will be safe with you, and that you’ll never hurt her.”

“What the fuck do you think I am? Of course she’s safe with me! Fuck it. Do you take me for some kind of monster?”

“Well—”

“I don’t have time for this,” he bites out.

“Fine. We’ll see how she reacts when she sees you.”

I don’tknowhim. But he seems distraught enough that his love declaration could be real. Men in love—Mafia men in particular—can get feral when it comes to their women. If he says he’ll protect her, it will be with his life.

“What do you mean bywe’ll see?” he asks.

“I’m coming with you. To make sure you’re doing what you’re telling me you’re going to do.”Amongst other things…

“Fuck no.” He shakes his head. “Stephano will have a fit.”

I’d like to see Stephano have a fit.

“I suppose I’ll have to watch you have a fit instead, then. I won’t tell the captain to hurry back to Cannes unless you allow me to come with you.”

And on cue, his face flushes red, his mouth pulling into a stern line. I bet he’s counting to ten in his head.

“Fine. Have it your way, but if Stephano tosses you out, don’t come cry at my door.”

The idea of Stephano’s arms around me as he tries to toss me out tugs at my core, where the need he has stirred in me hasn’t abated. God, I wish I could think of anything else, but I already know it’s futile. Stephano isn’t the type Ijust forget. He’s the type that makes me beg for more.

---