Page 24 of Corrupt Vows

Natalie opens her mouth to snark back, but I press my palm over her face and shake my head.

“It’s not important, Nat, so just drop it. You can’t rationalize with rabid animals.”

Her brows scrunch as she searches my eyes. The disappointment in her gaze reminds me of how much fun it was to coax her out of her shell when she was a little girl. I smirk and turn my attention back to Nico.

“The only humane thing to do is put them down.”

His eyes darken. I offer him a syrupy smile before ignoring him completely and rating Natalie’s dress. It’s beautiful and fits her playful personality so well with its flouncy skirt and floral fabric. When she decides to buy it, I breathe a silent sigh of relief and escape into the dressing room while Natalie still stands between us, preventing Nico from following me inside.

I change into my clothes at the speed of light and stare at myself in the mirror for a moment. With flushed cheeks and mussed hair, I look more alive than I have in a while, but as I grab my overshirt from the bench, the faint bruise along the inside of my forearm catches my attention, and the blood drains from my face.

Ralf gave me the bruise when he squeezed my arm, half a second before he completely switched gears and propositioned me.

Is that Nico’s plan? Is he hitting on me while planning to hurt me?

The two men share similar traits. Cold one moment, hot the next. Menacing aura. Enormous body. Masculine presence.

I don’t know what kind of life Ralf has lived, but Nico’s known violence since he was young. There’s nothing to stop him from hurting me. While my father has never raised his hand to me, my mother has, and neither of my parents will help me if Nico treats me like crap.

My heart hurts. I miss Alfonso.

Natalie leaves her dressing room and starts chatting away at me through the door. I shrug my overshirt on and swing my bag onto my shoulder before grabbing the hanger with my suspiciously beautifulnotwedding dress and unlocking the door.

Nico stares at me from across the room. I avoid his eyes and link arms with Natalie.

I don’t care if it makes me a coward; I’ll hide behind his sister for as long as I can. Every part of me aches with uncertainty and fear.

Nico Russo scares me. He has the power to destroy me.

Inside and out.

Chapter 8

Nico Russo

I don’t know what gamemy bride-to-be is playing, but I refuse to play along. From burning me alive in the dressing room to freezing me out the rest of the evening, she swapped between extremes with ridiculous ease yesterday.

Did she take acting classes along with her art classes? The minx knows exactly how to rile my temper.

I swirl my ice in my glass and check my reflection in the floor-length mirror for the hundredth time.

If I’d had these broad shoulders nineteen years ago, would my mother still be alive? Would Natalie still have her foot?

Would I still wake in a cold sweat every night?

I want to believe I’ve grown stronger in more than just my body, but I’m not sure I have.

The bed’s reflection mocks me. I haven’t slept in this room in over a week, and the last time I did, I laid where I dropped—on top of the comforter—and woke an hour or two later with a jolt.

Serenity has joined my nightmares. I used to dream only of the accident, but this morning I woke reaching across my desk searching for her.

Desk, couch, chair, lounger, it doesn’t matter where I drop, my nightmares find me. In my sleep, I stumbled through the darkness screaming her name, but she never responded, and now, if I don’t keep a tight grip on my mind, it wanders back to the fear and loneliness of my dream.

I down the last of my whiskey and place the glass on the empty vanity.

Serenity’s makeup will line the counter soon. Whether she moves into my room tonight or in four months depends on how she acts today.

My balls tighten as I remember her curves in the elegant white summer dress. One glance at any eligible bachelor at our engagement party will seal her fate. I won’t be able to hold back if I sense other sharks circling my prey.

---