Page 27 of Corrupt Vows

“Was that really necessary?” Serenity asks.

“No, but I enjoyed it.”

She sighs and shifts to move away, but I keep her tucked tightly against my side.

“This is where you’ll stay all evening,” I say with a tad bit more menace than I intend, but the thought of another man touching her makes me want to slice throats.

She swallows and wraps her arms around herself, but Itskin disapproval, grab her wrist, and tug her arm, but her hiss of pain stops me.

I slip my hand over the back of hers and intertwine our fingers, shocking her into silence and startling myself with how delicate and feminine her digits look in mine, and extend her arm across my front.

A bruise lines the inside of her forearm. The half crescent indentations match the pattern of a man’s hand, and for a moment bile rises in my throat as I fear I hurt her yesterday, but then the yellowing edges register, and I realize she’s had this for a few days.

“Who hurt you?”

The question emerges as more growl than words.

She tugs in search of freedom, but I don’t grant it.

“Who hurt you, Serenity?”

“You did,” she snaps.

I shake my head and extend her arm higher, forcing her onto her toes.

“I didn’t give you these bruises.”

“It was fine yesterday, then you made it worse. You’re hurting me now, so let go,” she demands.

I lower her hand enough to ease the strain on her shoulder and study her inner arm more closely. Whoever grabbed her had bigger hands than mine. He’ll pay. After a few deep breaths, I calm myself by pressing my lips against the inside of her wrist.

Her soft gasp travels straight to my balls.

I trail my lips down her inner arm as I speak.

“Youwilltell me who dared to put his hands on you. I don’t care how dirty I have to play; I’ll make you tell me.” Goosebumps pebble her flesh as I kiss the crook of her elbow.

Although I’m tempted to continue, I know I won’t stop if I allow myself to go any further, so I rise from my awkward position and tuck her arm around my lower back while she’s distracted.

She fists the back of my suit coat and tries to use it as a handle to push me away, but I tease my fingers up her side and quirk my brow at her, daring her to fight me while my hand rests along the underside of her breast. To my frustration, she heeds my warning and stops struggling.

As the first guests arrive, I will my throbbing cock to behave and aim my focus toward our surroundings.

After today, everyone will know Serenity Vivaldi belongs to me.

Which means I’ve drawn the biggest target on her back. I’ll do anything to protect her.

Except, with her perfect curves tucked against my side, my attention continually drifts to her instead of focusing on potential threats.

I can’t let her body distract me, not when her safety is at stake.

And I can’t let her innocent eyes and sharp mind steal their way into my heart, not when I have nothing to give her in return.

Despite her being in my arms, I put as much distance between us as I can. She does the same.

Resentment sprouts deep within my chest and grows every second she ignores me. I’ll be her husband, but she shows no signs of wanting to be close.

I should be grateful she’s reluctant, but I’m not.

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