Page 28 of Corrupt Vows

I want to be the center of her attention. Always.

Starting tonight, and every night until death do us part, I’ll ensure she’s aware of who she belongs to.

She’s mine.

All mine.

Chapter 9

Serenity Vivaldi

After two hours of greeting guests, my feet throb in my sandals, my face hurts from smiling, and my shoulders ache. Nico won’t relax his grip on my waist, but a pinch forms in my lower back. Pulling away only makes it worse, so after welcoming another family—don’t ask me which; all the faces blur together after the first hundred people—I lift my eyes to my captor and brighten my fake smile.

“How about a beverage?” I ask, willing to fetch him anything he wants if it means a few moments away from him.

He drops his gentleman façade and says a curtnobefore tilting his chin toward the next group of arrivals.

I silently curse as the Bonnetti family ascends the steps. Alfonso follows his three older brothers. My father leans just enough to meet my eyes over my uncle’s shoulder. The glare steals every ounce of warmth from my soul. Fear blasts through me and sends my heart into overdrive. Horrible visions flash through my mind’s eye.

The last time I saw him look at someone with such menace, he murdered them.

I never should have snuck into his study in the middle of the night, but I loved the smell of books and brandy. He’s never lifted a hand to me, but he’s never needed to. I’m too terrified to test him.

My fingers cramp in Nico’s jacket as I meet my mother’s callous eyes.

I may not have memories of her covered in someone’s blood flashing through my mind’s eye like I do my papà, but she’s always been quick to discipline Camilla and me. Her pinches and slaps hurt as much as her words.

My vision tunnels.

Isacco Bonnetti, Alfonso’s father, shakes my father’s hand.

I can’t breathe.

Nico’s arm tightens around me.

Alfonso’s face fills my vision. His harsh words from three days ago ring in my ears. The distant look in his eyes intensifies my pain.

Standing in a crowd of people I’ve known my entire life, I feel more isolated than ever before.

My head spins and a black hole opens under my feet, but I use Nico’s sturdy frame to avoid free-falling into the bottomless abyss.

I exchange stiff yet polite greetings with each member of the Bonnetti family, relying on muscle memory and my mother’s harsh teachings to remain socially acceptable, but my mind turns off. It’s too much.

Between the sudden change in my fate, the sleepless nights, my lack of appetite, and the overwhelming stress of the last few days, I’ve reached my limit.

I become the wooden doll my mother tried so hard to perfect throughout the years.

Nico’s condescending voice filters into my ears from far away, even though he stands right beside me. His thick fingers press against my cheek and guide my attention up to his face. I blink, but my eyes refuse to focus, and I don’t want them to. His soft curse bounces off my numb shield.

He makes an excuse to my parents and leads me into the house. The halls seem dark compared to the sunshine, but I don’t need to see with Nico leading me. My head spins faster, my chest tightens, and black spots dance in front of my eyes as I stumble forward on legs made of jelly.

“Goddammit, come here,principessa,” Nico growls before scooping me off my feet.

His warm chest begins my thaw. I don’t like it, but I lean my head against his shoulder and start to shake.

Every muscle in my body tightens when he turns down the hall toward my father’s study.

“No. N-not there. Turn around.”

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