Page 54 of Corrupt Vows

The emotional distance between us kills me, but I won’t lose another lead and put her in more danger, so I drop my hand and scoot away; except the thought of leaving without a kiss infuriates me, so I turn back around, grab her nape, and dive into her mouth.

She hesitates for half a second before softening in submission and returning my kiss. I pull away and run my thumb over her bottom lip.

“Stay safe,principessa,” I murmur.

I leave before I toss her over my shoulder and ruin our chance at finding the mastermind behind the underhanded attacks on the Russo family.

Serenity Vivaldi has become the center of my universe. In less than a day, she stole my heart and filled it with a longing I never allowed myself to feel.

Which makes me more desperate to protect her. I can’t fail her the way I failed my mother and sister.

I shuck every ounce of emotion off me and become the devil every criminal, crooked cop, and politician in New York City fears.

Chapter 15

Serenity Vivaldi

I rub between my eyes, trying to counteract the beginnings of a tension headache, and take a deep breath.

Waking up alone after tossing and turning all night in Nico’s massive penthouse apartment was unexpected and unpleasant. I haven’t seen or heard from him since he left the coffee shop yesterday afternoon. Luckily, he updated the security system and gave me full access to everything, including the phone numbers of my driver and guards. The drive to my parents’ house this morning was awkward, but when Camilla walked out the front door and willingly got into the van for the mental health hospital, a tremendous weight lifted off my shoulders. We didn’t need to exchange words to say a million things to each other. She let me give her a hug and even squeezed my hand in thanks.

I didn’t completely fail her. She’s no longer under my parents’ oppression and abuse. She’ll get the help she needs.

I drop my hands onto my worktable and press my palms against the dirty surface. After a few neck rolls and deep breaths, I focus on the mess before me.

Nothing in my life makes sense anymore. I stood up to my parents, helped my sister, chose a wedding dress, survived the last of the midterm group critiques, fell in love with a monster, and drove a wedge between us.

I fell in love with a monsterrepeats in my mind. It’s mortifying how quickly I gave my heart to the man my sister was supposed to marry, but worse is knowing I alienated the only person with enough power to protect me from my mother and father. With every passing minute, I realize how sweet—in his own intense way, of course—and honest he was with me yesterday, but I couldn’t see it through my disappointment. When he’d grabbed me in the car, I couldn’t think beyond my fear, and then everything in my parents’ house had happened so quickly, and I didn’t react well even when he agreed with me. He didn’t come home last night or this morning, but I’m too afraid to text him. His abrupt departure left me staring after him in shock with a keen sense of abandonment.

The icy glint in his eyes was a stark reminder of his occupation, but unlike the gleam of enjoyment in my father’s eye, he became an emotionless shell filled with nothing but brutality and death.

I shiver and grab the nearest clump of clay. The ball slowly becomes more malleable as I work it in my hands. I’ll need a fresh block from the supply closet once I finish this piece.

Most students went home after group critiques, but for the first time in a while, I feel the pull to create. Even with my heart and mind in turmoil, the relief of sending my sister to the hospital opened my creative mind and brought me to the studio. I enjoy the sounds within the room, since a part of me still wallows in the overwhelming silence of Nico’s apartment. Two students bicker near the front, but the lack of heat in their tone paints their interaction as a friendly spat and nothing serious. Donald hums as he works on his piece at his station behind me. A handful of other students go through their group critiques or work without making much noise at all.

Deciding the clay is pliant enough to reach my desired effect, I shape it in my hands before plunking it on the table and leaning on my elbow to start the more intricate patterns.

For a while, I slip into my happy place and simply enjoy creating. The world fades away as the clay molds to my wishes.

I smile and rise when the piece looks exactly how I want it, but my lower back cramps, so I dig my knuckle into the seized muscle and stretch to work the kinks out of my spine.

I reach for the ceiling, fill my lungs, and exhale as I lower my arms.

Heat simmers low in my belly as I remember Nico’s parting kiss. I glance around, embarrassed at my wayward thoughts, and meet Ralf’s eyes. Fear tightens my chest and wipes away my arousal. I clear my throat, send him a half smile to apologize for disrupting him, and turn away.

After fitting the piece I just finished onto the base, I tidy my desk and wipe my hands on my apron before pulling out my phone.

Realizing I spent two hours bent over my work, I close my eyes and breathe in relief.

After the whirlwind of the last week, I thought I’d never find my muse again, but she peeked her head out of her shell today and let me know I’m not broken. Maybe this semester won’t be a total bust.

Nico hasn’t contacted me. In fact, there’s nothing under his contact info. We’ve never called or texted before.

It’s almost lunchtime. My stomach rumbles, reminding me I drank my morning coffee with no food, but I’m not hungry. I want to dive back into my project before I lose my momentum.

Nico’s silence bothers me, though, so I open his contact info and pause before typing out a text.

I don’t know what he’s doing right now, and I don’t know how he’ll respond, but I decide to be bold and test him a little.

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