Page 56 of Vengeful Lies

“And you don’t have to treat me to guns. Just give me my father’s back.”

I pat her hand. “You know I won’t do that. But it doesn’t mean I can’t treat you until then.”

“Does your father know you’re here tonight?” Anya asks casually. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Crue. Is he halfway into the grave yet?”

I bite my tongue. There are only a few people who get away with speaking about my father dying. Anya is one of those few.

“No, but he’ll be retiring soon. After our marriage.”

“Oh, yes.” She stops at a barrier of red curtains. “I forgot about the archaic marriage rule you have in your family. I’m lucky my sons choose to simply fuck like rabbits and not bring anyone home. I definitely don’t want to deal with little wet blankets as sons.”

Jewel tries to hold in her laughter, and I try not to let it infect me the same. Anya pulls back the curtains, and her twin, Alek, stands there, watching the night’s crowd. He adjusts his gloves as he glances over at us. His expression doesn’t change when he notices me.

“Mr. Monti and his fiancée, Jewel, are here to bid on some guns. Give them our table for this evening since we don’t have any available space,” she tells him.

He nods and starts walking. We follow in silence. Alek is known for his lack of communication, and the gloves he always wears have been a mystery to many. The only people he willtouch or let touch him are his wife, Lena Love, who is a famous singer, and his daughter, Hope.

Jewel’s eyes widen as she looks around the room, taking in the tables, each with a single candle in the middle to illuminate them. A main stage is positioned at the front of the room. I’ve been to a few of these auctions. I also supported Dutton when he conducted his first virginity auction a few years ago after taking over the majority of Dawson’s more lucrative businesses.

Alek stands beside a chair and pulls it out for Jewel. He looks bored, and I know it’s only because of our families’ close ties that the killer is even pretending to have any manners. The elder Ivanov twins are wild cards. Then again, other families say the same thing about my own, so who am I to throw stones?

When Alek leaves and I sit beside Jewel, she leans into me. “Isn’t he married to Lena Love?”

I’m not surprised that she’s done her research on my family members, close friends, and our dealings with both. But I don’t like it either. I drag her chair closer to me and pull her to sit on my lap.

“Is this really necessary?” She tries to break from my hold.

“Extremely. Look around you,” I say, brushing the back of my finger against the pulse at her neck. Her breath hitches, and my cock begins to thicken, with her simply sitting on my lap. “Everyone is watching you.”

She looks around and then, as if not even realizing, wraps her arms around my neck as she says quietly, “They’re not looking at me. They’re looking at you.”

“They’re looking atus,”I correct her. Attending an event such as this is a public announcement of my engagement. I make a point to hold her hand to my lips and slowly kiss the ring. Realization dawns on her expression.

“Did you bring me here to show me off like some brood mare?” she hisses under her breath, looking wildly pissed.

“No, I brought you here to let you buy whatever you like. Some women might like jewels. Others lingerie. But you, Kitten, love guns.”

She looks around again. “And remind me why I have to sit on your lap for that?”

“So you’re reminded of the gun you’re sitting on that’s kindly paying for all these gifts.”

She laughs then, and I hate every fucker who turns our way and looks at her. “Did you really just refer to your cock as a gun?”

I thread my fingers through her hair possessively and pull her lips closer to mine. “I don’t know how long I can contain myself if the word cock falls from your lips again.” I rub my thumb against her lips thoughtfully.

Her gaze intensifies, and I can’t look away. I want her again. But I want her to come to me willingly. To crawl to me and show her loyalty.

Some of the most powerful and lethal men in the city are in this room tonight, but it’s her I can’t look away from. She’s more lethal than all of them combined.

An announcement is made that the auction is about to start, and she pulls away. That’s when we notice a waitress wearing lingerie, standing a few feet away, seemingly too nervous to interrupt.How long has she been standing there?

“Drinks are on the house,” she says with a smile, unable to meet our gaze. She places a whiskey on ice and a champagne flute down in front of us.

An announcer steps onto the stage, leading several men wearing suits and carrying briefcases. They each place a case on separate tables, then flick open the locks and lift the lids to reveal the weapons inside.

Jewel leans forward, her eyes growing wide, and I grin as I watch my fiancée light up like it’s Christmas Day.

No, jewelry and lingerie are definitely not going to woo my fake fiancée. But anything that could kill me will.

---