Page 23 of Cruel Vows

“And killing Marco is just for the show?”

“No.” I grin and down the rest of my drink, the empty glass thudding when it hits the counter. “That’s for me. That bastard has been a thorn in my side for years, and it’s finally time that he gets what’s coming to him.”

“What about Noah Rinaldo and his men?” Dominic asks, switching from friend into my head of security. “He’s been lurking around and you know that news of your marriage is going to reach him.”

“Increase security around the house. The bastard can fucking try me if he likes, but if he gets to Ellie, there will be a bigger war on our hands.”

Dominic nods, his gaze dragging over to the living room doors.

Ellie appears in the kitchen, her hair loose and flowing down her back, her body hidden behind an oversized vintage band shirt and a pair of leggings. “You wanted to talk?”

Her tone is bordering on the edge of too polite, and it’s because Dominic is here.

As much as I hate to admit it, Ellie has always known how to play her part. Hell, she’s exceptional at it.

“Yes.” I glare as her gaze rakes up and down Dominic’s body before flickering to me. “Dominic was just leaving.”

As Dominic nods and leaves, I pour myself another glass of bourbon, trying to clear the red haze from my vision.

Ellie is my wife and she’s already making it known that this marriage is nothing but a sham. She’s looking at other men as if there’s any world in which I would allow her to get close to one.

I down the bourbon before striding over to her, stopping inches from her. “We’re going to set down some ground rules about this marriage. The first one being that you’re not going to make a fool of me by sleeping with anyone else.”

She raises her eyebrows, crossing her arms and pulling the shirt tight across her breasts. “Excuse me?”

Though I try not to notice the way her pebbled nipples strain against the shirt, it’s impossible.

I grab her chin, holding her in place so she can’t look away as I make myself perfectly clear. “If you decide to stop being frigid and want a cock to ride, it’s mine—if you’ve earned it. You try your luck with another man, and I’ll kill you both.”

Her cheeks flare a bright shade of red, eyes narrowing. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Do I look like I’m fuckingkidding, Ellie?” I let go of her chin, stepping back as my cock comes to life. It strains against my pants as if I’m a horny twenty-year-old who can’t wait to spend the rest of the night in bed with a woman who is fundamentally wrong for him.

She shakes her head, finger pressing into my chest. “There’s no way that you get to go around and sleep with whomever you like while I have to sit at home and hope Iearnsex from you. That’s a joke.”

Stepping forward, I force her back several steps until her body is caged between me and the rough stone wall that separates the living room and kitchen. “I assure you, I’m not trying to be funny.”

“You have to be. Thinking that I would ever want to sleep with you is the best joke I’ve ever heard.”

My teeth grind as I make a point of reaching up and brushing my thumb against her nipple. It stiffens more—though that seems impossible at this point. “Your body says otherwise. You were dripping for me, Ellie. You and I both know that your pussy is soaked right now.”

She barks out a short laugh, even with the fire burning in her eyes. “I’m so dry it hurts.”

For just a moment, the petty part of me—the one that’s been tormenting her for years—wants to demand that she proves it, just to throw her off.

However, the man who gave up sex two months ago because he’s tired of meaningless bullshit with one woman after another is insisting I get away from her before I do something stupid.

“You’re not going to sleep with anyone.” I push back from her. “And I’ll sleep with whomever the hell I want.”

“And make a fool of me?” Her voice rises louder, feet padding across the floor as she follows me through the kitchen. “Do you think I’m just going to sit back while you have affair after affair?”

“Yes.” I put the bottle of bourbon away, half-worried that she’s going to throw it at my head.

She yanks open the fridge, pulling out the steaks I took out this morning. Ellie drops them onto the counter before rummaging through the cupboards.

My eyebrows pull together. “What are you doing?”

“Well, since we’re never going to agree on the fact that I can sleep with whomever the hell I want too, I figured we’d need food to be able to keep arguing.” She gives me a saccharine smile, though it looks more like she’s baring her teeth at me.

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