Page 22 of Hateful Vows
“No one insults my wife and lives!”
I have no patience for these assholes. Another shot kills the capo who didn’t listen to his wife and she stumbles back. I march to the table, rage filling my veins. Taking hold of the third man’s hair, I press the mouth of my weapon under his chin.
“Do you have anything to say about my wife, Signore Lombardi?”
He shakes like a leaf. My index finger trembles with the need to pull the trigger.
Irina’s standing a few feet away. I pull the man out of his chair and throw him at her feet. “Swear fealty to your queen, Lombardi. Or die.”
His eyes are filled with anger but he drops his forehead to Irina’s feet.
“Lealtà, dovere, coraggio, Signora Ventura.I swear to be loyal and serve.”
“This would have never happened with Ivan,” someone mutters to my left.
A gunshot echoes through the room and my eyes shoot up to Aleksei, gun raised against his clan. His voice is low and cold when he speaks and it travels up my skin with delicious ease.
“Ivan is dead. You all answer to me now. One word against Irina or this alliance, you die like this pig. Clear?”
Men and women alike beat their closed right fist to their heart and bow their heads once.
Power looks hot but on the Dobrev siblings. It’s intoxicating.
I glance at Lucie, who’s still seated, her fork hovering over her mouth. Our eyes meet and she winks before she chews on her food like nothing happens.
“Are you okay?” I mouth.
My little cousin has the audacity to roll her eyes at me, and I chuckle. She’s only twenty but acts like she’s seen this type of violence and worse all her life. I doubt her foster family shielded her from anything.
Good.
I bring my attention back to Aleksei. Brown and green irises clash with mine and he nods, asking a question to Irina in Russian. Maybe if she’s okay. She nods, the picture of satisfaction with a hint of boredom. And why does that make me fucking hard? She doesn’t balk at the sight of blood, seems to revel in humiliation and power. It makes her even more attractive than her sinful body and chin held high.
“It’s not a mafia wedding if people don’t die,” Tino jokes and a few people snicker.
I signal for three of my men. “Clean this shit up.”
The bodies are dragged away, and the floor is mopped in minutes. Music resumes before the dessert is brought to our table.
Irina is visibly agitated though, shifting on her chair next to me. It’s unlike her. I might have known her for only a short time, but she’s easy to read. A hot-blooded woman in the body of an ice queen. She stands, then glances down at me. “Follow me.”
And like a pup, I do.
Curiosity might kill the cat but with the sight of her round ass swaying side to side in the cream dress, it wouldn’t be such a bad last view.
Irina’s eyes peek behind her shoulder and she continues walking before pushing the door to the ladies room open and walking in. I’m seconds behind her, locking us in as I stand in front of her.
“Any reasons my wife drags me to the ladies room before dessert?” I taunt.
“Shut the fuck up.”
And with that, she’s on me.
Irina pulls my head down with force, our lips clashing together like metal and magnet. Her fingers thread through my hair and she pulls, drawing a groan out of my chest.
“I like where this is going,vipera.”
“You’re unbearable,” she says between kisses, before she bites down on my lower lip.
