Page 33 of Vow to Corrupt You
“I won’t bow to a dog,” he spits, his tone dripping with mockery.
A surge of wrath tightens every muscle in me. No one insults my wife like that. No one.
“Then it’s war,” I growl.
The room seems to hold its breath. Everyone present understands the gravity of my words. Rodrigo glares at me, aggravated, but I sense a flicker of fear beneath the surface. I can smell it. He has underestimated me; he didn’t think mere words would cause this outrage, and now the damage has been done. The repercussions of his hatred will ripple through the entire underground world.
The war has begun. There will be no room for mercy.
The city lights blur in my eyes as I drive at full speed. My hand grips the steering wheel as if it were Rodrigo’s neck, and the sound of the engine mimics the sound of his cracking bones. Fucking bastard. If I could, I would’ve killed him right on the spot with my bare hands. I would’ve squeezed the life out of him, watching his soulless eyes fade as he struggled to breathe. But this isn’t how things are done in our world. Not when another Don, The Gods’ member, is involved. Castro is too significant a player, and the society has its own rules. So, unfortunately, killing him on the spot was not an option. Shame.
“You didn’t have to react like that,” Serena clings to the inside door handle. “It wasn’t worth it…”
“What do you mean it?” I hiss through gritted teeth, still focused on the road ahead.
“Starting a war with a Colombian cartel leader because of me…” My jaw tightens, and I push the gas to its limit. Her fingers grip the panel tighter.
“You’re my wife, wicked one. There could be no greater reason for war than an insult directed at you.”
Silence falls. Serena glances at me with equal parts bewilderment and incredulity.
“My great-grandfather was one of the founders of the society.” My low voice breaks the momentary silence. “It’s part of our heritage, passed down through generations. By dawn, I’ll have Castro removed from the society. He’ll lose everything.”
“But…” she breathes heavily. “What about the war between you now?”
The edges of my lips lift at the concern in her voice. “Are you worried about me, wicked one?”
I shoot a quick glance at her. Her brows knit together a fraction as if my words were an insurmountable riddle.
“I can handle it,” I continue, sparing her the need to respond. “I won’t tolerate anyone insulting you, even if it means war. You are now Mrs. Romano. Own it.”
The engine sounds turn to a rhythmic hum as we wait for the gate to my residence to open. My men are already waiting by the entrance, helping Serena out of the car. I leave the keys inside for them to park the vehicle and follow inside.
“Will you be sleeping in a separate room tonight, too?” Serena turns to me as we enter the main hallway, her eyes haunted by the recent event.
I close the distance between us, causing her to retreat slightly until her back meets a column like the ones in the Olympus club. I had this house renovated along with the club, reflecting my Greek heritage from my mother’s side. It was my tribute to her and a way of erasing any memory of my father.
I place a hand on her thigh where the cut of her dress is. “Is that what you want?”
“I…” her breath catches as I trace the delicate curve of her thigh. “I was just wondering.”
I lean in closer, my voice dropping to a low murmur filled with dark suggestion. “I said I’ll wait until you beg me to fuck you.”
Her chest rises and falls with uneven breaths. She grips the column behind her for support, her eyes flickering between mine with heavy eyelids that are torn between fear and desire.
“So, do you…” I whisper, brushing my lips against her ear, “want me to fuck you, wicked one?”
CHAPTER 16
Nikos
Strike after strike, I unleash my pent-up tension on the punching bag in the private gym in the east wing of the mansion. Sweat drips down my skin. My muscles coil with controlled aggression. Each hit reverberates through the concrete walls, echoing the fury in me. After fucking, it’s the second-best way to release this kind of all-consuming rage in me, but fucking was not an option. Not tonight. I can’t risk hurting her. Not yet. I want to break her slowly. Shatter her innocence piece by piece until she begs for my dominance. I desire to possess her, mold her into something wicked, something that will ache for me. The desire is driving me insane, considering how well she’s resisting me. It’s maddening. Sickening.
“What have you done, Nikos?” Dimitris storms in with barely contained anger after the heavy metal door swings open with a force that matches the pressure of my punches. “I heard about the fight with Castro. Do you have any idea what you’ve started?” He reaches my side, grasping the punching bag that swings under the force of my next strike.
“Who told you?” I adjust my stance, my chest lifts and sinks with exertion.
“Does it matter?” He looks at me with frustration boiling within. “But if you must know, the father of Rodrigo Castro himself contacted me, asking if you’ve lost your damn mind.”
