Page 47 of Blood and Vows (A Twisted Duet 2)

“Castello, are you trying to kill me?”

“On the contrary, I’m preparing you.”

“For what?”

A roguish grin crept up on his face. “The reward is so much sweeter after it has been denied for so long.”

“Please—”

“I have something special planned for you tonight, little mouse. For us. But first, I want to hear you say that you trust me. I want to hear those words come from your lips.”

He let go of my arms and gave a step back. “Tell me that you trust me.”

I rubbed my aching wrists while never taking my eyes off him.

Don’t try to understand him. Rather trust in him.

With a flick of my tongue, I wet my lips before softly saying, “I trust you, Castello.”

Chapter 17

TATUM

Nervous anticipation moved in waves through my gut. The fact that Castello wanted me to trust him so badly made me weary. Yet a part of me was excited too, wondering what he had in store for me. But when we walked into the bedroom, I balked when I saw a man I didn’t know standing by the window in front of a table that wasn’t there before.

I turned to Castello just as he closed the door. “What’s going on?”

He just smiled, and the man turned around.

“Cas, my man. It’s been a while.”

Castello nodded. “Indeed it has.”

The guy who had piercings in his nose, eyebrows, and bottom lip looked at me. Tattoos peeked out from his shirt collar, covering his entire neck and throat.

Castello placed his hand at the small of my back. “Tatum, I’d like you to meet Joey. My tattoo artist.”

I relaxed instantly. I didn’t do well with strange men in my bedroom, especially not after Nicollo tried to rape me before having his head blown off.

Joey reached out his hand toward me. “You must be Tatum. Nice to meet you.”

I shook his hand. “Likewise.”

“So are we ready to do this?” Joey clapped his hands together.

“Do what?” I cocked a brow at Castello, but he ignored me and walked over to the table.

“Do you have the designs I requested?”

Joey went to stand next to him. “Yup. One king and queen ready to go.”

“Excuse me,” I called out, and they both turned to stare at me. “What is going on?”

Joey narrowed his eyes at Castello. “She doesn’t know, does she?”

Castello’s face remained stoic. “No.”

“Of course not. Motherfucker,” Joey cursed and rubbed his hand over his bald head. “You sure she’s going to go for it?”

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