Page 52 of Devious Vows

I’ll need blood before eight o’clock tomorrow.

He replies with a thumbs-up and I reopen the picture he sent me once again, blinking at my screen in the dark. Silently promising the Bev on my screen,I’ll make things right again, cuore mio. I swear it.

Chapter Twenty-TwO

REMY

“I have the same thing for breakfast every day, Gretchen, I don’t understand why it’s so hard for you to remember that.”

I stop outside the kitchen, rubbing my fingers between my eyes before I go into the room. Viva is always fucking bitching.

“I don’t have trouble remembering, little girl, I just don’t care. I cook the food here and you get what I make.” Gretchen tosses her hand towel on her shoulder, glaring at Viva and the plate in front of her. Noticing me, she waves at Viva,“La bambina viziata. Sbarazzarsi di lei.” The spoiled child. Get rid of her.

“I can understand you, Gretchen.”

Gretchen looks over her shoulder at Viva, raising a brow. “And?” She shakes her head at me as she leaves the kitchen, slapping her towel back on the counter as she passes.

I look at Viva, crossing my arms over my chest. “Can you just fuckingnotfor one morning?”

She slaps her hands on the table and I grind my teeth. She pushes from her chair, stomping her way in front of me. “I hate it here. I hate that I can’t have what I want for meals. I hate that you make me drive myself places. I hate that I’m so far from my friends. I hate that you won’t share a room with me. I hate that you don’t touch me. I hate that despite being my husband, you won’t even call me your wife.”

Her cheeks are getting red, she’s so angry, glaring up at me. I uncross my arms, raising a hand to brush my fingers along her cheek. Her features soften at the touch and I raise my other hand, cupping her face in my palms as she looks up at me. “You know what I hate?” My thumbs stroke her cheeks, lightly pulling her face closer to mine so I can speak low over her lips. “I hate that I can’t be with the woman I love. I hate that I had to break her heart or kill her brother because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut to your daddy.” I pause, swallowing. “I hateyou, Viva.”

I drop her face from my hands, watching as she stumbles back. And I brush my thumb over her parted lips, pressing a little more roughly than necessary. “Don’t worry, baby, I’ll makes things right again.”

She slaps my hand away and I smile at her, letting her push past me to get out of the room. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make things right.

Anything.

I just have to figure out how.

"How is she doing?" I blow smoke through my nose as I watch Donatello go over warehouse changes with Gavino. I could have done it, but I get the impression that he doesn't love getting his orders from me. It's easier to just have someone else deal with him.

"You ask every single day and I give you the same answer every time." Andrea runs his hands through his hair before tying a band around it so it sits in a bun on his head. "She's fine. Could she be happier? Absolutely. But she's not spending her days at home crying."

I nod, licking my lips before taking another drag of my cigarette. I'm always smoking now. An occasional habit that's skyrocketed with my stress of late. I blow the smoke from my lungs, eyeing Andrea. "Good."

"When is your meeting with Capo Famiglia?"

I snub my smoke out, pulling out my phone to check the time. "He should be down here soon. We have a new shipment he wanted to check before it went to the distributors."

Almost on cue, his SUV pulls up to the open bay doors, and I smile as Andrea mumbles, "Good timing," under his breath. My father gets out, eyes scanning the surrounding space as he buttons up his suit jacket. He's always in a suit when working, something that will also be expected of me once I fill his role.

An old tradition that I intend to carry on.

Gavino comes to stand beside me, offering a closed-mouth smile when I look his way. "Sorry I missed the wedding.”

I doubt he really is, but I don't give a shit.

I shrug. "I'm sorry there was one."

He huffs, a sound of amusement.

"Remy," my father says, drawing both of our attention. “Our meeting is postponed. I have business with Gavino first.” He tilts his head for Gavino to follow him and I give him a nod, watching them go.

Andrea tuts, “What do you think they’re meeting about?”

Shrugging, I snub out my cigarette. “No fucking idea.”

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