Page 63 of Lethal Vows

“Welcome, ladies and gents, to the Ivanov Auctions.” Anya begins the night and we dispense with the pleasantries.

“You killed my brother,” she hisses.

“And I plan on doing it to your other brother. Both stepped out of line. I wonder…” I pick up a stray piece of her hair. Some might consider it charming, but she and I both know it’s a threat. “Are you as stupid as your siblings, or would being a boss create new terms in the way you have always wanted to run the family?”

A storm builds behind her eyes. “And what is it exactly you would want from me?”

I drop her hair and take a mouthful of my whisky. “Simple. An invitation to a party. Call it a peace offering.” I’m the last person to ever offer peace, and she knows the party I’m referring to.

A spotlight lands on us, and Anya announces, “Our new member has offered a very generous piece to our collection tonight.” She directs the attention to Dawson, who is standing center stage in a white suit. A few gasps erupt in the room. Dawson doesn’t need an introduction, which is exactly why he is the perfect piece to display.

Francesca’s gaze falls on him, and she licks her lips because Francesca Torrisi always wants things she can’t have or shouldn’t be able to obtain.

I lean back appreciatively as everything rolls into motion.

CHAPTER35

Rya

It’s three in the morning when I feel Crue sliding into my bed.

“How did you get in? I changed the locks again.” I grumble my complaint.

“Sorry, princess. I was late at work.”

I don’t even want to imagine what type of work he means. “Maybe you should get a nine-to-five job then.”

He chuckles as he scoops me into him, his hand on my stomach with his chest against my back. His breath smells like whiskey. But there’s an undertone of something else. I twist in his arms, his dark brown eyes intent on me as I groggily open mine.

I take another sniff.Perfume? And a lot of it. I push away from him and jump out of the bed.

“What the fuck?” I demand.

“What is it?” he asks. Confusion is an extremely strange expression to see on Crue. He rubs his chin while he tilts his head to the side.

“Why the fuck do you smell like women’s perfume?”

His eyebrows furrow, and then he rolls his eyes. Actually, fucking rolls his eyes. I’m furious before he can even explain.

“I had a meeting tonight, and she was coated in the stuff.”

“Did you fuck her?” I demand.

His eyes narrow. “Jealous, princess?”

Me? Fucking jealous?“We’re just a quick fuck. What do I have to be jealous about? But I refuse to let you crawl into my bed when you’ve been with another woman. Get the fuck out! And do itnow!”

“A quick fuck? Are you still pretending that’s what this is?”

“Get the fuck out, Crue!”

“I’m not leaving.” He makes a point of getting cozier. I’ll be fucked if I’m going to let this man force me to leave my own home. I jump for my bedside table drawer and pull out the pistol that has sat in there unused since I first purchased this apartment. I point it at him, and he offers a dark tremble of laughter.

“Oh, princess. You don’t want to make me mad.”

“I don’t think you should be saying that to the woman pointing a gun in your direction.”

“You won’t shoot me,” he dares.

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