Page 15 of Vengeful Vows

Alone, confused, I exhale a shaky breath that is part fear and part dizzying desire. What have I gotten myself into?

CHAPTERFOUR

Nico

“Where to, boss?”

In the rearview mirror, I meet Sergio’s gaze. “The Braes.” It’s an ultraprivate club, owned by the secret society I belong to. Then I cross my ankle on top of my upturned knee as I relax against the seat back.

Bella’s feminine, vanilla scent still lingers in the vehicle’s interior, wrapping around me.

From the moment I first saw her this evening, I was attracted to her in a way I’ve never experienced before.

From across the room where I looked at her, I shook it off.

I have a goal, and I’ve never allowed my dick to derail me from a pursuit.

But once her softly sensual voice swam through my senses, I was even more captivated.

Then I took her in my arms.

Had she known how hard my cock was?

When I walked her to the door of her condo, I struggled for control. I’d always planned to kiss her in a way that left her with no doubts she was mine. But my reaction and the fact I’d almost been tender at the end infuriates me. Women—no matter how beautiful—don’t dictate my reactions.

Walking away, after warning her that she’s mine forever, required self-control.

Almost certainly, she’s a virgin, and I plan to despoil her. But I want it to be on our wedding night.

Leaning forward, I pour myself a shot of very fine Bonds whiskey from the car’s built-in bar. “She only has a basic lock on her door,” I tell Sergio.

“I’ll take care of it.”

No doubt he will. Sergio has been with me for a decade and understands that anyone I’m involved with may become a target for my enemies. I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe, and I employ only the best to see to it.

I’ve contracted with Hawkeye, a firm that handles everything from personal protection to high-tech security options. It doesn’t matter what I or my team needs, they’re available to us twenty-four hours a day.

In a single gulp, I drain the glass, then place it down with a satisfying thump, determinedly shoving thoughts of the delightfully beautiful and charming Isabella Calabrese to the back of my mind. At least temporarily.

She is, after all, nothing more than an object to me.

That I’ll enjoy revenge fucking her is an added bonus.

Because we’re only a few minutes away from the Braes, I pull out my phone to message my mentor, Roberto Barone, informing him I’ll be there soon.

Roberto is consigliere to the Moretti family—Don Raffaele’s most trusted friend from childhood.

At the club’s unmarked iron gate, Sergio goes through the process of proving who we are.

The vast, lush grounds are hidden behind brick walls and thick live oak trees. Discretion is the keyword at the Braes, so much so that there are two entrances.

This evening, we bypass the first and drive around to the back of the building. At one time or another, many of the world’s elite—from politicians to tech entrepreneurs and Hollywood stars—have walked through this door. They can come and go as they wish without anyone ever knowing they stepped foot on the property.

I emerge from the car and nod to the liveried doorwoman. Bypassing the elevator, I jog up the stairs.

Despite my efforts to forget about Bella, thoughts of her intrude, and I need some exertion to focus myself.

In this wing of the main building, there are several rooms that can be used for meetings or an intimate dining experience.

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