Page 71 of Venomous Vows

I really do. But, again, I wouldn’t trade my sacrifice for my sister’s safety.

“Will she know about me?” I ask as my stomach turns involuntarily into knots. “That you’re sleeping around?—”

“I won’t be sleeping around,” Adrian retorts with irritation. “You’re it for me.”

“No.” I shake my head back and forth because let’s not get it twisted. “You’re going out on your soon-to-be new wife.”

“You didn’t want to be my wife, Elena. And I need one.”

Heirs and power and all that shit.

It’s stupid.

But whatever, who the hell am I?

“Paint it however you want, Adrian,” I force between bated exhales. “You’re still cheating on your wife.”

“She’s a placeholder.”

My eyes widen. “Wow…you reallyarea piece of shit.”

I crawl off the bed, ignoring the fact that my panties are soaked through and I’m throwing a fit over something I knew all along, but it still doesn’t stop the sting. That this is reallygoing to happen, and I was too stupid not to wrap my head fully around it.

“Be pissed all you want,piccola diavola,” Adrian hedges as I make my way to the bathroom. “But you can always change your mind.”

“No, thanks,” I scoff back. “Being married to you…would literally be the worst thing that ever happened to me.”

Adrian reaches for me when I’m within his range, but I sidestep and get out of it. “Elena, I’d never cheat on you.”

“Bullshit. And I’d never allow you to put me in the position where I’d have to think about it, either.”

I continue forward, but Adrian steps in my way, blocking my path to a moment of peace without him staring at me.

“You’ve got me fucked up,” he grumbles above me, face pinched in fury. “If you think I’ve waited this long for you and I’d go out on you.”

“You’ve got me fucked up if you think I’m that stupid to believe you.”

“I’m gettingmarried, Elena.” He seethes back. “So you either get on board or jump on because once that’s done, I’m not dealing with a messy divorce because you changed your mind.”

I tsk. “I won’t. You don’t have to worry your pretty little head about that.”

Adrian steps forward and I instantly counter it. “I worry about it all the time. Am I going to be able to knock some other female up when I wantyouto be the one carrying my children? Am I going to be able to go through with this when you’re all I want?”

My gut twists again because… pretty words from a devilishly handsome man. “You’re lying.”

“You’re lying, too.”

“Me?” I shake my head. “Who’s living in a delusional world now, Adrian? You have to force me to stay with you. If Iwasn’t bound to our agreement, you’d never see me again. I can promise you that.”

He frowns at me when I walk around him and he lets me go.

For now.

22

ADRIAN

Kira wantsto move forward with the wedding, and I can’t say I’m thrilled.

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