Page 98 of Venomous Vows

I’m not sure what it means, but it’s a bitch trying to remain collected and cool when all I want to do is act on that decision right now.

“You need some rest,piccola diavola.You’ve been waiting on me hand and foot all day. Beauty rest, right?”

“Nice try,” Elena drawls, giving a light smack to the top of my hand. “But this is a one-time offer.”

“Excuse me?”

“You wanted to marry me so bad, Adrian, then let’s do it.”

My nostrils flare because it has nothing to do with what she wants at all. Just to get it over with so that she doesn’t have to do it later.

And what that has to do with dragging out an argument must be some womanly type bullshit instead of just coming out and saying it the first damn time.

“I’m gonna have to decline that offer.” Pushing off the mattress, I stride for the bathroom to piss and get ready for tonight. Elena isn’t going to start making demands and pose ultimatums. That’s where I draw the fucking line.

“Are you serious?” she carps at my back. “You’re just going to leave me here?”

“And I don’t want you to move,” I order, shoving the door open and allowing it to hit the wall behind it. “You’re sleeping with me from now on.”

“The fuck I am,” she throws back as I reach for my toothbrush. “You leave this room, Adrian, to go do some stupid shit and I’m done.”

“We’re engaged.”

“Wewon’tbe.” I throw the item in my hand at the mirror and leave the bathroom, finding Elena sitting up naked as fuck in my bed.

Glorious and absolutely fucking edible.

“Try me, Elena,” I mutter past the growing lust in my body. My cock and head need to either get on the same damn page or one has to take over. And it has to be the latter. “You don’t call the shots here. I do.”

“That’s not a partnership.”

“I don’t need one. You’re my future wife.”

“A real couple works together, Adrian. Please don’t tell me you just fucked since the last time I saw you all the years ago.”

Mostly.

I’ve had some relationships but nothing serious, so I don’t even know if you’d call it that.

“I’m done with this conversation,” I say simply. “I don’t want a looming threat over my wife. And I have business to take care of. After tonight, I’m all yours.”

She scoffs. “You say that now until the next threat comes.”

“Then I’ll deal with it when it comes and throw in as much overtime as I need to ensure your safety.”

Elena’s face softens before she frowns. “And who is going to take care of you, Adrian? I don’t want to go through what I did a few days ago.”

I’d like to wish she couldn’t imagine a life without me, but I know that’s bullshit. Elena might have gotten used to me, but she doesn’t love me. I wasn’t her choice. I forced myself to continue to be in it after I rescued Marcella and I’m starting to feel a little used. I know she loves my cock, so maybe I should be grateful for that.

“I won’t put you through that stress again,” I assure her. “I apologize that you had to deal with the unknown about whether you had to go through with this or not.”

Elena clenches the blankets in front of her, but she doesn’t reply or deny a thing.

That’s what I thought.

I’m over here planning a future together and she’s on the fence about whether she has to endure this or not.

My cock or not, I’m not flattered.

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