Page 14 of Venomous Vows

“I can retrieve your sister from The Disciples,” I state confidently because there’s no doubt in my mind that it can be done. “It might take me a few days?—”

“I don’t have a few days,” Elena retorts. “I’m not sure?—”

“You’re going to set up a day and a time with these assholes to hand them over the money. I’m assuming they’ve been in contact with you to obtain it.”

Elena eyes me with both suspicion and weariness before she gives me a curt nod in response.

“Good. It’ll keep her alive while I get everything sorted.”

“I don’t…” Elena swallows and I can already tell that she’s not so sure if her sister is safe or not.

“You’re going to ask for proof,” I tell her. “If there’s one piece of hair missing from her head, that deducts a hundred grand.”

Elena’s brows knit. “I don’t think they’re going to appreciate my saying that?—”

“Just ask for a video,” I drone with a roll of my eyes. “I know what I’m doing here. I want to see a date so that it’s not something that was taken days ago.”

“Okay.” I take a sip of my bourbon while Elena steadily watches my every move. “Then what? Are you…going to pay them a million dollars?”

Fuck no.

The Disciples have been a pain in my ass for months now. This is the perfect opportunity to lure them in.

“I’ll handle the handover,” I hedge. “You don’t need to be there.”

“I want to be there,” she insists, leaning forward a bit in her chair. “She’ll be terrified, and maybe she’ll be hurt?—”

“You’re not going,” I deadpan because the last thing I need is for this to go south and things to get more complicated.

It’s not a tea party we’re going to but an ambush. I won’t be handing a dime over to The Disciples in this lifetime or the next.

It’ll be a message.

One that I can’t say I’m not excited to pass along.

“Adrian,” Elena grounds out, yet again trying her attempt to sway me and my decision. Because it ismine, not hers. If she wants my help, it’ll be done the way I want it. “I’m going with you to pick up my sister.”

Again, she’s not.

But I’ve learned to pick and choose my battles with Elena and there are ways to keep her safe and sound without her getting in my way.

Ignoring her comebacks to everything I just said, I shift the course of the conversation. “I think you should be more concerned with you and what I’ll be asking as repayment for recovering your sister.”

“What could you possibly want from me?” she returns in this haughtily little tone that screams she’s too good for me. “A one-way ticket to the other side of nowhere?”

My lips mindlessly curl into a smirk before I flush it away. If I go easy on Elena, she’ll keep being bothersome by walking all over me.

I’m the Bernardi Band, not her.

I just want her body, soul, and mind.

She can keep her heart if she chooses.

Though I wouldn’t mind Elena flipping the script and hankering to ride my dick without a second thought.

“That defeats the purpose of a favor,” I retort softly. “Normally, it’s to gain something.”

“You could always gain the opportunity to never see me again.”

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