Page 46 of Venomous Vows

It’s as though he has completely forgotten about me and moved on.

Wouldn’t that be ideal, Elena? However, Adrian isn’t stupid or forgetful.

He’s calculated.

And absolutely in power at all times. It’s no surprise that he’s leading the Bernardi Band, even though he’s the eldest son. Even Zane was surprised at the call-off of our short-lived engagement. When Zane discovered all my things had been moved from the house again, he called and I divulged most of everything Adrian and I spoke about.

Except the lover part.

That word sounds too cringy, even in my own head, to mention and it’s not as though Zane needs to know that his brother and I are screwing around.

The only thing he needs to know is that I’m not going to be his sister-in-law, and all is good-ish in my world again.

It’s been nice to speak with my childhood best friend again, though. I’ve missed Zane and his mellow nature. We’ve gone to lunch and sent text messages back and forth with random memes. He’s come to visit the bakery and I made him taste-test a new flavor I’ve been trying out, which he hated.

Marcella is back in school and I’ve barely spoken to our father about what happened and how. He’s asked, but I’ve chosen not to answer and begged him to stop talking to me while I balance out everything else.

However, I am scared of any backlash we might receive from The Disciples with whatever Adrian did.

And that was, as per my sister, murdering every single person but one to report back on what happened.

I can’t imagine it.

I don’t want to.

She didn’t seem disturbed by it while I can’t help but feel as though I would be. There is nothing that would cushion that for me, but my brain immediately romanticizes it.

That he killed for me.

He kills for a living, big deal.

“Elena, are those banana muffins ready to come out yet?”

Glimpsing over my shoulder, I check the timer on the oven and yell back, “Ten minutes.”

I hear Celine repeat what I said to a customer as I continue making strawberry shortcake cupcakes and focusing on something other than Adrian.

It’s all I’ve been thinking of.

Adrian is on my mind constantly, and I loathe it. I never had to think of this man until recently and his lack of being around has only made the ideas and thoughts grow.

It’s bullshit.

This all has to be some sick and twisted game that he’s playing with me because he doesn’t want me.

And I don’t want him.

I think he figured that shit out when I wouldn’t fall to his feet and the past came back to bite us in the ass. We’ve never been friends, always enemies, and there’s never been anything sweet about our relationship.

Yet I’m thankful that I don’t have to bear his children or wear his name. I don’t have to buy a dress and fake-smile through a wedding reception while people congratulate us and wish us a long life.

My phone buzzes along the stainless steel table I’m working on and Zane’s name appears, which I promptly answer on speakerphone.

“Hey, friend,” I greet with a smile, cracking another egg in my mixing bowl. “How’s it going?”

“You know what’s weird?” he returns, clucking his tongue once against the roof of his mouth. “The fact that you only lived in this house for two days and after you moved out, it’s weird.”

My nose scrunches. “What? You were only there for one of them.”

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