Page 61 of Venomous Vows

18

ELENA

“Are you all ready to go?”

I throw the last dress in my suitcase and nod, ready for this trip like I’m ready for my next painkiller.

It’s been over a week since the incident with The Disciples and, frankly, I’m just ready to get the hell out of town and enjoy my birthday weekend with my sister and Celine. I’ve been nothing but on edge, always looking over my shoulder, and it’s fucked with my mental peace.

“All set,” I reply, zipping my pink luggage. “Do you have the plane tickets?”

“In my purse,” Marcella beams excitedly. “I’m so freaking stoked.”

More than me, actually.

Marcella has been talking about our Vegas trip for months now and, at first, I didn’t want to go, but now I’m more than foaming at the mouth to get out of here.

Adrian has been up mywholeass since the incident. The night it happened, he woke me up over a dozen times, claiming it was doctor’s orders and he wouldn’t leave. His excessive textmessaging has been at an all-time high and he knows everything I’m doing at every moment of each day.

“Did you find my escape route?” I glance over at my sister, who has a sinister little smirk on her face.

“It’s all set. I think we’ll get away with it.”

And when she meansit, my sister is referencing the men outside my condo. I literally have to climb out a back window just to flee their presence and not have them up my ass the whole trip.

“He’s gonna get mad, Elena.”

Oh, I know he is.

Adrian is going to flip his shit when he can’t get a hold of me and when his men lose me. I’m hoping they’ll tell him that I haven’t left the house in days, but it’ll prompt a visit from him.

Unless I can hold him off this weekend with lies of enough supplies I’d need if not feeling well.

“He’s not my boss,” I retort evenly. “And we’ve had this planned forever. I’m not giving it up for some silly bullshit Dad got us in.”

Marcella frowns, taking away from her enthusiasm. “Have you…spoken to him?”

No.

I honestly don’t know what to say because it’s nothing nice. That this is all his fault. That we shouldn’tbehere and I shouldn’t be indebted to Adrian Bernardi, ofallpeople.

I rock my head back and forth and Marcella doesn’t push the issue. I’m not sure if she’s spoken to him, but I know I’m not ready.

“So Zane mentioned that he was going to be busy with a couple of meetings.”

I cock my head to the side because her speaking to my childhood best friend is news to me. “And what are you doing talking to him?”

She lifts her shoulders, but a small blush blankets her cheeks. Marcella is beautiful in every way possible. Her light hazel eyes match our father’s, but she’s not selfish like him. She’s kind, sweet, and with a bit of me in her.

“He’s been checking in on you,” she says. “Nothing major.”

“Then how did you find out about Adrian?”

“I may have mentioned that he’s driving you crazy.” I smile, already knowing how she set Zane up to give her anything she needs to appease my mind. “Then he mentioned his schedule.”

“Oops.”

Marcella’s smile grows wider. “Right? Gosh, talk about a big mouth.”

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