Page 66 of Venomous Vows

Her expression softens a bit and she sighs. “I’m sorry. I thought…” She inhales and I watch her body settle back into the mattress. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m more proud that you actually connected and threw me off.”

She rolls her eyes and drops them to my chest. “Leave it to you—is thatbloodon your chest?”

I drop my chin and examine the red splatter along my white dress shirt and shrug. “More than likely.”

Elena shoots up to sit and that’s when I notice her wince in pain while her blue eyes glaze in fear. “Did you hurt Celine? You didn’t?—”

“Lie down,piccola diavola, and tell me when is the last time you took your pain meds?”

“Where is she, Adrian?” Elena carps back with tears glistening in her blue eyes. “Please don’t tell me you hurt her.”

“And if I did?”

Elena blanches and her skin turns white. I’m stressing her out with my vagueness and not helping matters. I’m not used to having a woman constantly on my mind and having to worry about her well-being. It’s always been short, easy, and uncomplicated.

And Elena is all of those things except the short-lived part.

“I didn’t,” I disclose gingerly, then motion back toward the bed. “Your sister is safe. In a room that I provided her with security to make sure no one touches her. Now, lie down.”

“Whose blood is that?”

For the love of Christ…

“I’ll tell you if you relax,” I pledge, waiting for her to follow my instructions, but she doesn’t. Instead, she just continues to gape at me like I’m a monster in her bed. “Now, Elena.”

“You’re not the fucking boss of me, Adrian,” she sneers through clenched teeth. “Get that through your headrightnow.”

Pushing myself to match her sitting up, I’m seconds away from fucking everything up and doing exactly what I want to right now. I must be a fucking moron for taking on shit I have no business involving myself in, but Elena is someone I’m unable to fuck off with. She’s been nothing but a hellion, neglecting everything I say and doing what she wants anyway.

Sounds familiar.

“I’m done arguing with you tonight,” I proclaim with steel in my tone. “And you’re lucky I let you sleep instead of throwing you on a plane and dragging your ass back home.”

“You must really want the cops on your ass,” she sasses back. “Because I’m about sick and tired of you.”

As if the police could do anything to me. I own most of them.

“Says the woman who needed my help,” I remind her.

“And you’re making sure I loathe every second of it. However, I can’t say I’d take it back.”

Loyalty.

It’s a hard thing to find nowadays. And Elena has tons of it toward the people she loves and respects.

“I can’t say that I would either. You being in my life only makes it more interesting.”

“More of a pain in the ass,” Elena retorts with a snort. “We can do this another way. There’s no need for you to have to worry yourself?—”

“The Disciples are still out there, know that you’re linked to me, thanks to your little friend, and now isn’t the time for me to just drop you off. Stop living in a delusional world,piccola diavola.It doesn’t suit you.”

“I like it there,” she mouths off because fuck it for me if she doesn’t just shut up. “It’s devoid of you.”

Because you haven’t had me yet.

“Spit all the little temper tantrums you want, Elena. I’m not budging. And you won’t leave my sight now.”

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