Page 81 of Venomous Vows

“It’s midnight.”

“New day. Tonight.”

“Adrian, I’m not looking for a husband.”

“You didn’t need to look. It was fate that brought us here. Quit overthinking it. Just be mine. Everything will fall into place…you’ll see.”

Elena doesn’t look convinced, not that I’m surprised.

The woman overanalyzes everything, mostly me, and I’m not anything good in this world. Just a mobster who launders money like it’s going out of style and weapons that groups don’t need.

She is everything pure and natural.

I’m a wrecking ball.

“Take a leap,piccola diavola. I’ll always catch you when?—”

“Just shut up and fuck me, Adrian. That’s what I’m here to do.”

My nostrils flare as her words cut across my chest, causing a burning sensation to remain. I never wanted her to feel unwanted or like a whore, but she left me no other choice and I thought I was giving her one.

And now I’m not.

I’d just love it if she agreed.

My hand instantly wraps around her throat as I drive her spine into the wall. She’s in an awkward position, but my womandoesn’t understand that, while I like it rough as fuck, I won’t have my words misconstrued either. A mistress is taken care of, protected, and cherished. Elena will be all those things but as my wife because I want my last name plastered to hers.

“I hope you’re down for all night,piccola diavola. Because I’m going to fuck you until your ideas of me have fled your head.”

“How many days have you got?” she sasses back, eyes zeroed in defiantly on me. “Because it won’t be overnight, that’s for sure.”

“I dunno,” I carp back. “How many days can your bakery hold up without you being there?”

Her nostrils flare. “You won’t let Celine back in.”

“She’s busy.”

“Doingwhat?”

“Answering my fucking questions so I can protect you,” I growl out. “She betrayed you, yet you forgive her. But you won’t forgive me. They would’ve killed you, Elena.”

“She has a sick mother,” Elena argues. “Maybe they threatened her or?—”

“I don’t give a fuck what they did. She put my woman in danger and I’m not going to idly sit by and just let it go.”

“You have to. She’smybest friend. You hurt her and I’ll never forgive you.”

I smack her clit and she squeals. “You’ve never forgiven me. I’m starting to think you never will.”

Elena averts her eyes and I’m immediately pissed that she won’t admit it. That she holds onto this grudge from years past and won’t look at what’s in front of her.

The hard way.

That’s exactly how she wants to do this. Every. Single. Time.

“Make sure you understand me when I say this,piccola diavola…you’re mine. I will protect and keep what is mine and make no mistake of the lengths I will go to make sure you arewell taken care of.” I grip her jaw and swing her gaze back to me. “You will be my wife. Whether you want to come to peace with that or not. It’ll happen.”

“You’re full of shit, Adrian.”