Page 25 of His Vicious Vow
I’m woken by the asshole next door mowing his lawn way too early. Okay, nine in the morning isn’t that early on a Friday morning but it feels like it to me. I stumble into the kitchen and put the kettle on for my favorite morning tea. While the kettle heats, I go in to do the all the washing face and brushing teeth stuff.
The kettle whistles while I’m drying my face. I go in and pour the water over the tea bag. Leaving it to steep, I find my normal morning breakfast of a frozen bean and cheese burrito and toss it into the microwave before going to see what I can find to wear. I can’t believe mom hasn’t brought me my carry on. Since I stored all my stuff, there aren’t many clothes for me to choose from. I give in and go with another pair of leggings, a stretchy pink camisole, and a white button-down shirt.
Once the microwave goes off, I take the burrito out of the microwave and splash some hot sauce on it before taking it and my tea with me to the small dining table in the tiny dining room that’s really just space separating my room from Celia’s.
I’m not really hungry so I don’t eat more than a few bites of the frozen burrito. Mornings aren’t great for me, it takes about an hour for me to actually wake up, that and two cups of caffeine. I don’t want to think about Sandro, but the bastard haunted my dreams all night long—just the way he wanted to. This is a…I don’t know, I wouldn’t say crush because I do not like him. Even if it’s sweet as hell he took care of his little sister. The nonchalant way he acted, like it’s no big deal to set his life on a backburner to do it when there are far more people who wouldn’t consider doing it.
Those shocking blue eyes, the body that even a cut to fit him silk suit couldn’t hide, and fucking hell his kiss and damn it my nipples are hard, and heat is pooling there at the memory of the things he did with his tongue…
I shake my head. He only did it to manipulate me into not fighting him anymore. To make me want him.
It hits me, Sandro said if I behaved I’d get my laptop back. My mom hadn’t brought my carry on when she came over yesterday. The carry on that has my laptop and passport. I can’t walk away from my laptop, and I can’t run and hide without my passport. Sonofabitch.
Thank fuck I kept my wristlet on me with my bankcards and ID but I’ll have to stay in America and if I stay here, I have no doubt they’ll find me easily. My nerves are stretched so thin I startle when my cell phone rings. I don’t recognize the number. My phone tells me it’s a Las Vegas number, Sandro. I consider not answering it but I have a feeling he’ll make me pay for it.
“What?”
His chuckle grates on my nerves. “Good morning to you too, my dear wife. You have an appointment today with a stylist at noon. She’s going to help you find something for Celia’s engagement party tomorrow and more…let’s say a mature wardrobe you’ll need in Vegas. Please behave, she isn’t to blame for helping you. Tony recommends her and she’s willing to do it because she worked with your sister last week and likes her. Be nice to her. You’ll be picked up a half hour before your appointment. I’ll be busy, my apologies I won’t be there to enjoy the fun.”
I hate the way him calling me dear wife sends heat through my tummy. A sigh escapes me. I hate the idea of going shopping. But I remember Celia gushing over how much she loved Lydia. “Fine.”
“Why yes, thank you I did have a good night’s rest. And you? How did you sleep last night?” The words are in Italian and filled with smoke and innuendo.
I hate him so fucking much. I hang up on him without a word. Closing my eyes, I swear I can hear him laughing. He fucking knew.
A text comes through. I jump with nerves, sure it’s Sandro gloating. It’s not, it’s Celia. She’s asking if I can go with her to get our nails done, her treat.
I reply I can’t, I’m with a client. She accepts the lie with ease. Tears spill over as I face up to the fact I’m going to leave her behind. It’s fine. Stop being a baby. Celia has taken care of me for years. It’s her turn to be happy and me to grow up. Milos will take care of her now.
There’s no time, I have to go. I go into my room. In my closet is my old backpack I never use. Stuffing it full of clean clothes and underwear, I also toss in my hidden stash.
My room is in the corner of the house with a window to the backyard and another window on the side of the house. Our backyard has an old chain link fence. The house behind us is empty and has a chain link fence too.
Tossing my backpack out of the window going into the back yard. I then work to get my window as far open as it will go. Then I go to get the step stool for help climbing out of the window.
When I come back to the window with the step stool I jump in fright to find a man with my backpack in hand. “Drop this?”
The question is polite. I nod. He offers it to me. “Here you go. Be careful tossing things outside of windows.”
My smile is weak as I take it. I slam the window closed. I’m so fucked.
I pop two gummies to calm the fuck down. When they kick in, I stumble to bed. I need a nap. I set my alarm for fifteen minutes before Sandro said I’d be picked up. I’ve gotten good at getting ready quickly with how much time I spent sleeping.
As I float away I hope this time Sandro won’t be there. Except damn him he is. Beautiful, strong, in command of not just me but the world around him. No, I don’t want him. So why do I wish I weren’t floating in the dark alone? Why do I wish he was here with me, with my eyes wide open as he took me to a height I’ve never known before breaking apart then putting me back together as something new? I am something, someone I wasn’t before he kicked down the door and ruined my peace. Now I know what lust, desire, need really was. What I thought those things were before him were a shadow of what he made them. And now that I know…it’s like living in those shadows after finally feeling the sun on your face.
No. I need to stay in the shadows, it’s safer here—the sun will burn you.
* * *
Sandro
I shake my head as I see Carina has hung up on me. I’m a bastard for the satisfaction filling me at her confirming she did dream of me. Good. If I had to go through the hell of a night filled with longing so intense my cock woke me no less than twice from being so hard it hurt, then she deserved a restless night too. This is annoying as hell. I can’t remember the last time I had to jack off.
All I want to do is see her again, the video feed is nice but doesn’t replace Carina in the flesh. The air around her, the scent of her…I sigh as my cock goes hard again. Christ, I need to get my head on straight when it comes to her or she’s going to run rings around me.
My phone goes off with a text, it’s from Valdez. The message is two words: Still nothing.
Anger burns through me. This shit is keeping me from Carina, from telling Carlo I want to take her back to Vegas with me. There is little doubt in my mind until I marry Carina the hit is going to sit out there. But once we’re married I’m not only approved by Carlo, I’ll be his son-in-law by his choice. No one is going to dare go against Carlo that big.