His Vicious Vow

The door to the library is open. Tony urges me inside the room before him. I stop short at the man standing at the windows. He turns. Holy fucking shit. He’s gorgeous. He has the kind of chiseled features I thought only existed in print. A square jaw with cheekbones are chiseled out of granite. His eyes are an intense sapphire blue. No way does he have a tattoo on his neck. Tattoos that showed were a huge no in the Outfit. The tattoo is of the eyes and nose of a tiger. The tiger has the same intense blue eyes as he does. Everything about him is a warning, a threat of violence, mayhem, and destruction. He thinks the elegant three-piece gray silk suit cut to fit him hides it all, but it doesn’t.

 “Tony, thank you. Now, please take your hand off her.” The words are whiskey and smoke that slide down my spine, leaving fire in their wake.

 Tony’s chuckle is light. Leaning down he whispers to me. “His bark is much worse than his bite. If you need me, I’m here.”

 I barely hear the door close behind Tony, all I can see is him. I’ve heard of him but my memory fails me at anything else than he’s been by Luca’s side since the beginning.

 He moves with a fluid grace like the tiger tattooed on him. The silk suit doesn’t hide muscles rippling with each step he takes. I’m not drooling—oh fuck I am. And it isn’t only my mouth wet as he stops too damn close, forcing me to look up at him. I don’t dare let myself stare at his wide, muscled chest. He’s at least a foot taller than me. I’m guessing he’s a few inches over six foot.

“Look, I do not want this marriage any more than you. I think it best if we are honest. I’m not going to chase you around the penthouse. You can have your own room and the time you need to reconcile yourself to being a wife. There is no rush on kids. We can wait on them until you’re ready to grow up and be an adult.” The words are clipped, almost curt, as they cut into me.

 And just like that, everything goes dry. What a dick. Of course, Carlo picked him.

 He pulls his hand out of his pocket and offers me a ring. It’s enormous, at least five carats. A single diamond solitaire in a pear shape against yellow gold. It’s ugly. There is no way in hell I’m wearing that. I shake my head. He doesn’t deserve a single word.

 His frown deepens as he thrusts it at me. “You will wear your ring at all times. As for your clothing you will not wear those short skirts any longer. I don’t need other men looking at my wife with lust. While we’re in Vegas, we have a reputation to uphold. You want to do the conventions, you can do them, but no more cosplaying. It’s time to put childish things away. If you want to keep working, you can do it as long as it’s from home and you don’t have male clients you’re alone with. You’ll get your computer back if you follow those rules.” 

 “What in the actual fuck did you just say to me?” The words are out before I can stop them.

 “So you do talk.” The fucker sounds disappointed.

 “Fuck you. I’m not doing this. You can tell Carlo you tried.” Since I’ve already talked to him it doesn’t matter now if I don’t. I turn to leave. I’m not going home. I’m going straight to the airport.

 A large hand is around my arm, pulling me back to him. The touch sends heat and electricity through me so strong it scares the hell out of me. “No. That isn’t acceptable. You belong to me now. This marriage is happening. I should have known you wouldn’t appreciate honesty and being real with each other. If you’re going to live in a fantasy world, fine. I’ll play, but—”

“Are you trying to be a complete and total fucker? I’m not marrying you. I don’t appreciate an asshole insulting me within the first ninety seconds without even saying hello. I don’t belong to anyone. If I did, I would decide and you wouldn’t even make the top one hundred on the list. Let me go, asshole.” I hiss when I try to pull away, but his hand only tightens.

 He steps closer, his chest brushes against mine, and I shudder. My nipples are so hard they hurt. The clean scent of him teases my senses, moss, rain, something woodsy, something all him. I back up, not able to take another minute more. I don’t like the way my body is responding to him when he’s such a dick. His intense sapphire blue eyes flare with heat. “That’s where you’re wrong. Your father has given you to me. I was trying to be open and honest with you. My intent was to ease you into this. But that’s not what you wanted. Remember that going forward.”

Every word feels like a threat. He feels like a threat. Tony Sabatini is taller and wider, but I have never once been afraid of him. Sandro makes me afraid—not of physical pain. Despite his big hand around my arm, I don’t fear violence from him. I’m afraid of the way I want more of his touch, the way my skin is too hot and tight, and how I have no doubt it’s because of him, and only he can soothe this.

 An eyebrow lifts. He lets me go. I retreat until my back meets the wall. I shake my head, it’s all I can do. Before he can say another word, I run for the door. I flee from the house grateful I don’t encounter another person.