“Then I fucking know it.” And I did. I was giving in despite every reason I had not to.
“I stand by what I said. If Vasiliev turns out to be the guy she was fucking, she’s dead. Him with her. I don’t like traitors. She swore nothing happened with the lords past what was forced of her.” His hands shook as he adjusted the box he carried. “Her life will be a nightmare if the lords get her and Ivanov marries her. We’d be doing her a favor.”
“And if we keep her? How are we going to win against your old man? We’re on a bit of a time crunch here.”
“Remember what you said to me in my room when we talked?”
I nodded, recalling our heart-to-heart.
“I think. . .” He raked a hand through his hair, mussing it. “It’s a good idea. She’s eighteen. We won’t need anyone’s permission. I can marry her and make her a De Santis. It’ll look real bad if my father killed my wife. At least right off the bat. It’ll buy us some time to get shit sorted. It’s the best plan we have.”
My chest ached, but I nodded. “Fine. We need to let Vincent know.”
“We won’t tell her. I want her to have a nice evening. We’ll stay by her side the entire time. Being in public, out in the open, will keep her safe. We’ll all go back to my room afterward. In the morning, we can make her mine.”
“Sure,” I grunted, taking a hit from my joint. I needed the fucking escape. I’d fallen for someone I couldn’t have. Or couldn’t marry. Story of my life.
Dom studied me for a moment longer. “It changes nothing. You. Me. Her. Vincent. She’s ours, even if she has my last name. I’d never take her from you two. I want you to know that. But we need to agree that she’ll die if she’s been with a lord. I don’t back out of promises.”
His green eyes glinted with the darkness he’d inherited from his father. There was something else in them though. Something that told me he wouldn’t want her dead, even then. I took that piece and clung to it, hoping I was right, before I exhaled. “I’m glad you’ll let me fuck your wife, De Santis.”
“I know you’d let me fuck yours.” And with those sweet words, he nodded for me to follow him into Bianca’s building.
I did so, lost in my fucked-up thoughts.
Tonight would change everything, that much I knew. I just hoped bumblebee hadn’t made a mistake with a lord because her life was on the line. Hell, my heart was on the line. Anger flowed through me just thinking about a lord touching her. I wasn’t sure I could get past it myself if it were true. It would piss me off, sure, but it would shatter what little faith I had left. I knew it would.
But I also hoped I was right about the look in Dom’s eyes, and that if she had, he wouldn’t follow through with killing her.
Dom never broke a promise though.
And I had a happy trigger finger.
Forty-Five
Vincent
The door to Bianca’s room banged open, making her jump beneath me as I kissed her, my body between her legs and my zipper undone. I was ready to bury myself inside her again.
I didn’t have to look to know Dom was back. His presence ate through a room like a deadly virus.
“Vincent,” he barked in a dangerous voice.
“Fuck,” I muttered, pecking B’s lips once more before untangling myself from her and looking over at the prick who’d ruined my fun. “Glad to see you finally decided to show up.”
Dom’s gaze skated from me to Bianca’s naked body. I followed his stare and smiled as her cheeks flushed scarlet before the pink made its way to the tops of her breasts.
Fucking breathtaking.
And heartbreaking because I didn’t think I had much longer with my baby B. The expression on Levin’s face said as much, but I didn’t need him to tell me. I was fully aware of it when Dom had taken so long to get back.
I’d fallen for the girl we’d have to kill.
That was karma for the shitty life I’d led.
“I bought you something.” Dom was still gazing at B. She sat up and covered herself with a throw blanket.
“What is it?” Her blue eyes darted to the package he held.