Brutal Vows

46

The murmurs from the guests grow louder. I sense things are about to get even more banjaxed than they already are.

So I turn to Declan and say, “Don’t let anyone move. I’ll be back in two minutes.”

I grab Reyna by the arm and pull her away.

She allows it without fighting me or saying a word. I stalk past the startled priest and across the chancel, headed toward the sacristy at the back. I yank open the door, pull Reyna through it, and slam the door shut behind me.

She backs up several steps until she hits the wall and can’t go any farther.

Surrounded by racks of priest’s vestments in the small, office-like room, we stare at each other in blistering silence.

I growl, “Start talking, viper. And whatever comes out of that mouth of yours better be the bloody truth.”

She licks her lips nervously. She inhales and briefly closes her eyes. Then she opens her eyes and looks straight into mine.

“Lili’s in love with a boy named Juan Pablo. He came here to stop the wedding. Gianni found them together in the dressing room and was going to kill them both.”

I try to unfuck my brain long enough to piece a sentence together. “How does that end up with you in a wedding dress?”

She knits her brows. “Because of the deal you made with Gianni. What other Caruso female did you think would take Lili’s place? My mother?”

When I don’t say anything, she begs softly, “Please, Quinn. Please don’t hurt them. They’re good kids. They’re just in love.”

I huff out a laugh that’s part surprise and part anger. “Why the f**k do you think I’d hurt her for being in love?” Caught off guard by that, she blinks.

Now I’m really insulted.

I demand, “Do you really think so bloody little of me?”

“I…I didn’t know what to think. Everything happened so fast. All I knew was that Gianni was about to start firing his gun, so I proposed an alternative.”

We’re staring at each other again. Both of us are breathing hard. She’s got anxiety written all over her, I’m about to choke in my bloody bow tie, and my d**k is painfully straining the zipper of my trousers, throbbing with need just from looking at her.

Looking at her and thinking f**k me, how bad I want to be balls-deep in that.

I lick my lips and step closer.

“So you thought I’d just accept this little switch of yours? You thought I’d have no problem substituting you for Lili?”

She gazes at me for a moment, then pulls the veil back over her head, exposing her face.

And her chest. And her cleavage. And her shoulders. And her lovely long neck, on the side of which a vein erratically pulses.

Christ, she’s f*****g magnificent. I almost groan out loud with desire. Examining the expression on my face, she says, “Yes.”

Because I’m no longer in complete control of my body, I step closer until we’re only inches apart and I’m staring down into her wide, beautiful eyes, watching her fight not to give in to the urge to run.

“You told me last night not even the threat of your own death could make you walk down the aisle again.”

“It was the threat of Lili’s death that changed my mind.”

“So this is about Lili? That’s all it’s about?”

When she glances away, I take her chin in my hand and force her to look at me. “It’s truth-telling time, remember?”

She nibbles on her lower lip for a moment, hesitating. “I’m not comfortable answering that.”

“And I’m not comfortable taking a wife who thinks she’s not going to have to sleep with me.”

She closes her eyes and mutters, “Jesus Christ, Quinn, you’re killing me.”

Leaning close to her ear, my heart pounding like mad and my d**k aching, I murmur, “If I marry you, Reyna, I get to f**k you as hard and as often as I want.”

“Oh my God.”

“That’s the deal, or there’s no deal.”

She says sarcastically, “Should we add it to the contract?”

I pull away and gaze down at her. “I’ve wanted you since the first second I saw you, stabbing me to death with those eyes from the bedroom window at your house. This fake marriage includes s*x, or it doesn’t happen.”

She glares at me. “Your charm could sweep a girl right off her feet, you know that?”

“Wait till you see my c**k. Then you’ll really be swooning.”

Her whole face turns red, from her neck to her hairline. She presses her lips together into a thin line.

I know that isn’t a rejection. She’s not saying no, which means she’s saying yes.

But she has to say it out loud.

“So? Do you agree?”

Sounding as if she’d like to shove her bouquet down my throat, she says, “Yes, Quinn. I agree.”

“Good. Then go ahead and ask me.”

“Ask you what?”

“To marry you.”

Her mouth drops open. She stares at me in shock for a moment, then says flatly, “You’re joking.”

I point at my face. “This isn’t my joking face. Ask me. And do it nicely, or I might say no, because I’ll be taking my own life into my hands.”

“How so?”

I smirk at her. “Any man who marries a Black Widow has to sleep with one eye open.”

Oh, how she hates it when I smirk. Her eyes glitter with anger. She says through stiff lips, “That’s a very smart idea.”