Page 33 of Bound in Promise

I bow my head. “Yes. You sent one of your goons to scare me.”

Angelo quirks a brow. “It was a tactic, a business decision.”

“It was rude.”

A deep laugh rumbles from his chest and he looks for support in one of his men to join in. He slaps the back of Liam’s shoulder hard, right over at least one of his bullet wounds, making my ex wince and sending him forward a step. It gives me the opportunity to steal a glance at him.

Solemn.

Pissed.

Vengeful.

“How did you let this one get away?” Angelo asks Liam. “She’s a firecracker.”

“She was stolen,” Liam grits through his teeth.

Angelo’s laughter dies down. “Ah, well…sometimes you have to play dirty. Women won’t wait around for you, but there are always ways to make them stay.”

I’d love to know what sorts of tactics he considers useful in convincing a woman to stay, but I don’t suppose it’s flowers, chocolate, or a romantic monologue.

“Stand next to her, son,” Angelo orders, giving my ex a shove toward me. “Let me see the two of you next to each other.”

“Aren’t we going to settle?—”

“In a minute, in a minute.”

Liam hesitates before striding forward, glaring at me as if it’s the last thing he wants to do. He surprises me by wrapping his arm around my waist as he gingerly pulls me to his body.

I’m seconds away from smacking his hands off me when Angelo steps forward and studies us like a painting hanging on the wall of the Louvre.

“A handsome couple,” he declares, bringing a hand to his chin. “Around the same age. You go to the same school. Which is in session, yes?”

Liam and I don’t utter a word. If our education is something Angelo is curious about, he needs to find another hobby.

“So tell me, bella,” Angelo continues, breaking the silence. “Were you two running away from Dante?”

What did you tell him, Liam?

And how did this all go down? Because there is no reason for me to have the Italian mob in my house right now. My secret safe house.

“He forced her to marry him,” Liam snarls. “She was my fiancée. Our engagement was all over social media and the papers.”

Angelo nods. “I remember. Although this girl looks tempting enough. Maybe she caught your uncle’s eye and he had to claim her for himself? She looks like she could hold her own against either one of you Morettis.” His dark eyes scan down my body and goosebumps of the worst kind pebble my skin. “Good pussy has a way of making men behave…differently.”

This man is crude and disgusting.

He’s no different than the boys at school, but at least none of them are twice my age and making comments like that. It makes me cringe next to Liam, and I shove his arm off my hip. I refuse to let him—or anyone else—keep manhandling me.

“My husband is getting impatient, Mr. Lombardi,” I respond sternly. “What do you want to know? Liam may have announced our engagement, but that was his doing. Not mine.”

“Does it really matter which Moretti took you as his wife?” Angelo asks, peeling his repulsive attention up from my body and back to my face. “Or did you make your decision based on who was better in bed?” He lifts a brow and tilts his head as if he has a right to know.

“I’m highly confused about what this has to do with you getting your money.”

“Plenty,” he answers flatly, flicking his eyes to Liam. “Liam tells me the pair of you were running away from your husband, and that’s why you left town. But your expression and body language are telling me you’d choose Dante over the boy at your side.”

Angelo keeps calling Liam a boy—and I’m not the only one who’s noticed. But I refuse to play favorites, even if I have one. Not for this asshole.