Page 13 of Brutal Vows

I glance down at her left hand, at the circle of black ink on her ring finger, and finally understand what this inquisition is all about.

My voice low, I say, “I’m not your dead husband.”

She starts as if she got an electrical shock. Her eyes widen. She steps back, then catches herself and stands in place, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“That’s the third time you’ve lied to me, wee viper. Don’t do it again.”

Our held gazes feel electrified, as if there’s an invisible wire connecting us, sending bolts of energy snapping back and forth on a loop. We stare at each other in crackling silence while my dick stiffens and the vein on the side of her neck throbs.

In a carefully controlled, freezingly polite tone, she says, “I don’t take orders, Mr. Quinn. I also don’t address grown men by ridiculous nicknames, nor do I appreciate being given one. Though I have to admit the ‘viper’ is accurate, but the ‘wee’ is completely off mark. I’m as big as they come.”

She turns and walks away, hips swaying. At the door, she stops and turns back to me. When she smiles, those mermaid eyes of hers glitter as icy cold as diamonds.

“You should also keep in mind that vipers are venomous… and they eat spiders for lunch.”

She opens the door and walks through it with her head held high, leaving me standing alone in the study.

Alone and grinning.

For the first time since entering the house, I’m glad I came.

THREE

REY

By the time Kieran and Gianni return from the salon where his Fabergé egg collection is kept in sealed glass cabinets, I’ve wrestled my boiling murderous rage down to a more manageable black fury.

I lived with black fury for most of my married life, so I know I won’t be committing bodily harm to a smirking, arrogant Irishman in the immediate future.

I almost lost it when he mentioned the letter opener, however. I almost went full Jack the Ripper on his sorry ass.

It was an extremely close call.

“Everything all right?” Gianni inquires, nervously eyeing the open door of the study.

I exhale and try not to look like the axe murderer I feel like inside. “Yes. Mr. Quinn and I were finished speaking, so I thought I’d wait for you here. How did you enjoy the collection, Kieran?”

“Er…” He coughs into his hand. “It was dead brilliant.”

Gianni beams, not understanding that if someone had handedpoor Kieran a noose during the tour, he would have seriously considered hanging himself from the nearest rafter.

“It really is, isn’t it?” I say mildly.

We share a look. Kieran tries to hide his smile by chewing the inside of his cheek.

The sound of footsteps echoing over marble makes my pulse quicken.

Lili appears from around the corner of the corridor in the blue dress I instructed her to wear, her color high and her eyes darting. When she sees Kieran, her step falters, but she recovers quickly, plastering a smile on her face.

At her sides, her hands are clenched to fists.

Steady,tesoro.You’re not marrying anyone, especially not that bastard in your father’s study.

I still can’t believe what he said.“I’m not your dead husband.”As if the son of a bitch could read my mind.

I haven’t been that shaken in years.