Page 137 of Deceptive Vows

The tears still flow from my eyes like a river, and my soul weeps, but hearing my name spoken from his lips awakens something inside me.

How I longed to know what it would sound like to hear him say my name and not hers. Not Adriana’s, but mine.

Now it doesn’t matter because I was right.

Nothing was enough to save me. He doesn’t want me.

He wanted her.

He fell for her. Not me.

I stand here loving him so hard, but he was obsessed with the illusion of the Cartel Princess. Not the pauper.

“I am going to kill you, but José gets to go first.”

“No, please! Don’t kill him!” I scream.

“He’s just as much of a liar as you are, Malyshka. Neither of you knew who you were messing with when you concocted this little game of yours. You’re about to find out.”

The sobs pour from my naked body. I feel like I’m about to turn inside out from the gamut of emotions that assails me, but he’s done talking.

Done with me for now.

His heavy boots carry him away, and as the metal door slams shut, locking me in the dungeon, all I hear is myself screaming and crying.

He’s going to kill José.

Then me next.

My mind is fractured, but my heart hurts even more as it breaks and splinters into a million pieces.

38

Mikhail

As I march up the stone steps leading from the basement, I know I’ve gone completely crazy and lost my mind.

I say nothing as I walk past my guards and head out to the driveway to get back on my motorcycle.

No one but Eric and I know anything.

I told the house staff to stay away from the house for the day, and Sebastian and Levka to meet me there.

I left Eric at the hotel close to two hours ago. I was so enraged I rode around for an hour before I contacted Sebastian and got him to carry out my orders for the staff and himself.

I tear down the driveway and through the gates of my home like I’ve come straight from hell and head down to the docks, to the shipping company.

That’s where José is, and my guards there have instructions for that

motherfucker.

That motherfucking liar.

He fucking lied to me, and now I know of his affinity for the girl—Natalia—I know why he did what he did.

Natalia.

Natalia de Leon.