Page 25 of Devious Truth (Vicious Sinners #3)

L ow music hums from the front speakers, a lazy soundtrack to our early afternoon commute.

Vee sulks beside me, pressed tight against her door, while I scroll through the news on my phone.

“You’re back to being a complete asshole,” she mutters, her sleepy voice finally breaking through the silence.

It was said beneath her breath, quiet enough I could pretend not to hear it. Maybe that’s what she wants. Or maybe she’s daring me to react.

She hasn’t gotten much sleep with all her raging after my announcement last night, so it could really be either one.

I pause in my scrolling, but don’t look up. “I was understanding last night when you hurled your insults, but I’m not feeling generous at the moment.”

“Generous?” She flings herself away from the window to face me head on. It’s now I realize she hasn’t put on her seatbelt.

“Yes. I let you say whatever you wanted. I let you have your attitude and your sulky behavior this morning. But it’s enough now.” I run my finger over my screen, scrolling to the next article. “And put your seatbelt on.”

There’s silence for a beat, then in my peripheral, I watch as she slowly grabs the belt and pulls it across her body. Just to be certain I’m not mistaking her obedience with acceptance, she violently snaps it in place before turning away from me again.

She’s having a tantrum. I look out my window to hide the smile tugging on my lips.

“Ivan.” Her voice is small, soft. “I don’t know if I ever want to get married again.”

I put my phone away, giving her my full attention. “Never?”

She rests her head against the tinted window. “It’s not out of some sense of loyalty to Derek. I know he’s gone, and I don’t think it’s a betrayal to move on, but…” She pauses, glances over at me with a haunted frown. “I don’t want to go through that again. Can’t you understand that?”

Her gaze slips down to my hands, to the bruises lingering on my knuckles.

She’s right. In my line of work, my death is extremely plausible. It’s still not a good enough reason for me to let her go.

Ever.

“Besides.” She takes a shuttering breath, looking down at her hands.

“There’s a good chance I won’t be able to have kids.

There was a lot of damage. The doctors said it would be a high-risk pregnancy if I were to get pregnant again, and there’s a high chance that I wouldn’t be able to carry it to term. ”

I reach across the space between us, taking her hand from her lap as we drive through the gates of Obsidian.

“Do you really think I care about that?”

She flicks a shocked gaze up at me. “Don’t you? In your, uh, job or family or whatever, don’t you need heirs or something?”

I squeeze her hand.

“We’re not the royal family. I don’t need a son to take my place. There are plenty of ambitious men waiting in the wings willing to take any crumb of power we’re willing to give. When my father was alive, he ruled somewhat in that manner, but that’s not the case now.”

Leaning toward her, I cup her chin, drawing her closer to me. “And even if it was, it wouldn’t change anything here. Between us.”

“But I can’t give you?—”

“Babies are adopted, hell, even bought, every day, Vee. If we want children, and it’s not safe for you to carry a baby, we’ll figure it out.” I inhale, loving the scent of my soap on her skin.

Maybe I’ll move her into my penthouse this evening while she’s at work.

“I just don’t know that I want to get married again,” she repeats.

The car pulls up to the front entrance of Obsidian.

“And it’s too soon, anyway.” She gently pulls away from my grasp. “Maybe in a year, or two…”

“You’re adorable when you pretend that I’d let you keep me waiting that long.”

“Keep you waiting?” The fire ignites again, her body stiffening.

“Vee, I waited a year just to get you this far, letting you get used to the idea of us being together. I’m not waiting anymore. You’ll wear my ring. You’ll bear my name, and you’ll do these things much sooner than a year from now.”

I reach for the door handle.

“I’m banning Kieran from the club. If he reaches out to you again, I want to know about it. He’s not to set foot in the club or get near you.”

She blinks, surprised at my sudden change in topic.

“He’s harmless.”

I lean into her.

“He touched you, Vee. He left a mark on your skin. If I see that little prick, he’ll lose more than his hand. But I’d rather not start a war with the Irish if I can help it, so I’ll settle for keeping him away from you. And me.” I clench my jaw.

If she understood how much I’m giving in here, she might not look so annoyed with me.

“Fine.”

“And if he messages you, you tell me right away.”

“Fine.”

“Yosef will take you back to your apartment so you can get ready for your shift.” I nod toward our driver.

“Fine.”

I drag my fingers over her cheek, letting my nails bite into her just enough to get her eyes to soften for me.

“We’ll figure everything out. If we have to do it with you face down over my knee, we will.”

Anger and indignation flashes in her eyes. “You can’t just throw me over your knee whenever you’re not winning an argument.”

I smile. “Of course I can.”

She growls in frustration.

Not willing to miss a chance to get that red splotch to bloom across her throat, I lean closer. Pushing her hair away from her ear, I flick my tongue over her earlobe. She tries to hide her reaction, but I know her little sounds by now.

“You love being over my knee, don’t try to deny us of the pleasure it brings us. Now, be my good girl and behave today.”

Another growl, but this time it’s filled with arousal and need. She presses her knees together.

There’s a knock on my window, interrupting us. Damn the real world for constantly invading on our time.

“Alexander is waiting for you,” Yosef says from the front of the car.

His voice reminds her we’re not alone, and she jolts back away from me. I wink, letting her feel the discomfort. She’s fucking gorgeous this way.

I may spend all night finding ways to pull these little sounds from her. Maybe a night of poker in one of the private gaming rooms is in order. She can be our waitress. Or I can take her into one of the pleasure suites.

Another knock on the window. My brother has the patience of a newborn.

“Yosef will wait for you outside your building. There are two other men already there. When you get back, come find me.” I brush my mouth across hers. “Be a good girl today, Vee.”

As I start to climb out of the car, she grabs my hand. Leaning back into the opening, I search her face. Her lips are parted, her eyes narrow, like she’s uncertain.

“You’ve never said you love me,” she says softly. “You’ve said you want me, you’ve said you need me, but you’ve never said you love me. How can I marry someone who can’t say that?”

“Ivan.” Alexander says at the same time as she asks the question.

I wave him off.

She drops my hand and reaches for the door.

“Vee—” The words burn in the back of my throat, but they won’t come out. Not like this.

She deserves more than a rushed confession spat out before I head into meeting to decide if another man lives or dies. She deserves the world dropped at her feet.

And she’ll have it all, but not like this. Not in a fucking parking lot.

“You have a meeting, and I need to get home.” She pulls the door shut before I can say anything else.

Before my brain can come up with something to say that will ease her.

Yosef pulls away. Through the tinted glass, I catch a glimpse of her figure, chin tucked down, fingers worrying the strap of her seat belt. She’s not crying; she thinks she’s too strong for that. She’s not even raging mad. Just…folded in on herself.

My gut twists.

It’s not marrying me that terrifies her. It’s not even that she’s afraid I don’t love her. It’s trusting that she won’t be wrecked when this ends, because in her mind there’s only way this things goes. She’s lost too much in her short life for her to believe otherwise.

“What’s wrong?” Alexander asks, stepping in front of me. “Did something happen?”

I clear my throat. “No. Just sending Vee home.”

He looks off down the driveway, to the taillights of my car as they reach the gate. “Oh.”

Clenching my jaw, I turn to him. “What the fuck does that mean?”

An arrogant laugh bursts from his chest. “Nothing. But when Kaz finds out you’re in love with the waitress, he’s going to give you hell.”

“I’m marrying her.”

He nods. “I would hope so.”

“Kaz is going to give me a lot of shit.”

“He really is.” Alexander slaps my shoulder as we head up the steps to the main entrance. “But in the meantime, we need to deal with Vasily Leonov.”