Page 96 of My Solemn Vow

Kerrianne giggles, “We don’t eat people.”

With the interruption, the moment passes between us, so I move us on from the awkward ‘pup’ and ‘we don’t eat people’ tells of the non-humans in the room.

Reaching for the cupboard, I wave her over. “Kerrianne, do you want to set the table?”

“Okay.” She holds her hands out dramatically for a stack of plates.

I pull them out of the cupboard and then find Leticia standing behind her with her hands similarly outstretched.

I eye her but grab the right amount of silverware and offer it to her.

“What?” She looks like I offended her. “In the last year, I’ve cooked all but five of the family meals. The least I can do is set the table.”

41

ANTONELLA

THE NEW RELATIONSHIP

Seeing Leticia off into the back of one of my uncle’s SUVs was hard, but with multiple promises from Valor and more than one set of plans on the books... I know I’ll see her again, and I’m trusting of it.

I find Valor carrying the last of the dishes to the kitchen, and I head over to the sink. I know we have staff, Zoe and Winnie, but there are things I can do to make their jobs easier.

“I want you naked in my bed in two minutes,” Valor whispers in my ear as he stands behind me. He reaches in front of me and slides his hands into the top of my yoga pants. “No excuses, Antonella.”

“Or what?” I sass, turning in his arms.

He keeps still as I move, his hands warm against the top of my ass when I’m facing him.

His eyes grow heated, the fire sparked within them, and he wets his bottom lip with his tongue. “Or neither of us get to sleep until we find some of the limits locked within you. I want to see more of that masochist from before.”

My heart thunders in my chest, and Valor pushes one hand down between my ass cheeks. He brings his otherhand to the nape of my neck and tugs on my hair. I wince, tears welling in my eyes with the sting.

“I’d like to eat you, fuck you, and put you to bed pleased with my treatment of you. But if you need an attitude adjustment, I’ve no problem giving it to you.” He’s almost whispering, and the butterflies in my stomach aren’t contained. They take over my whole abdomen, and I even get tingles in my feet.

“Do you want to be a brat, or do you want to be my good girl?”

His question sparks a pulse in my pussy.

“I’ll be good.” I nod against the tug of his fingers in my hair.

“Show me, princess.” Valor lets me go, and I try not to collapse from the swoon that overtakes me.

But I’m halfway upstairs when there’s a knock at the front door.

“Valor?” I question.

“Two minutes,” he repeats, but he doesn’t sound as sure.

I go up to the top of the stairs and tuck myself out of sight.

42

VALOR

THE VISITOR IN THE NIGHT

My suspicions are heightened, and I grab the gun from the lockbox under the entry table’s decorative lip as I approach the front door.