Page 21 of Vow to Corrupt You (Gods of Corruption #1)

Serena

I can barely focus on the lectures; Gianna’s words mingling with Nikos’s vows keep blending in my mind.

Thankfully, it’s just the first day back at the university, and the sessions are mostly introductory.

During the breaks between the classes, Chiara won’t stop rambling about her vacation in Norway, and about Aric and their mind-blowing sex.

Why is it that every time she mentions or alludes to the sex they had, that the memories of all the intimate moments with Nikos flood my mind, causing heat to pool between my thighs?

“Imagine if I married Aric, and then we would be attending all those events together.” Chiara’s face lights up at the idea. She squeezes her notebook against her beige sweater.

I haven’t told her any details about the Gods Society or the Olympus Club as it is all a secret that only the members are allowed to discuss, but I mentioned that Nikos introduced me to the society, how exclusive it is, and minor stuff like that.

“You’d want to marry him?” I turn to look at her as we walk through the halls of the university.

It is so good to be back here. For a moment, I forget how my life has changed over the course of just a few days and being here makes me feel ordinary again—mundane.

“Are you kidding?” Her brow shoots sky-high. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to marry Aric Vold? Have you seen him?”

The smile on her face won’t leave; even if she tried to wipe it off, I’m sure she couldn’t.

Whenever she speaks or even thinks of her boyfriend, she grins like a fool, her cheeks flush pink, and her eyes shine like diamonds.

I am jealous—just a tad bit. I wish I had married for love and could experience those same feelings with someone I chose and feel immensely attracted to.

“He’s like a Viking,” she continues, unbothered by my lack of response. “So tall, muscular, strong. So huge.” She giggles, grazing her teeth over her bottom lip.

I feel a sense of amusement, but also happiness at the way she’s floating on cloud nine now. She seems so radiant. So bright. So madly in love.

So unlike me now.

“And you know I have a thing for Vikings.” She opens the door and we enter the campus quad.

“Serena!”

Chiara and I turn in unison toward the left. A familiar face emerges from behind a grayish column.

“Raffaele.” A hesitant smile twitches at my lips, though it disappears as soon as it appears. Even when Nikos isn’t around, I’m now scared to talk to any male. No matter if it’s just an innocent talk with a friend from the same course.

“I’ll let you two talk,” Chiara says, dashing toward the parking lot.

“No, Chiara—” But before I finish the sentence, she’s already out of sight in the crowd of students, and Raffaele is by my side.

“Hey, how are you doing? You seemed lost in Mr. Lombardi’s lecture. Not that I blamed you. My—I mean, Mr. Lombardi—he’s always so…” Raffaele continues to ramble, but all I can focus on is Nikos’s voice ringing in my ears.

Any man who dares to touch, to dream of touching of what is mine, will face wrath so ruthless, death will seem a mercy.

He’s gotten in my head and is currently taking over my mind. His voice haunts me no matter where I turn. I’m not sure if I’m paranoid or what, but I fear he’ll unravel my sanity just like he promised he would.

“Serena?” Raffaele’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

I gaze into his eyes, which seem more greenish than ever, framed by his brown locks and pale skin. “I’m sorry, I’m lost in my own head today. I should go.”

I turn to leave, but he grabs my arm.

“Serena, wait.” A quiet sigh escapes him, and he moves to stand in front of me. “I’ve heard some rumors that,” he grazes his lower lip, “you and Claudio are no longer together.”

“So?” I ask dryly.

“So… I was thinking we could go out sometime? Grab a coffee or go to the movies?” He runs his hand through his ruffled hair. “Or something.”

My heart lurches. So, what Chiara kept telling me last semester was right—Raffaele does have a crush on me. She’d noticed how he stared at me, was always offering to help, wanted to work in pairs, and was just always around. And I thought he was just friendly.

“Raffa…” My lips press together, a heavy weight settling on my chest.

I flick the hair away from the side of my neck that was covering my collarbone, revealing a tattoo with the name that anyone in Sicily would recognize.

The black dress I’m wearing today has a square neckline, so I veiled the tattoo with my hair.

I assumed my wedding ring and the giant diamond of my engagement ring glimmering on my finger would be enough of a man-deterrent, but it seems not.

“Haven’t you heard I’m married now?”

Raffaele’s eyes widen with recognition, and shock creeps in. He steps back as if in fear. “N-no,” he looks up again. “I spent the summer in Canada with my grandparents. I just came back last night and haven’t really spoken to anyone yet.”

“Well,” I take a deep breath, knowing I need to end this and whisper to him. “Now you know. So, for your own good, stop this, whatever you’re doing, for your own safety, and—”

“How did it come to this?” he cuts in, brows furrowing.

“We shouldn’t be talking at all.” I turn to leave, but again, he takes hold of my arm and prevents me.

“Serena, did you marry Nikos Romano?” His voice is hushed now, as if scared he might summon the Devil, but I guess it’s too late. He’s already here.

Chills ripple through my entire body as my gaze lands on Nikos.

He leans against his Ferrari across the street, ankles crossed and hands in his pockets.

His gaze pierces right through me despite the distance between us and the dark sunglasses he wears.

My pulse accelerates, and suddenly, it’s harder to breathe.

I glance at Raffaele, words blurt out of my mouth before my mind processes what I’m saying, “You shouldn’t talk to me, Raffaele. You could end up dead. Best-case scenario, you lose your… ehm, important body parts.”

I saunter off and head toward Nikos before he decides to come to us.

“Who was that guy?” Nikos’s gaze is focused on the road, his hand casually resting on the steering wheel.

A tremor ripples through me. In any other marriage, it would be an innocent question. In our marriage, it can mean a death sentence. Answering truthfully gives me severe anxiety.

“He’s just a student from my program.” My hands clench into fists on my lap, trying to cope with the tension in my body.

He doesn’t reply, which scares me even more because I don’t know what’s going through his twisted mind. Perhaps he’s already plotting Raffaele’s execution in his head.

“Where are we going?” I ask after what feels like an eternity of silence. I don’t recognize the direction we’re heading. It’s not the way to the house or my parents’ place (though I suppose that’s the last place he’d want to go), and I have no idea where else we could be going together .

“I haven’t seen much of my wife recently.” There’s a dark edge to his tone that makes me hold my breath. “I thought we should make up for lost time.”

Again, it’s a seemingly innocent, ordinary sentence that, in any other marriage, wouldn’t carry any special meaning. In my case, now the idea of spending time with my husband seems dreadful, especially after what I just learned from Gianna.

If I make it out of this alive, I’m pretty sure I’ll end up severely traumatized.

“I’m taking you out on a date,” Nikos adds, snapping me out of my inner monologue.

“A date?” I shoot him a glance. “I didn’t think the infamous Nikolaos Romano did dates.”

There are moments when I speak before I think. This is one of those times. I nibble my bottom lip nervously, processing what I just said to him, but he scoffs with amusement.

“I don’t.” A smirk twists his lips. “You’re the first woman to go on a date with me in many years.”

Holy cow, should I break out the confetti?

In any other circumstances, it’d be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.

I’d feel so incredibly special. But considering Nikos’s desire for dominance over me, his obsession with breaking the innocent, his possessive nature, and the reason he married me, I’m actually scared.

Maybe this is part of his plan. To fool me with sweet lies and kind gestures so he can get under my skin, into my bones, and then shatter me into pieces. Possibly.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say so quietly I’m not sure he can catch it.

“Why not?”

“Well, I…” I look at him, trying to think of any excuse that would allow me to avoid spending time with him that would sound legitimate enough. “You’re so dressed up. I feel out of place next to you.”

It’s not a lie, and that actually sounds convincing. He’s wearing a tailored shirt and pants, matched with Fendi sunglasses, a Panerai watch peeking out from under his slightly rolled-up sleeve, and black leather shoes. Compared to my casual jersey dress, he’s exactly the opposite.

He steals a quick glance at me. “You look like a goddess no matter what you wear.”

“Oh, yeah? And what about when you literally forced me to go shopping because you didn’t like my pink dress?” I can’t help my sassy side.

A scoff follows an amused grin, “That’s the thing. It was pink .” The way he looks at me makes my heart flutter. “I didn’t like the color of the dress, not you in it.”

There’s a weird sensation in my chest that renders me speechless.

“But if that’s something that bothers you, we’ll stop at a boutique,” he says casually, focusing on the road again.”

“No, that’s not what I meant—”

Nikos makes a U-turn, and I know there’s no point in arguing because he will buy me something to wear, and we are going on a date.

After a few moments, he parks, and we enter one of the boutiques on Via della Libertà. The moment the shop employees see Nikos, they bustle around, attending to me as if I were royalty.

I choose some dresses— black, of course —and go to the fitting room.

“What are you doing?” I flinch at the sight of Nikolaos in the doorway.