Page 31 of Vow to Corrupt You (Gods of Corruption #1)

Nikos

I place my hand on Serena’s cheek. Its warmth feels almost surreal.

She leans in to my touch as if she’s found her oasis.

Slowly, she moves our hands, making me brush my fingers against her parting lips.

Her eyes close, reeling in the moment. She retracts her hand, letting me follow my own path.

I drag my fingers down her neck, the prominent collarbone I find so alluring.

The softness of her skin stirs a sensation I haven’t allowed myself in ages.

It’s not just physical. It’s not just to touch; it’s to feel.

It’s like I’m letting the barriers I had built around myself go, and of course, I should’ve expected she would be the one to make me go against my own rules.

I trail a path over her body, savoring the feel of her curves beneath my fingers.

It feels like fucking heaven and a dangerous gamble all in one.

For so long, I’ve been immune to this kind of closeness, guarding myself with layers of detachment.

Now, it feels like the walls I’ve carefully built around myself may shatter with a simple touch of her skin.

A touch with no hidden meaning, no mixed signals.

One that doesn’t lead anywhere. One that binds and, more importantly, one that I haven’t let myself feel in ages.

One that brings out all the feelings I’ve buried deep inside me. All the feelings I thought I killed.

My hand roams back to Serena’s neck—it’s so delicate—her skin. But then, glimpses of my hands covered in blood, the feeling of its warmth enveloping them as they sink deeper into flesh and blood, flash through my subconsciousness. I pull away.

“What happened?” she stiffens, as if unsure whether to approach or run.

“I can’t. I have to go.” I get out of bed.

“Where?” Her voice stops me as I reach the door.

I look at her, darkness in my eyes. “I know you think you may be my redemption, wicked one , but I neither believe nor seek redemption.”

Instead, I will be your damnation.

I glance at her one last time before leaving.

I put on a simple T-shirt and sweatpants and locked myself in my office.

This was partially the reason why I wanted separate bedrooms. I can’t sleep with the gloves on, and I feared I would touch her during sleep.

I knew it could bring old memories to the surface, something I was trying to avoid until today. But she pulled this out of me.

A heavy breath escapes my lungs, and my hand runs through my hair involuntarily.

I pour myself a glass of whiskey and try to focus on work, though it’s hard to silence the demons of my past running wild through my mind now.

I’m not sure how much time passes, but a few soft knocks at the door jolt me back from my inner torment.

I know who it is and I can’t deny her anything.

“Come in.”

The door opens slowly, and Serena comes in. Her fingers fidgeting, her expression one of concern and confusion.

“I wanted to ask if I can visit Salvatore,” her tone wobbles. “He didn’t come for lunch, and I’d like to talk to him.”

“Of course.” I drawl. “You don’t need my permission to see your family.”

“But Salvatore—”

“Is still your family.”

I look at her over the edge of my laptop screen.

“Thank you,” she whispers, forcing a tight-lipped smile.

She glances at me for a few more seconds as if waiting for something, but after she realizes I have nothing else to say, she leaves.

I drink my whiskey in one go, but its burn in my throat does nothing to quiet the chaos of my mind.

I hate it when it happens. No physical torture or pain could compare to the torment a human mind can cause.

It’s fucking insufferable. Another drink of the brown liquor goes down my throat. Numb. All I want to be is numb.

“Yes, boss?” Remo’s voice rings on the other end of the line.

“My wife left to meet her brother. Bring the IT dude. I want to hear them.”

Remo knows better than to question any of my orders. He simply does what he’s told.

A few minutes later, Thiago, the IT guy, opens the app on my laptop that links to Serena’s app he has planted in her phone.

The screen illuminates with a live feed, showing audio waves pulsing in real-time.

I hear her conversation with her sisters—nothing unusual, nothing that would raise my concerns.

Eventually, she’s alone with Salvatore, and I signal my men to leave my office.

Their conversation is also like any other siblings would share until Salvatore says what I expected him to say.

“You can stop pretending now, Serena. It’s just you and me, and I am your twin. I know how you feel like.” Salvatore’s voice sounds in sync with the audio visualizer. “Even if it’s the last thing I do, I will set you free from this monster you were forced to marry, sister.”

My hand clenches into a fist.

“No, Salvatore, you can’t. Please, I beg of you.

Don’t put yourself in danger again. Don’t risk your life.

Our lives. We both know anything directed against Nikolaos Romano is a death sentence, and this time, not just for you, but for all of us.

And believe me, he’s far more influential than any of us thought.

There’s nowhere we could escape his wrath. ”

“I can’t! I can’t live with the thought you’re his prisoner because of me!”

“Salvatore, I’m okay! I have come to terms with my fate. Why can’t you?”

“Just answer me this,” he pauses momentarily, breathing heavily. “If you had a choice, would you have married him?”

“Well,” she wavers.

“Just don’t lie to me, Serena. Be honest. If you had a choice, would you still have married that monster?”

“I wouldn’t have married that monster...”

I shut the laptop closed, squeezing the bridge of my nose. I have given her everything any other man wouldn’t. Time. Patience. Respect. I was the fucking embodiment of Prince Charming. But I am fucking not. Far from it. I am still a monster. A beast she obviously wants nothing to do with.