Monster A Dark Arranged Marriage Romance - Vanessa Waltz Page 0,27
hold on.”
She seized my wrist, and blood rushed to the spot where she touched me. An unwelcome flush heated my cock as she fit her hand in mine. She squeezed, dragging my attention to her beseeching gaze.
“You’re right, okay? Dad calls in favors, and I do my best to help him. Trust me, I’ve wanted to break free for years. It’s hard when your father is all you have left.”
That sank in like jagged claws.
Too familiar.
“I’ll set you up with a business credit card. If you want to buy precious gems, equipment, whatever, that’s great. Have at it.” I held up a threatening finger. “But he is not in your life anymore.”
Her glare burned through me, but I refused to bend. She needed to stop visiting her outlaw family.
“Evie, I expect you to test boundaries and act out. I’ll be watching for it. Just know that I’ve seen it all, and I’ll be there every time to catch you. And then I’ll put you in your place. You won’t like that, but I will.”
Ten
Evie
I’m grateful my husband respects my boundaries.
Why should I let him win?
I went to the clubhouse twice after snapping my credit card in half. Once, for my cousin. Jennesy turned twenty-four, so I zipped there on Wednesday for her birthday party. Then I went again two days later, just to prove that I wouldn’t be controlled. I stayed until Christian told me we had to go or Tony would kill us both, which was what brought me to Sanctum.
My cutoffs did not go over well with the hostess, who glared at them a full five seconds before the guard mentioned my name, after which she became ridiculously accommodating.
Christian made a sound of disgust. “Cazzo.”
“What does that one mean?” I harassed him when he spoke Italian, determined to pick up the language.
“Cazzo?” Christian’s hand flew in his hair. “Dick, shit, damn, fuck. It can be a lot of things, depending on the situation.”
“Cats-oh,” I tried it out. “I should practice before I see Tony.”
Christian’s face went up in flames as a woman in pasties waved at him. “The girls here are so young.”
Since we’d gotten to Sanctum, he’d done nothing but cringe.
“You don’t like this place, huh?”
“No. I’m a traditional guy.”
“You wouldn’t last a week in a clubhouse.” I laughed, imagining the gangly mafioso at a patchover party. “Actually, I know a girl who likes tall, modest guys like you.”
He smiled. “Yeah?”
“You’d be right up her alley.”
I grabbed my phone, scrolling to a picture of Jennesy and me at a dive bar. I thrust it under his nose. He bent to look at it, clasping his hands around mine gently.
“She’s hot.”
“Want her number?”
He sucked in his lip as though tempted, and then shook his head. “Can’t.”
“Why not?”
“My wife passed away six months ago. Cancer. Too soon.”
My heart ached as I took his arm. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“It’s not something I talk about, but I guess you bring it out in me.” His disinterested gaze passed over the women in the club, and he sighed heavily. “I have to get out there someday.”
“Jennesy will probably still be single,” I said, opening my phone in an attempt to cheer him up. “I already texted her your photo.”
“Did you really?”
“Yeah, check it out.”
He leaned in, squinting at the screen. “Ah, I see her reply. What do the eggplants and the drops mean?”
“What do you think?”
Christian burst out laughing, the full-hearted sound dipping me in a warm bath. His mirth died as a possessive arm snaked my waist, pinning me to a rock-hard body. It swelled with a huge breath.
“Are you done talking my wife’s ear off?”
A smile still hung on Christian’s face as he melted away.
I glanced at my pissed off husband, who glared in Christian’s direction. His ferocious eyes flitted between me and my bodyguard.
“He likes you too much.”
“If you’re holding out on winning a popularity contest against me, you might as well cash in your chips.”
“The cute act works on simple-minded fools like Christian, but not on me.” Tony moved in front of me, a panther that demanded my full attention. His stare trapped me in a battle of wills that we fought without moving. “You’ve been busy this week.”
I would not be intimidated.
“Yeah, it was fun. Best two days I’ve had in a long time.”
Tony stiffened, his features thickening with rage.
I palmed his cheek and smoothed his angry brow with my thumb. “I already ripped up your credit card, hubby. What else can you do