Brutal Vows (Queens & Monsters #4)(8)

My voice low, I say, “I’m not your dead husband.”

She starts as if she got an electrical shock. Her eyes widen. She steps back, then catches herself and stands in place, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“That’s the third time you’ve lied to me, wee viper. Don’t do it again.”

Our held gazes feel electrified, as if there’s an invisible wire connecting us, sending bolts of energy snapping back and forth on a loop. We stare at each other in crackling silence while my dick stiffens and the vein on the side of her neck throbs.

In a carefully controlled, freezingly polite tone, she says, “I don’t take orders, Mr. Quinn. I also don’t address grown men by ridiculous nicknames, nor do I appreciate being given one. Though I have to admit the ‘viper’ is accurate, but the ‘wee’ is completely off mark. I’m as big as they come.”

She turns and walks away, hips swaying. At the door, she stops and turns back to me. When she smiles, those mermaid eyes of hers glitter as icy cold as diamonds.

“You should also keep in mind that vipers are venomous…and they eat spiders for lunch.”

She opens the door and walks through it with her head held high, leaving me standing alone in the study.

Alone and grinning.

For the first time since entering the house, I’m glad I came.





3





Rey





By the time Kieran and Gianni return from the salon where his Fabergé egg collection is kept in sealed glass cabinets, I’ve wrestled my boiling murderous rage down to a more manageable black fury.

I lived with black fury for most of my married life, so I know I won’t be committing bodily harm to a smirking, arrogant Irishman in the immediate future.

I almost lost it when he mentioned the letter opener, however. I almost went full Jack the Ripper on his sorry ass.

It was an extremely close call.

“Everything all right?” Gianni inquires, nervously eying the open door of the study.

I exhale and try not to look like the axe murderer I feel like inside. “Yes. Mr. Quinn and I were finished speaking, so I thought I’d wait for you here. How did you enjoy the collection, Kieran?”

“Er…” He coughs into his hand. “It was dead brilliant.”

Gianni beams, not understanding that if someone had handed poor Kieran a noose during the tour, he would have seriously considered hanging himself from the nearest rafter.

“It really is, isn’t it?” I say mildly.

We share a look. Kieran tries to hide his smile by chewing the inside of his cheek.

The sound of footsteps echoing over marble makes my pulse quicken.

Lili appears from around the corner of the corridor in the blue dress I instructed her to wear, her color high and her eyes darting. When she sees Kieran, her step falters, but she recovers quickly, plastering a smile on her face.

At her sides, her hands are clenched to fists.

Steady, tesoro. You’re not marrying anyone, especially not that bastard in your father’s study.

I still can’t believe what he said. “I’m not your dead husband.” As if the son of a bitch could read my mind.

I haven’t been that shaken in years.

Lili’s nervous gaze finds mine. I incline my head slightly, make a small motion with two fingers of my right hand, and watch her exhale in relief.

“Ah! Here she is now!”

Gianni holds out his arms. Lili hurries to him. He kisses her on both cheeks, then turns to Kieran. “Mr. Byrne, I’d like to introduce you to my daughter, Liliana. Lili, this is Mr. Byrne.”

Smiling shyly, Lili murmurs a hello.

“Please, call me Kieran. Pleasure to meet ye, lass.”

He extends his baseball mitt of a hand. Startled, Lili looks to me for guidance.

She’s never touched a man outside her immediate family.

Excluding the boy hiding in the wardrobe in her bedroom, that is. Judging by his state of undress, they’ve been doing quite a bit more than touching each other’s hands.

A problem I’ll address as soon as I’m finished with this one.

When I nod, Lili hesitantly stretches out her hand. It’s swallowed by Kieran’s, disappearing into his meaty grip.

Looking somber and respectful, Kieran says, “Don’t ye worry, lassie. He looks a fright, but he’s a pussycat, I promise ye.”

I stifle a snort. Pussycat, my ass. Your friend’s a rabid dog.

Catching the expression on my face, Lili says, “Um…”

“Yes, I’m sure Lili will very much enjoy making Mr. Quinn’s acquaintance. Won’t you, bambolotta?”

Gianni says his nickname for her like a threat.

I’d like to punch him in the throat.

“Yes, Papa.”

“Shall we go in, Reyna?”

I take one of Lili’s hands. Her father takes the other. We lead her into the study between us, a lamb to slaughter.

God, how I despise the tradition of arranged marriage. Knowing she’ll be spared the indignity of having to marry this particular Irish lout who calls himself an insect helps me feel better, but it will be someone else someday.

No matter how much I might want to, I won’t be able to protect Lili forever.