Page 119 of Vicious Heir

“But why not just destroy her? You hate her, don’t you?”

I lean against my husband with a sigh. “Such a simple man. You don’t know how truly devious I am.”

“Enlighten me then.”

“Once she gives in—and she’s going to because she’s got nothing else—she’ll be mine. I’ll own her. And it’ll eat at her every day how she’s working with her husband’s killers, just like it ate at me every day when she and everyone like her turned their backs on me.”

“Sweet revenge.”

“Something like that anyway.” I get on my toes as we reach the car and kiss him, running my hands through his hair. “Speaking of which, you had a body in our basement for a while, but I haven’t heard anything from him. Is he finally gone?”

“He’s finally gone,” Adriano confirms. “Quick and easy.”

I’m strangely happy about that. I hated Demir Yilmaz, but the level of torture he endured was frankly astronomical. That’s my husband, though—he doesn’t do anything halfway.

“I’m feeling generous,” I declare as we get into the car.

“Are you now?”

“Yes, like a queen on her wedding day.”

“You’re more beautiful than that.”

“Good one. But I’m serious. If Marcy comes around, let’s be kind to her. Let’s give her good work. Make the city love us. Spread the wealth around. We don’t reallyneedthe money, right?”

His eyebrows raise. “Easy for you to say. You’re not running the business.”

“Adriano.”

“No, no, it’s alright. I’ll make sure she’s taken care ofifshe comes around.” He frowns a little as she starts the car’s engine. “Is this just another way of owning her?”

“Now you’re catching on, my beautiful husband.”

“Your mind never fails to amaze me.”

“Behold my genius and tremble.”

He leans across the car and kisses me lightly. “What’d I do to deserve a girl like you?”

“Burned a bunch of priceless paintings.”

“Oh, yeah. There’s that.”

Chapter 46

Adriano

Eight Months Later

I thought I knew love.

I had my family first. I cared about my father and my sister. Then Lucy came into my life and showed me a whole new level of deep obsession.

But now all that pales.

The baby’s crying. She’s small and screaming so loud, but my god, I love her so much. I stare at her little scrunched-up face, her upturned, squashed nose, and her dark blue eyes, and I’m in love. So in love it feels like my heart’s somewhere else. My heart’s inside this baby now.

“You can try to comfort her, you know,” Bianca says from my elbow.

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