Page 20 of Cruel Revenge

Grinning, I muss up his hair again before wriggling out of the way. “I knew you were as vindictive as I am.”

“Just go tell Vitale that his stupid fucking deal is on.”

Joshua’shazel eyes assess me as he pulls the door open wider. “How did you find out where I live?”

I shrug, hands in the back pockets of my jeans. “Now, darling, is that any way to greet your wife?”

His curly hair falls into his eyes as he smirks and swoops one arm out to the side, bowing low. “M’lady, pardon me for not rolling out the red carpet upon your arrival.”

Snorting, I follow him into the penthouse, glancing around at the cool neutral tones and sleek metal accents.

There are hints of wood here and there but most of the apartment is cold and impersonal, as if he barely lives here.

Joshua closes the door behind me. “So, what are you really doing here, and how did you find out where I live?”

“I asked around.” I slide onto one of the stools at the bar, rapping my knuckles on the white marble. “I would’ve thought you’d be more the kind of man to have vintage pinup posters scattered around the apartment.”

He leans across the bar from me. “Would that have bothered you?”

“Nope. I have a vintage pinup magazine cover collection. Framed and hanging in my office, actually.”

Joshua eyes me like he’s trying to figure out who’s sitting in front of him right now. “You’re not what I thought you would be.”

“Well, I’m going to take that as a compliment.” I try not to smile when that stare locks with mine, making the long-dead beat of butterfly wings in my stomach start to flutter to life again. “But if we’re going to do this whole fake marriage thing, then I have some conditions.”

“Drink?” He pulls out a couple bottles of sparkling apple juice. “I don’t know about you, but I had enough to drink at the club.”

I nod and take one of the bottles from him, twisting off the top and spinning it on the bar. “The first condition is that you need to tell me the truth about everything and anything that happens during this fake marriage. I won’t be kept in the dark only to see my family screwed over again.”

“And your other conditions? Go ahead and list them, and we’ll see if we can make them work.”

I pause for a minute, not sure what to make of this entire thing.

He’s talking to me like I’m actually a partner in this deal, but I’ve been around the life often enough to know that men in charge don’t like to share the power with women.

And yet here Joshua Vitale is, making jokes and acting like he’s completely at ease with our situation.

I stop the spinning cap with a slap of my hand. “You’re going to keep supplying the same amount of cocaine for a bargain price even after all this is done. You’re not going to back anyone other than my family for power of the east coast, and if we decide to continue growing larger than we already are, I expect you to back us then, too.”

He presses his lips close together. “I’ll agree to that, provided this gets Grady to leave me alone. If it doesn’t, then I won’t support you if you continue to expand, but I will continue to supply at a bargain price.”

“Sounds fair.” I take a sip of the juice and set it to the side, my stomach growling.

Joshua laughs and rounds the bar, heading into the kitchen. “Come with me. I was in the middle of making dinner when you showed up.”

I follow him, staring at his back and the muscles that move beneath the thin, white shirt he wears.

Though the sleeves are long, there are dark patches, like he’s covered in tattoos.

A low heat pools in my stomach.

Maybe there’s a better way to get revenge. One that doesn’t involve wanting to sleep with a man who tried to ruin my family once.

Except when he starts dishing out gnocchi with brown butter and crispy sage, I know that this was the right choice.

If nothing else than for my diet. If Joshua is going to be cooking like this all the time, I’m going to be eating better than I ever have before.

He hands me the bowl and nods to the dining table. “Take a seat. I have some conditions, too.”

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