Page 2 of Ruined Vows
His voice is unforgettable, deep, and commanding.
When he whispered, “Opusti se mace.” I melted. I don’t speak his language, but I speak six others. And those words?
Sounded like, “Relax, Kitten.”
The nerve of him. I’m no one’s kitten!
He knew he wasn’t going to kill me when he grabbed me. It’s one of those details my brothers didn’t tell mebeforethe showdown.
I hate secrets. Unfortunately, they are the foundation of our empire.
And to make matters worse, my brothers kept secrets from me. Now, Vukan has an alliance with my family.
I hate to admit it, but he isn’t like his creepy, deranged brother. Vukan must be a reasonable man because he has helped us. Actually, he negotiated with us. However it happened, he played a crucial role in bringing the war to an end.
I don’t need anyone. My fucked up childhood made it impossible for me to trust anyone.
I’ve spent my life earning my independence. I don’t need anyone. Least of allhim. It’s infuriating to think that we are indebted to the Serb. The fact that we own anyone is a travesty, but we saved Amara and her grandmother that night, and that’s what matters.
I only discovered the details of the deal after the dust had settled. And that pisses me off, too! So much for family meetings! I guess I’m only included when it’s convenient.
I don’t like being the odd one out. But, being the only woman in the family, I’ve taken more than my share of hits, as evidenced by my brother’s secret meeting—and the secret alliance with the Serbs.
As if they can’t trust me!
Men!
But Vukan is one fine specimen.
He’s mysterious and commanding. Oddly, I picture him in a kinky sex club, surrounded by leather and lace. I’m sure women fawn over him. Hell, they probably flock to him. I doubt he ever has to lift a finger because they’re already wrapped around it.
I’ve also learned he’s worth a fortune. That never hurts.
After the dust settled, I learned he was in cahoots with my brothers and we owe him.
I hate owing anyone. Vukan is a killer. I saw him shoot Stefano Moretti in the head. Brains splattered. I was mortified. I swallowed my screams, but the nightmares won’t let me forget what I witnessed.
The deafening noise of guns, the smell of gunpowder, and the rapid-fire bullets that pinged on the warehouse walls were unnerving.
I shudder, shaking off the memories of the dead bodies inside the warehouse—the outcome of the Morettis’ failed alliance with the Serbs.
I’ve tried to shrug off the final scenes of the war, but the nightmares still haunt me.
War was different from the scenarios we practiced at school. As much as I’ve trained to carry out espionage missions, I’ve discovered the face of it in real life is—well, chilling.
I thought with time, I would get over the events that brought me face-to-face with killers.
But nothing could be further from the truth. I put on a brave face around my family, but inside?
I’m a hot mess.
It’s been weeks, and I still have night terrors. But what’s more unsettling is that I can’t forget what it felt like to be in Vukan’s arms, and being held with my back against his massive chest. The man is covered in ink, and I’m curious to know what they all mean, but mostly, I want to feel safe again.
I felt secure in his arms as the burned gunpowder swirled around us.
Oddly, it was hot, and I’m not talking about the air.
The life-and-death situation was a turn-on in a sick way. His voice was calm and confident as he barked orders to his men.
