Page 16 of Vow to Corrupt You
I stand with my hands at my back like the picture of cold indifference that I am. “He led you here despite knowing you’re mine. He’s as guilty as Claudio.”
“No,” her head shakes. “Lorenzo had no idea about any of this. He’s just a driver, nothing more.”
Lies. It still surprises me that she tries to lie to me, but I am impressed by her determination to protect those close to her heart. What she must understand, though, is that no wrongdoing will go unnoticed. Every move has its price, and the price must always be paid.
“And yet, he still brought you here.” Never pulling my eyes off her, I reach for a gun. My grip tightens on my Beretta 92, and I point it toward him.
“Please, Nikos. He’s innocent. Don’t punish him for my actions,” she pleads, but it’s not enough.
I cock my gun. The sharp, metallic click must be my favorite sound.
“Please,” she urges. “He’s my friend. I will never forgive myself, forgive you, if he dies because of me. And if that’s still not enough, if human life means nothing to you, please do it for my sake. Do it for me, Nikos. I will never forget that.”
I look at her, unmoved by her pleadings. Lorenzo is one of my soldiers. He knows the rules and the punishment for going against them. No one defies the family. No one undermines my authority. Each execution is a clear message to others. They know they must obey me, or they end up six feet under the ground with a bullet in their heads. If I were to allow one man to escape without repercussions, my standing within the organization would be called into question. It would weaken my command and erode the respect of others toward me. This is why people fear me; I never show mercy. In my world, there’s no room for mercy, only power and control. Forgiveness is for the weak.
“If you spare him, I’ll make you a deal.” Her words spill out in desperation, as if triggered by my lack of reaction.
“A deal, you say?” She might’ve caught my interest. She might’ve just found her way out of this. Or her way in. “What kind of a deal, my wicked one?”
She takes a deep breath, gathering her courage. “If you spare Lorenzo’s life, I’ll do whatever you ask. I’ll marry you. I’ll become your wife, your queen. Your wicked one. Whatever you want me to be. Just please, don’t punish him for my mistakes. Punish me instead.”
My lips twitch with satisfaction. “Oh, that’s a given.”
“Does that mean you agree?” she struggles to speak, stuttering on her fear. “Will you release Lorenzo?”
I look at her for a while longer before I nod faintly. “Very well. I accept your deal.”
Her eyes grow wide, as if she didn’t expect it. Typically, I wouldn’t have made a deal like this. In a way, I’m breaking my rules. But she offered me something I so obsessively want. Herself. On my terms.
Yes, I already have her, but not in the way I want. I need her to want to be mine, to surrender herself willingly. And while this isn’t entirely of her own choice yet, it’s a start.
“Lorenzo will live, but remember, you’ve made a promise to me now. And I always collect what’s owed to me.” I lower the gun and step closer toward her, towering over her. “I will spare his life, but you will never see him again. He will be exiled from my syndicate, banished from joining any other, and must leave the country. And if he sets foot in Italy ever again, he’s a dead man. Is that clear?”
She nods, her gaze drops to the ground. “It’s better than death here for my mistakes.”
A low, mocking chuckle escapes my lips. I place the cold muzzle of my gun under her chin and tilt her head, eyes forced to mine.
“See, you already make me a better man.” The words ring hollow, a mockery we both understand. I could never be a better man, not even close. “But you,” I murmur. “You’re full of innocence and compassion. Now I see it. You’re my Persephone.”
Her jaw tightens. For a moment, it seems like she’s trying to contain her words behind steel gates of restraint, yet they escape regardless.
“Persephone… whisked away by Hades to the dark depths of the Underworld and coerced into a marriage I never chose. And you, you are my own personal Hades. You are just who you’ve always wanted to be—God of the Dead. You bring nothing but destruction, darkness, and death wherever you go!” she spits with such fury that it could ignite the world in flames. Although she’s raised her voice to me before, this time she speaks with such anger and vengeance. Considering she has a gun pressed to her throat, it’s pretty impressive. She’s either foolishly fearless, or she hates me to such a degree that the prospect of death seems more appealing than spending the rest of her life by my side.
“Thank you, wicked one.” The taunting grin on my face causes her brows to rise. “I already told you. You do know how to stroke my ego.”
“You’re so twisted,” she scoffs.
“And you’re too willing to trade your life for others, so what does that say about you?”
She bites her tongue as if she’s thinking of a more fitting retort. “You owned me already. Selling my life twice to you makes no difference to me.”
“Is that so?” I smirk. “Now you’ll do whatever I ask, whenever I please. You’ll become my wicked one, my little naughty girl, or whatever I desire, remember?” I move the gun down her jaw and neck, and her lips tremble. “You’ve given me the right,” I murmur, making it clear that there is no escape. This vow is like an iron shackle she will never break. Her fate is now irrevocably tied to mine. “Your permission to own you completely.”
She stares back at me, her breath shallow.
“From this moment on, you will obey me.” Our glances dart between each other. “Say it.”
“I will obey you,” she breathes out, her gaze dropping.
