Page 18 of Vow to Corrupt You
“Who, Claudio?”
“No, Nikos.”
I pull back slightly, wiping my tears with the back of my hand, and see her look of confusion. So then I tell her everything that happened.
“Why is he so twisted?” Tears start flowing down my face once again. “Why does he have to be so cruel? So barbaric?”
Gianna sighs, her gaze dripping with pity. “I’ve heard some rumors, but not much. People are scared to talk about him.”
Of course, they are. Now I see why.
“Tell me everything you know.” I grip her shoulder. “Please. I must know everything I can about this monster.” There must be a reason he’s so damaged. No one just is. There’s always a why to it, isn’t it?
Gianna nods, her brows still furrowing. “They say Nikos had a very traumatic childhood. His father abused him in ways people don’t even dare to talk about. That’s all I know.”
Traumatic childhood? Abusive father?
I’m appalled and pained at the same time. The image of the only heir to a powerful mafia family being abused by his own father never crossed my mind. The depths of pain that must lie beneath his cold, ruthless exterior are still no excuse.
“What about his mother? Why wouldn’t she protect her child from such abuse?”
Gianna’s expression turns somber—something I’d rarely see. “From what I’ve heard, Nikos was raised by his father. Supposedly, his mother passed away when he was just a little boy.”
My heart aches at the thought of a young boy, alone and vulnerable. After all, he was once just a child too—and apparently, a child who had to endure so much darkness. It’s painful. For once, I start to feel genuinely sorry for him. At least, for the little boy version of him that it seems is no longer alive.
“There’s something more…” A slight tremor ripples through my stepsister’s voice, her teeth clamping down on her lip like a vise.
“More?” I press, afraid to hear what it might be.
Gianna looks around as if to make sure we’re alone. Can’t blame her. It took just one day with Nikos to become paranoid.
“People say Nikos’s father died under mysterious circumstances. Some even say his death was no accident.”
An arctic chill sweeps up my back like I am standing on the edge of a treacherous cliff. “What do you mean?”
Gianna’s voice lowers further. “There are rumors that Nikos might have had a hand in it. That he could have been involved in his father’s death.”
My blood runs cold. The implication is horrifying. Now it feels like one misstep has sent me tumbling off that cliff. I’m falling into a bleak abyss with no way out. It’s my end. If Nikos was capable of such an unimaginable act, what does that mean for me? If he indeed was capable of murdering his own father… He’s… broken beyond repair. I’m doomed.
How do I find my way out of this madness?
The neckline of the fitted wedding dress I’m wearing covers the tattoo on my collarbone that I unconsciously trace with my fingertips. The bold, much bigger ‘Ν’ is followed by that slender ‘ικ?λαος.’ Nikolaos written in Greek. Though the delicate, sheer fabric with intricate embroidery veils this imprint of his self-proclaimed reign over my existence, I still see it as if it were burning its way out. It’s engraved in my mind. The rounded neckline, with the long sleeves that create a bell shape at the cuffs, is very proper. But the back of the dress has a dramatic open design with horizontal straps that show off a small section of skin.
“This is your last chance to escape this madness,” Gianna’s hushed whisper snaps me back to the dreadful reality.
I stare back at my reflection in the mirror of the church’s bridal room. It’s the first time I’ve left my bedroom in days. I was scared that even something as basic as breathing could put me—or those close to me—in trouble. Today, I had no choice but to come out of my fortress. It’s my wedding day. For any other woman, it would be the happiest day ever. To me, it feels like being trapped in a labyrinthine nightmare I can’t find a way out of. That’s the thing. There’s no way out. The only way out ends in people dying.
“Remember what happened last time I tried to do something behind his back?” I meet Gianna’s gaze in the mirror’s reflection.
This wedding is just a formality. I already belong to Nikos on a level far more complicated than marriage could ever bind me. The ink beneath my dress screams ownership louder than any wedding ring ever could, boldly declaring his territorial hold over me.
“I don’t understand you, either of you.” Valeria’s scoff reaches me from behind. “It’s a privilege to be chosen as Mrs. Romano. You’ll have power, wealth, everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”
My gaze hardens as I turn to face my older stepsister, who is standing by the window. “Everything you have ever dreamed of. Everything except for love. You seem to forget that tiny detail, but why am I even surprised? You don’t know what love is.”
Valeria’s eyes roll back, and her lack of support makes the weight of the impending ceremony press down on my chest even more.
“Please. You’re acting as if you didn’t want this,” Valeria mocks.
