Page 100 of Vow of Destruction
I lean back against the edge of the desk, folding my arms. “You realize what you’re proposing. You’d be tying yourself to a man you don’t love for a war that might kill us both.”
Her chin lifts. “Who says I want love?”
That hits harder than it should. I know that tone. I’ve used it myself a thousand times.
She takes a slow breath, her voice softening just slightly. “You owe me this much, Raf.”
The use of my name catches me off guard. “Owe you?”
Her eyes meet mine, unwavering. “Yes.You. Owe. Me.And you don’t get to refuse me now.”
The air between us shifts, thick with old heat and something I can’t name.
I remember that night too vividly—the way she laughed, the spark in her eyes when she dared me to break every rule I’d ever lived by. The way she trembled when I kissed her. Andthe pain of discovering her betrayal. Yes, I let her walk away. Maybe I thought it was better that way. Clean. Uncomplicated. But standing here now, seeing the ghost of hurt and anger in her eyes, I’m not so sure.
I exhale, rubbing the back of my neck. “You think this’ll work?”
She smirks faintly. “You tell me. You’re the strategist.”
God help me, I almost smile.
There’s something intoxicating about Aisling’s confidence, the way she meets me head-on instead of tiptoeing like everyone else does. She’s chaos in silk. And maybe that’s exactly what I need.
I push off the desk, stepping closer. “All right. We fake it. But you play your part, Aisling. You’ll wear my ring, sit at my side, attend every meeting. The world will believe you’re mine.”
Her lips curve, just barely. “Done.” She brushes past me toward the door, her perfume lingering like a challenge. “I’ll tell my father you agreed,” she says without looking back. “And don’t worry, Rafael. I’ll play the perfect wife.”
When the door shuts behind her, I realize my hands are still clenched. This is a deal with the devil—only this time, the devil wears a green silk blouse and wields my name like a weapon.
I stare at the empty doorway, the echo of her words still hanging in the air. A fake marriage. A war against the Yakuza. A woman I swore I’d never see again.
And somewhere, deep down, beneath the cold steel, the grief, the rage, something stirs inside me—something I thought I’d buried permanently alongside my wife.
It’s dangerous. Unwanted. And I know damn well it’s going to destroy me.
