Page 142 of Vicious Intentions
“And if I don’t ask? Will you just keep things from me?” She cocks an eyebrow. “A lie by omission is still a lie, is it not?”
When I don’t answer, her lips press together. A pregnant pause stretches between us before she finally places her hand in mine, letting me help her to her feet.
I guide her to the center of the room, my hand settling at the small of her back as the music wraps around us. She’s stiff at first, her body barely moving with mine, her gaze fixed on the way the room has gone silent, everyone watching us dance.
“Relax,” I murmur in her ear.
“Easy for you to say.”
A faint laugh escapes me at her snarky reply. “You’re right. It is easy since I’m not the one who looks like they’re about to go on a murder spree.”
“That’s not funny.”
“It’s a little funny.”
“No, it’s not,” she grumbles. “I don’t hate anyone here enough to corrupt my soul that way.”
“Not even me?” I feign a chuckle.
Anna’s eyes flash at my question, but something in her posture loosens.
“Fine. I’ll admit that I have… thought about it,” she confesses, eyeing me a bit apprehensively.
“Are you expecting me to defend myself, wife?”
“You’re not?” she counters, confused.
“No, wife. I stole you from your home and forced you into marrying me. If there is a man here who has earned you fantasizing about killing him, it is me. But I hope you won’t. I’d like to be married to you a little while longer, if that’s okay?” Anna searches my eyes again, like clockwork, trying to find the lie in my words. “I made a vow to you, wife, remember? No more lies.”
“Aren’t you tired of calling me that already?” She rolls her eyes.
“Call you what? Wife? Nope. I think it’s my new favorite word. Expect to hear it from me a lot.” I smile.
“I thought you just asked me not to kill you? Keep calling me wife, and I won’t make any promises.”
“Was that a joke, Anna? Did you just make a joke?” My eyes flare in disbelief.
“Maybe.” Fuck me sideways, but when her lips threaten to lift at the corners, I almost drop dead right there on the dance floor with how happy I am. “God, you’re annoying,” she groans. “And stop looking at me like that.”
When she presses her cheek to my chest, hiding her face from me as she wraps her arms around my neck, I die.
We fall into a slow rhythm after, her steps careful and measured while mine remain steady and guiding. For oneblissful moment, we’re no longer at odds with each other. We’re just two people dancing on their wedding day.
It almost feels normal. Almost.
“You did well,” I say after a beat.
Anna’s gaze flicks up to mine, her chin resting on my chest. “At what? Signing my life away?”
“At surviving today,” I coo, grazing her cheek with knuckles.
“I haven’t survived anything yet. A war is coming, Matteo. And as I see it, I’m on the wrong side of it. People have died for less.”
My grip on her hips tightens at the mere idea of anyone causing her harm.
“No one will ever hurt you. I promise you.”
“You’ve made a lot of promises to me today,husband.Too many for me to believe you’ll ever be able to keep them all.” She lets out a quiet breath, something between a sigh and resignation.
