Something Borrowed (Revenge Brides: The Vece Familia Mafia)

Something Borrowed (Revenge Brides: The Vece Familia Mafia)

By Hannah Rio

1. Verity

CHAPTER ONE

Verity

T he club is packed tonight. Pulsing and high energy. The vibe is buzzing.

I’m at the bar with my friends and we are all looking in the same direction.

At him.

He’s so fucking tall it’s impossible not to notice him. I know exactly who is. Rufino Vece. The enemy. The big, scary, dangerous man who I need to stay away from because our families have been at each other’s throats for decades. But my amazing friends have just dared me to do something stupid and I’m always up for that.

I grin, putting my hand on my hip and tilting my head to the side.

“Ok, fine. I’ll do it.” I shout over the throbbing pulse of heavy bass blasting around us. My friends stare at me in horror. Sammy gasps and shakes her head, a mild look of panic in her eyes.

Of course, they underestimated me. They thought I’d never agree to it. I should not have agreed.

I turn towards the man they’ve challenged me to kiss, but one of my friends reaches out and grabs my arm. “Are you crazy? You father will kill you, what if it lands up on socials or something? He’s dangerous.” Dante says, his eyes wide with shock. He tugs me towards him and shakes his head.

They are all laughing, drunk and causing shit. But I am right there in the zone with them. We are always causing shit. This is nothing new.

“So what if he’s my dad’s enemy?” I shrug my shoulders, still grinning, my eyes narrowed.

“Do it.” Bella shouts, throwing her arm in the air and spilling her drink.

“Don’t be a dumbass.” Dante sniggers. He won’t let me go. It’s a cautious warning.

I roll my eyes. “ Fine , let’s get another round then.” They shouldn’t challenge me if they don’t want me to go through with it. You would think they know me better by now.

Dante waves the bartender over to order another round of tequilas.

He leans across the bar to pull the bowl of lemon slices closer.

I’m still watching Rufino Vece. Fuck - he is hot . Like wickedly divine. He’s leaning against the bar counter in his fitted black suit and his eyes are on me. I smirk at him and wink across the bar. His expression doesn’t change. I can feel the danger oozing off him like dark syrup.

I lick my lips. I would love to play a few games with him. The more forbidden the fruit, the sweeter it tastes - or so I’ve been told.

He’s tall, and his dark red hair and piercing green eyes are captivating. I want him. But I can’t have him.

But I do like a challenge.

While he is watching me, he rolls his sleeves up over his forearms and I think he’s flirting back.

“Hey, are you daydreaming or what?” Dante shouts, grabbing my attention and handing me the shot of tequila.

I take it from him, and all of my friends yell cheers before we tip our heads back. The alcohol burns down my throat and into my chest.

Honestly, my friends are a terrible influence. I mean, I’m not much better, but whenever I hang out with them, we get into trouble.

I think tonight is going to be no different because now they’ve put this idea in my head. I can’t seem to get rid of it. Not even the tequila is diluting the thoughts.

I want the Red Vece. It’s only because I can’t have him.

I want to accept this challenge. It’s like an evil seed in my mind that’s taken root, and now it will be impossible to let go.

Bella, Dante, and Sammy head towards the dance floor and drag me along with them. Pulling me away from the bar and away from his intense stare.

Music vibrates through my body and I forget about the red-haired Viking for a while - getting lost in the enjoyment and freedom of dancing and letting go.

It’s cooking in the club and my short, bright blue dress is sticking to my body.

I need a breather and some fresh air. Or another drink. Either way, I’m melting.

I signal my friends and they nod.

After an hour of dancing and with a glitter of perspiration on my skin, we are back at the bar to order another drink. Sammy giggles and slurs. “I can’t believe you were actually going to kiss him. You weren’t though - were you? I mean, you were just joking?”

Dante leans between us. “She can’t do it. Her father would kill her.”

“He’d ship her off to that convent he’s always threatening her with.” Bella laughs.

I stare across the bar at him.

Rufino is talking to another guy, a little closer to me than he was before, and I’m watching him again, wondering what would happen if I did just kiss him. It’s not like the world would explode. He’s just a guy.

“It was a stupid dare to begin with —” they are still discussing how I can’t go through with it.

“None of you know what you’re talking about. I will do it. ” I say, undressing him in my mind, wondering if he would taste as good as he looks.

“Oh please, Bella was joking when she dared you. Even you aren’t that crazy, Verity.”

“Aren’t I?” I grin.

“Oh my word, it’s Verity, the attention whore.”

I spin around to glare at the girl standing behind me. As soon as I set my eyes on Allie, I remember how much I hate her. She used to be my best friend. Many years ago. But my father kicked her father out of a business deal when he couldn’t stick to the terms and she took it out on me by becoming a total bitch.

“Allie, don’t push your luck with me tonight.” I warn her, trying to keep my temper in check.

She turns towards my friends, addressing them. “Be careful. She’s a backstabbing bitch. I would watch yourselves around her.”

I don’t know if it’s the way she’s tilting her head from side to side or that annoying high-pitched tone in her voice, but something inside me snaps and I leap towards her, throwing one hell of a punch.

My fist connects with her jaw and she squeals like a little pig, flying backwards, clutching at the people standing near her.

I should leave it at that - but I’m seething with rage - and drunk. So, I lean down and punch her again.

She kicks at me but misses.

Someone grabs me from behind and lifts me off her.

The bartender is yelling at me to calm down with his arm wrapped around my waist to hold me back.

“Get your hands off me.” I demand, glaring at him. He steps away from me and holds his hands in the air. But he keeps his eyes fixed on me. “Let’s not do this tonight.”

I push my lips together. The bartender knows me because I come here often. But he also knows that I spend so much money here, I practically have shares in the place.

I sigh in annoyance. “I want her removed from this club. I never want to see her face in here again.”

He sighs, but he waves a bouncer over and leans close to him to say something into his ear. The bouncer nods then scoops a crying Allie off the floor to carry her out of the club.

The bartender turns back to me. “It’s done. But no more bullshit tonight, ok?”

I smile but continue to glare at him until he walks away, shaking his head.

“Holy fuck.” Dante bursts out laughing. Bella and Sammy are wide eyed and then laughing too. I’m still way too pumped up with anger and adrenaline.

Fuck it.

I may as well go all in with the craziness.

I spin away from them - marching straight towards Rufino Vece.

My friends are shouting at me to come back, not to be stupid. It’s too late, I have made up my mind.

Rufino’s eyes are on me, dark and curious, as I step right into his personal space and, with no warning whatsoever, I grab the collar of his shirt, pull him down to my level and press my mouth against his.

As soon as our lips touch, my anger dissolves and I melt into him. His build is like that of a freaking Viking. Solid and broad and even taller than I thought. His muscles ripple beneath his shirt when he moves.

His hand travels up my spine, sending shivers through my entire body as he pulls me even closer against him.

Everything around me disappears and all I feel, and all I know, is him.

It’s like a volcano has erupted and we are the energy that gets released from it. Time stops. His kiss is everything.

My heart is beating a million miles an hour when I finally step back.

He is staring at me with the calmest expression on his face.

I expected him to be furious, or at least take n aback, but he remains composed. Not saying a word.

I don’t say a word either.

I got what I came for.

I did the dare.

I kissed the scary dangerous man, and nothing exploded.

Except me. I exploded a little.

Spinning away from him, I march all the way back to my friends and pick up the tequila they ordered for me and down it.

“What’s the next dare?” I ask, grinning and throwing them a don’t mess with me look.

I am empowered. Bold. crazy and like a total badass.

It’s freaking amazing.

Everyone is staring at me in utter disbelief until Dante laughs.

“You are a psycho.” He says, and everyone joins him in laughter.

“I need to dance.” I tug Bella towards the dance floor and everyone else follows. My body is high. It’s as though his lips were a drug, and it won’t stop flooding me with adrenaline.

My heart won’t stop beating like a wild horse’s hooves running through an open plain, either.

My mind is still very much on the kiss and how he pushed up against me.

My eyes keep tracing back to where he’s standing. I don’t know what it is about him, but that calm aura seems to hide an undercurrent of extreme darkness. There is a secret in his eyes that I want to know more about.

My body is inexplicably tied to him now and I can’t shake the feeling that the kiss was only the beginning of something bigger.

It can’t be, though.

I’m just drunk, that’s all.

I’m drunk and hyped up on tequila and I should just forget about the Vece. I did the dare. Move on.

Forcing myself to turn my back on him, I close my eyes and lift my hands in the air, letting the music soak through me and distract me from the way he causes my body to tingle.

I listen to the bass and let it pull me and push me until it’s all I’m thinking about. The music can take me. It’s all I need.

But that’s when I feel his hands on me.

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