Vicious Vows (Cruel Empire #2)

Chapter 1

ONE

Marchello

Scars, bullet holes, tattoos…they’re just reminders of who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re headed.

If only I had stopped to look, things might not have gone to shit.

I ran my razor under the stream of water flowing into the bathroom sink before gliding the blade along my lathered jawline. Gazing into the mirror, I took in my most prominent tattoo. The work in progress I was most proud of.

When I had the tattoo artist sketch the smoking gun and apply the design to my chest, I knew I would always add to the artwork. The check marks under the gun would be on-going because that’s who I was.

Each mark represented a bullet. One that had come from my gun and ended up snuffing the life from someone else. The first was supposed to be the hardest, but it wasn’t that bad. After that, it all became second nature.

Why?

Because that was where I was headed.

The September sun heated the stifling warehouse, making it difficult to breathe. The stench of the Hudson River seeped into the old building just off the port. Sweat trickled down my back and soaked through my Armani suit jacket.

The guards held up a badly beaten man by his arms so he had to look at me through his swollen and bruised eyes. He had no fight left in him. My father had him brought here so he could answer for his crimes.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

I aimed my gun at his chest. My hand was steady. Too steady. My heartbeat was barely above resting as I stared at the piece of shit who had just admitted to blowing up the Accetti family’s whole world—the reason we were a family.

“This is the man responsible for killing your mother, Marchello,” my father said. “He’s the reason she’s no longer with us.”

Rage brewed in my chest as I positioned my finger on the trigger.

“Patience.” My father touched my shoulder. “Let him anticipate it. Let him remember the look in your eyes for all of his eternity.”

“When he’s burning in hell for taking her from us?” I asked. “For taking her unborn child?”

“My unborn child.” My father spit in the man’s face, but he was too weak even to flinch. “Your life should be ending by my hand, but instead, I’m going to allow my son the honor. Do you know why?”

The man tried to shake his head, but his neck was too injured for that. Bright red blood dripped from his nose and mouth as he looked me in the eye.

“Because his first kill should be memorable. One that he will never forget.”

The interrogation had been over for thirty minutes. The man hadn’t given us much, but he did admit to being the one who placed the explosive device in the car. The device that ended my mother’s life.

“Please,” my mother’s murderer managed to say. “I’ll do anything you want.”

“I want the name of the man who hired you,” my father said. “But you already said you can’t give me that. Is that still true?”

He nodded.

“Well, then I’m afraid you’re out of time.” My father’s voice was controlled and low. “You’re of no use to us, are you?”

“I’ll help you find out who hired me.” The man coughed, and blood spattered onto my white shirt.

“How are you supposed to do that when you have no idea who contracted you?” my father asked. “Isn’t that what you said?”

The desperate man nodded again.

“As I said…” My father walked around me and stood next to the man. “You’re of no use to us.”

Tick. Tick. Tick.

I glanced at my father. He gave me a slight nod, and without an ounce of regret or a second of hesitation, I pulled the trigger and ended the life of the man who had done the same to my mother and unborn brother.

At eighteen, I had become a man.

This hot and vile warehouse was a far cry from the classroom at Princeton University where I should have been studying law as my mother had intended.

My father had different plans for me.

“Marchello.” Lissia’s soft voice pulled me from my memory as she hurried to turn off the overflowing faucet. Water had spilled onto the floor and over my feet. She took a towel from the rack and wiped up the counter and the floor. “Are you okay?”

“What are you doing out of bed?” I helped her off the floor, taking in her lavender tank top and matching panties. “You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I’ve been resting for hours,” she said. “My head doesn’t hurt, and my feet don’t look so bad today. I’m fine.”

“You were tormented and attacked.” I rinsed the remaining shaving cream from my neck and then dried my face. “You’re not fine.”

“I’m not in any pain.”

I tossed my razor on the sink, trying not to lose my temper with her, but every time I thought about her running off and getting herself kidnapped by someone who wasn’t me, I became enraged. She was lucky I found her. Her actions could have had more serious consequences.

Any trust that we had built between us had been demolished the moment she walked out of the safe house and away from me. I didn’t care why she did it. I didn’t need her protection, and I didn’t want her help.

“Marchello, I’m back with you now.” She touched my shoulder as she gazed into my eyes through the mirror. “I know I fucked up.”

I closed my eyes for a split second and tried not to react to her foul mouth. If I had my way, I would force her onto her knees, shove my cock down her throat, and make her blow me until I felt better.

“I’m sorry.” She held up her hand when she realized her mistake. “I know I screwed up. I acted on impulse, but it won’t happen again.”

“I don’t trust you,” I said.

“Oh.” She looked away from my harsh gaze.

“Can you blame me?” Was she really shocked that she had shattered my trust?

She shook her head, still not making eye contact with me.

“Don’t do that.” I backed her into the counter. “Don’t make me out to be the bad guy.”

“You are kind of the bad guy.”

“Don’t do that either.”

“What?”

“Provoke me with your sassy mouth and your smart responses.” I placed my hands on either side of her, resting them on the counter. “I’m not in the mood.”

“Do you want me to start an argument?” She draped her arms over my shoulders. “Will that help?”

“That’s the last thing I need. I can’t go back and forth with you right now.” I pressed my lips together, daring her to challenge me. “I can’t put you in your place like I want to.”

“Why not?”

“Because twenty-four hours ago, you were being chased in the woods at gunpoint.” I gripped the marble beneath my fingers, cursing myself for allowing her to get into that situation in the first place. “Have you forgotten?”

“That’s what this is about?”

“Do you think I’m going to forget the kind of danger you deliberately put yourself in?”

“Nothing happened to me.” She threw her hands in the air. “I’m standing here with you.”

“That’s not the point!” I turned away from her. “Why don’t you see that? Why can’t you understand how this could have turned out?”

“Because.” She came up behind me and pressed her lips to the back of my shoulder. “You saved me.”

“I shouldn’t have had to.” I closed my eyes when she wrapped her hands around my waist. “You should have done what I told you to do. You can’t put yourself in these situations.”

“I’ll do what you tell me.” She trailed her hands down my hips, tugging at my towel. “I promise.”

“I don’t believe you.”

She had already manipulated me once. That would never happen again.

“I’ll prove it.” She pushed the towel onto the floor and stepped in front of me. “Let me make it up to you.”

“How do you propose you do that?”

“I know how to start.” She gazed up at me with her wide, mesmerizing eyes. “And I know how to make you finish.”

When she tried to kneel in front of me, I caught her elbow and brought her back to face me. Her brow wrinkled in confusion when I stopped her impulsive seduction.

“What makes you think I should let you have my cock?” I gripped her arm. “Huh?”

“I…” She licked her lips, then slowly swiped her tongue across my mouth. “I want to beg for your forgiveness.”

“There will be plenty of time for you to beg. But don’t forget which one of us is in control.” I raised her tank top over her head and tossed it on the floor, then I circled my finger around her nipple. “I don’t even know if you can handle me right now.”

“Call the doctor and ask him if I can have your cock.” She took my hand and slipped it inside her panties. “I’m definitely ready for you.”

“You filthy girl.” I pushed my fingers inside her and coated them in her hot juices. “What am I going to do with you?”

“You’re in charge.” She bit my bottom lip. “You tell me.”

“Are you pretending to listen?” I spun her around, and she lifted her hair to offer me her neck. “Or are you finally learning your place?”

“I don’t know.” She wiggled her hips against my erection. “I did hit my head pretty hard.”

“Which is why I’m going to go easy on you today.” I skimmed my hand down her stomach and back inside her panties. “I’ve missed your pussy.”

“It misses you.” She rested her head on my chest. “I’ve missed us.”

I wanted to ignore her words. There should be no us . We didn’t make sense. We didn’t belong together. But here we were doing what we always did. Needing one another.

“Marchello.” She rocked against my fingers, sending them deeper inside her. “That feels good.”

She bent over the counter, switching her angle and allowing me to finger her harder.

I took in her beauty through her reflection. Lost in pleasure, she gave all of herself to me like she had from our first time. She placed her trust in me even when I took her hostage. Why couldn’t I reciprocate?

“Mmm…” She thrust her pelvis back. “I’m going to…”

“Let go.” I brought her back to my chest as I stroked her clit. “You’ve earned it.”

Her body shuddered with pleasure as she climaxed, breathing out my name. Before she could come down from her high, I turned her around and dropped to my knees. I couldn’t resist tasting her when she was aroused and shaking for more.

I shimmied her panties down her long, sexy legs, noting the fresh bruises on them. I pushed back my anger, trying not to taint this moment with what she had been through with Collins. She needed me to be attentive. And I could do that. I had to do that.

She held onto my shoulder as she stepped out of her panties, smiling. The look in her eyes taunted me. I could feel the emotion behind them—I could hear her saying the words that wanted to spill from her lips.

I pushed those thoughts from my mind, and I delved my tongue inside her sex, tasting her fresh arousal and giving her more of what she desired.

She raked her fingers through my hair as soft moans fell from her mouth. I licked her clit as I traced my fingers along her inner thighs, spreading her open and lapping the juice that was meant for my tongue only.

I indulged in her for as long as I could, but my cock could take no more. I had to get inside her. I had to claim her and make sure she understood who she belonged to.

“Baby girl.” I kissed my way up her stomach to her lips and thrust my tongue inside her mouth, sharing her arousal with her. “You taste delicious.”

“I need you.” She wedged her hand between our bodies and grasped my length in her hand. “Now.”

“Take it.” I inched closer to her, filling in the space between us as I hooked her leg over my hip. “You can have my cock now.”

“With pleasure.” She inserted my shaft inside her, wiggling against the tip.

“You can take more than that.” I slammed my waist forward, fully sheathing myself inside her hot, wet pussy. “That’s better.”

“Marchello!” she screamed as she received all of me. “Oh!”

She draped her arms over my neck and steadied herself on her tiptoes. I held her against me, setting a slow but solid pace, allowing us both to take pleasure in the moment.

I kissed her neck, biting and sucking as I continued to thrust inside her. Our lower bodies moved in perfect sync, each taking what the other offered. The more we progressed, the hotter and wetter we became.

I fought the urge to let loose, despite my beast who wanted to make an appearance. Pushing him back, I gave her this part of me because she was the only woman I could be this vulnerable with, even if she didn’t know that.

For the first time since finding her in the woods, I allowed myself to relax and lose myself in her. I wouldn’t be able to give her that over the next few days because the counter in my head would start ticking down until the next bomb detonated.

“Lissia.” I tightened my hold on her leg. “I’m gonna come.”

“Yes…” she cried. “Oh…”

Our entwined bodies tensed, then in a united heartbeat, we spiraled into mutual bliss, neither of us fully understanding what the future held for us. But I was too corrupted to think that it could be this way forever.

A ticking time bomb always explodes, eventually.

“Marchello.” She rested her head on my shoulder as I lowered her leg from my hip and held her against me. “That was amazing.”

I kissed the top of her head, relishing in her warmth for a few seconds before bringing myself back to reality.

“This may have felt different between us.” I lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. “But it doesn’t change what you did and how I’m going to respond to your actions.”

“But I thought…”

I pressed my finger to her lips and shook my head. “The games we played at the safe house are over. You’re about to learn your place, princess.”