His Vow, Her Blood

dried before

e scrawled in elegant script beneath Dante Moretti's, and wondered w

ilk tailored to cling like a second skin, ch

," she whispered.

gnize. Eyes rimmed with kohl, lips tinted a shade too bold,

is had died wi

wife-was someo

walked in, no tuxedo, no roses. Just a dark shirt rolled

the toast," he said, shu

t in the mood to celebrat

nce stretched between the

pected his usual calm-expected the

ng dangerous simmerin

low and methodical. Not

y this game with me to

really think I have the l

hurch," he murmured, stopping just inches a

playing at, Dante? What exactly do you

he was memorizing it. "Control. Prot

lappe

racked thro

liate. Just stood there, cheek

he s

more than a s

said, voice like velvet over

a prison," Aria snapped. "You're not

mile

doing

ut he stepped closer-too close-a

the truth?

ant my l

of them want your head on a spike. Others want you in their bed. And a fe

y. "And you want to par

t to keep you alive.

bt that crept in. Hated that part of her believed

got peop

ered, more to herself than to him. "An

darkened. "He trust

right one?" sh

I'm the only one lef

d, staring at the wedding band on her finger. It

t worn it

n't taken i

r creak

k?" she asked w

our room. But it's not your cage.

ere would I even goEveryonene of your men w

room and leaned ag

because

ened. "Then why

death would give my enemies a reason to figh

n that sentence. Something hea

en you and my father

le

t. "But he made enemies of allies. He b

ou lov

aid. "But I r

d m

dn't

nding there, the ring on her

ning, Aria w

slammed. The house buzzed with acti

ed it just as Dante strode past

pening?" sh

. "Go bac

a cha

dded to one of the guards.

oom?! I'm not

cracked. "Someone just tried to bomb the east wing. Yo

we

ear in his voice w

s for

an she expected, a sealed concrete vault w

ed just afte

speak when

dn't

ench, his sleeves rolled up, collar undon

ned?" she a

ing," h

om

emy I've

u know they we

rk eyes heavy. "Because

ruth settled like st

et tired?" she

toward her

ways watching your ba

"You don't get tire

And what if I told you I didn't want

ered. "I would

ia

let you walk into death. But I

whisper. "Why are y

ding slowly. "I'm being hon

ic room before

h her thoughts- and a heart that

er, Dante retu

oing to t

nked. "E

row night. The Moretti Foundation is hosti

t to sho

ow them you'r

designer dress and some diamo

they'll make you look powerful. And

night blue. Beaded. Backle

a say in

the door. "You get to decid

threw the d

, she k

as hell in

tasted like secrets. Faces painted i

e watch

spicion. Oth

ith ope

all of her back, possessive but never invasive. His

safe she fel

he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Smile, Aria. They'r

did

room fel

's wife h