Brutal Vows Quotes

I don’t want to trap you,” I say to Riona. “I want to unleash you. I want to set you free. I want to show you what you really are . . .

I told myself I wouldn’t kiss you again without your permission,” he says. I swallow hard. “But that was a stupid fucking promise,

You were curled in the corner of the bed, completely absorbed in that book, as if it didn’t matter that you lived this brutal existence and had only a tiny room to call your own. It didn’t matter that you had to work so hard for everything. When you were reading, you were somewhere else. You were someone else.

I’d go anywhere for you, Riona. I’d do anything. I know I probably shouldn’t tell you that. You don’t like anything if it’s too easy. But it’s true—you’ve got me wrapped around your little finger.

Let me tell you something, though. When she says those vows to me, she becomes my wife. She’ll belong to me. And what happens to her isn’t your concern anymore. She answers to me. What goes on between us is my business, not yours.

I’ll kill anyone who ever disrespects you. I’ll kill anyone who even looks at you the wrong way. If anyone so much as annoys you, I’ll put a bullet in his skull and throw his body into the Charles River. You never have to fight your own battles again, viper, understood? I’ll fucking destroy any dumb motherfucker who ever dares to even make you frown.

Dear God. The daughter of a Mafia don is having an affair with the Latino pool boy. We’re a telenovela.

I love you with every part of my dark heart and every piece of my wasted soul.

I felt this duty to stay. But then I realized . . . duty isn’t the same thing as desire.

I promise to choose you for the rest of our lives. To choose you over fear or selfishness. Over ambition or other cares. I promise to never let you down again. To always be there for you. I promise to give you every bit of joy this life has to offer. You are the most incredible man I’ve ever known, and I promise to be the wife you deserve.

Because I could easily kill another man, but I never found the guts to kill myself.” She says softly, “Oh, Quinn. Not killing yourself wasn’t an act of cowardice. It was an act of courage. It takes so much more bravery to keep living when you’re in pain than it does to give up.

When I try to shove him once more, he grabs me by the face and kisses me. It’s a rough kiss, his black stubble scratching my face. It’s hard and violent and I can taste the salt of his sweat. I wrench away from him and slap him across the face. “Don’t you fucking kiss me!” I shout.

Hi, Homer. I’m Reyna. It’s nice to meet you. You look like an orphan’s idea of Christmas morning.

You were born to twist men around your pinky finger,

I have an idea.” “The poor thing must be lonely inside that empty brain of yours.

You can’t have a best friend that you’re attracted to. That’s what being in love is. It’s wanting to fuck your best friend.

Goddamn, woman…just when I think you couldn’t impress me any more than you already have, you step out of that car and blow my fucking mind.

I wanted to tell Riona that I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about her. That I think I’m falling in love with her.

It’s because I admire him. I’ve never fucked a man I actually respected before. I’m so fucking arrogant that I looked down on every man I dated. They didn’t impress me.

she has a force of will inside of her stronger than a hurricane. I admire it.

There’s the parts that are the same, and the parts that fill up the holes in each other. You don’t know what’s missing inside of you, until you find it in someone else.

Let me guess,” I say. “You’re calling me ‘cause Riona wants my number. It’s alright—I understand. The chemistry between us was palpable.

I like any book that puts you inside somebody’s head,

I want an equal. Someone who pushes me and challenges me. I want a partner.

I growl into her ear, “I want you to give yourself to me. I want you to do exactly what I say. And if you don’t love every fucking minute of it . . . I’ll leave you alone for good. I’ll never bother you again. Do you agree?

Finally, his teeth gritted, he says, “Any particular carat size you’d like, Madam Queen?” My smile is so sweet, it could cause cancer. “The bigger the better. She’ll need something to show off to her friends, and it certainly isn’t you.

When he bared his fangs, she knew he was going to go for her jugular, and she wanted him there. Turning her head to the side, she bared herself to him— The strike was brutal, his fangs going in so deep, she screamed—but not in pain, even though it hurt in a delicious way. This was the marking she had heard about. This was the owning of the female by the male, the staking of the claim. And sure enough, he held her in place at the throat with his teeth as he marked her from the inside out by coming into her sex. But

You can visit me, you know. And I’m sure I’ll come back here all the time.” “No, you won’t.” Nessa shakes her head with surprising seriousness. “When you really fall in love . . . that person becomes your world. You’ll come back sometimes. But mostly you’ll want to be with Raylan.

She’s everything I’ve ever wanted and so much more than I could ever deserve, and I know without doubt that I will love this woman until my last breath. I’ll love her until the earth stops spinning and the sun flames out and all the stars fall from the sky. I’ll love her forever. My wife. My viper. My warrior. My queen. I will worship at your feet for all eternity.

Her teeth sank into my bottom lip and I wasn't even sure if the blood I could taste was mine or that of the men we'd just killed, and I didn't care. Because this kiss was more than just a kiss. It was an oath and a vow and a promise I intended to keep until death came and ripped me from this world kicking and screaming and cursing for the rest of time. I was her creature now. I was a man on his knees in the rain and a monster hiding in the dark and I was hers to command at will.

Now that we, my sister and I, are talking to her, truthfully; now that we have broken this vow of silence and someone else’s shame; now that our perpetrator, dead since we were little, is dead of his control: now we are present with one another. The real brutality of that is that it is decades later. The stigma put upon us, by society, by its shameful lack of action, by secrets in families, in culture, in religions, in misogynistic realities everywhere, is out in the open. Yet we lost a lifetime of love, of our family.

Alessandro burst out laughing and Bree wrapped her arms around his neck. “Don’t think about the past anymore. Let’s move forward and let’s be happy.” Alessandro cocked an eyebrow. “Is that an order, young lady?” “Yes, Sir. From this second on, you’re not allowed to think about how much we hurt each other and how stupid you were-“ “How stupid I-“ “Ah!” Bree pressed her fingers against his lips. “How stupid we both were.” “And what would the punishment be for disobeying such an order?” Alessandro asked, his fingers trailing down her back. “Oh it would be very bad,” Bree assured him playfully. “Very?” Alessandro asked, his eyes lit with amusement. “Oh yes. Brutal. Vicious even.” “Oh that does sound terrible,” Alessandro agreed. “There might even be whips,” Bree warned. “Oh dear,” Alessandro smiled.

I’m never gonna waste a single day on this earth I have with you, baby,” he swore, the oath glittering in the depths of his eyes. “If death comes knocking on any of our doors again, we’ll fight it head on together,” I vowed in return.

I notice my own flaws more than anyone’s—I can be cold and unwelcoming. Obsessive. Quick to get angry and slow to forgive. Worst of all, I’m easily annoyed.

Not that I should be surprised by that. I’ve learned that there are very few things my wife is ever wrong about. And those I’m wise enough not to mention.

Reyna who has the guts of a Viking and the body of a fertility goddess and the attitude of a feral cat.

But my father didn’t scare me, and neither does my older brother. For that matter, neither does anyone else. After what I’ve been through, the devil himself could show up demanding my soul, and I’d tell him to kiss my sweet ass and fuck off back to hell.

Hello, Spider-man. You’re much taller in real life than you look in the comics.

I think you’re a brilliant golden sun in a sky that’s only ever known the black and starless night.

Reyna who hates me. Reyna who challenges me. Reyna who has the guts of a Viking and the body of a fertility goddess and the attitude of a feral cat.

I say loudly, “Did you just disrespect my wife?” When he smirks at me, I pull out my gun and put a bullet in his head.

Oh, Quinn. Not killing yourself wasn’t an act of cowardice. It was an act of courage. It takes so much more bravery to keep living when you’re in pain than it does to give up.

I've never experienced what it's like to fully esteem a man. To want to impress him. To want to please him. [...] On top of that, there was a deep and potent relief in letting go...in letting him take charge of the sexual experience. I didn't have to think or plan or maintain my rigid hold on the situation like I usually would. Instead, I could set my brain free. There was no governor on my thoughts or on my physical response. I was free to simply experience what was happening with no distractions.

Crouching down, I motion for the biggest girl to climb on my back. I grab two more girls and set them on either hip. “Are you insane?” Bomber says. “Pick up those two, or I’ll fucking shoot you myself!” I shout at him.

Some people are intellectually lazy." - uncle Oran

He remained quiet for a while, his breath stirring my hair. “I’m never going to let you go,” he said, his voice holding a vow in it that made a shiver of fear run through me. “Maybe not,” I breathed. “But I will run away the moment I get the chance. And I will get the chance, Blake.” He clutched me tighter, a growl in his throat. “Then you’d better run fast, sweetheart, because I’ve never lost a race in my life.

I’m thirty-three, childless, with no career or work experience. I was raised in an environment of shame and fear by people who didn’t love each other. All I’ve ever known from every man who was supposed to care for me is violence. I’m jaded, cynical, and broken in so many places, there’s not enough glue in the world to put me back together. And I’m starting to have real feelings for a man who might be even more broken than I am.

I really like Sloane, but I’ve never had a worse meal in my life.” “She’s very into her health.” “Is she into Declan’s health? Because it seems like her poor husband could starve to death eating that shredded cardboard she calls food.” He reaches out and brushes a strand of hair off my cheek, tucking it behind my ear. “Declan would eat broken glass if that’s what Sloane was serving.” I recall how his eyes tracked her every movement and smile. “He does seem a little obsessed with her.

I always keep my nails short and painted black. It confuses people. They’re not sure if I’m chic and trendy or a dominatrix.

With the speed of two fingers snapping, he devolves from an adult human male with a fully functioning frontal lobe to a cave-dwelling primate composed of ninety-nine percent penis.

The place Quinn calls home is a penthouse in a skyscraper in the middle of the city that looks as if it were designed by Morticia Addams at the height of a depressive episode. Decorated entirely in shades of gray and black, the place is dark, sophisticated, and freezing. It’s somewhere a coven of vampires might feel cozy and welcome. Not a single speck of color enlivens the place. There isn’t a throw pillow, photograph, or plant in sight. There isn’t any carpeting or warm fabrics to soften the space, either. It’s all glass, marble, steel, and cold reflective surfaces. Looking around the echoing living room, I say, “My, how delightful. If I were a cyborg, I’d plug myself right in.

it’s a Mob bachelor pad. That explains its lack of a pulse.

I sit down across from her, open the wine, pour us both a glass, and raise mine. “Sláinte.” She makes a sour face. “Same to you.” That makes me chuckle. “It means cheers.” “Oh. Well, why didn’t you say so?” She picks up her glass. “To what?” Looking at her, the woman who spawned Reyna, Queen Devil Bitch of All Existence, I say sourly, “Birth control.

I’m about to protest that I’m not anything like Reyna’s dead psycho husband when the crack of gunfire rings out from somewhere behind the house. “Oh, listen,” says Mrs. Caruso calmly, glancing toward the kitchen window. “They’re playing your song.

Did you just shoot a man to protect me?” She looks at me, blinks, then winces. “Shit. Must’ve been a reflex.

I was his wife and therefore his property, and in the Cosa Nostra, you can do with your property whatever you like.

a man who will protect a woman with his own life is a rare thing. So rare, I’ve never seen it before.

Men don’t like unpredictable things they can’t control. Which is why they prefer dogs over cats.

Fucking hell, you’re gorgeous. My sweet girl. I’d kill an army for you. I’d burn down empires and lay all their gold at your feet.

I don’t know what happened.” He chuckles. “I’ll tell you what happened. I dazzled the swamp witch with my dick, she fell under a sleeping spell, and the real you woke up for the first time in centuries.

He says, “Tell me about these romance novels of yours.” “Why?” “I’m interested to know what you like about them.

I guess I like that they’re written for women. The whole world is made to please the male gaze, but romance novels only care about what we want. What we need. They’re specifically for our pleasure. Some of the stories are great escapist fantasies.

The way he’s wrapped around my body—legs, arms, and that big rough hand around my neck—should make me feel panicked. Or cornered, at least. Like a hunted fox, staring down its bloody end. But all I feel is sheltered. Secure. As if his body is a shield instead of a weapon that could do me harm. For the first time in my life, a man feels not like war to me, but like home.

Feeling a thousand years old, I turn my head and stare at the ceiling. After a while, I say, “I’m thirty-eight.” “Hmm. You don’t look a day over fifty.” “I deserve that.” “You do. What else? Tell me more.” “Like what?” “I don’t know … What’s your favorite song?” “‘God Bless America.’” She laughs. “That’s not your favorite song.

You’re in shock.” My laugh sounds crazed. “You think?” “Aye. I’ve seen you stab a man in the neck without batting a lash and hunt armed intruders with the enthusiasm of a big game poacher, but saying ‘I do’ seems to be beyond your stress threshold.

Your ego is the eighth wonder of the world, my friend.

Don’t look at me like that. You knew this was coming. Lili’s of age now.” “She’s been eighteen for all of two weeks, for fuck’s sake. And what about college? You promised you’d consider

REY

She’s still a child.” “At eighteen, she’s now an adult. And you were two years younger than she is when you were married.

Lili was always going to be matched for the betterment of the family. You know it. She knows it. Everyone knows it. This is nothing new.

Lili isn’t you, Rey.” “No, she’s my niece. And my goddaughter. And one of the sweetest, brightest girls I’ve ever met. She doesn’t deserve to be married off to some horrible old Irishman!” “I never said he was old.” “Who probably stinks like cooked cabbage!” “I promise you, he doesn’t smell like a vegetable.” “And has a kiddie porn habit! Any man who wants to marry a teenager has to be a pervert!

I recoil in disgust. “He’s coming here?” “To meet Lili.” “Now?” “Yes.” I narrow my eyes in suspicion. “Why are you only telling me about this marriage contract seconds before the Irishman sets foot in the house?

You son of a bitch. Lili doesn’t know yet, does she?

He continues in a softer tone. “And her zia will explain to her how this is all for the best, and how family comes first, and how, if her new husband proves to be anything like her zia’s late husband Enzo, he’ll find himself the victim of an untimely death, too.” He pauses. “A meticulously planned death with no witnesses or evidence of foul play. An ‘accidental’ death so well executed, it even fooled the police.” Without missing a beat, I say, “I didn’t kill my husband.” He smiles. “I’ve never met anyone who can lie as well as you do.” “It’s a gift.

Yes, it’s very inconvenient for the men in this family when the women have minds of their own.

It’s not like I have a choice, anyway. As the head of the Caruso family, Gianni calls all the shots. Someday, there will be a female head of one of the five Italian crime families in New York. It’s a dream of mine that I’ll live long enough to see it.

I assure you, he’s not a monster.” “This would be a good time to point out that you liked Enzo, too.” Gianni winces. “Enzo was a sociopath. They’re very good at pretending to be charming.” “Exactly. Which is why I need to have the final word. If anyone can spot a psycho a mile away, it’s me.” He doesn’t have an argument for that. How could he? It’s the truth. I earned my monster radar the hard way.

Gianni’s late wife was big on the Catholic church school of interior design. She died giving birth to Lili, but her unique taste in décor lives on.

Your father negotiated a marriage contract for you. You’re meeting the man today. As in right now. His car just pulled up.

Your father negotiated a marriage contract for you. You’re meeting the man today. As in right now. His car just pulled up.” Lili falls still. She swallows. Other than that, she has no reaction. “You took that better than I expected. Brave girl. So that’s the bad news. The good news is that if I don’t approve of his choice, the contract will be canceled.” She closes her eyes, exhales, and says faintly, “Holy fucking buckets of cat shit.” “Very creative. Anything else?” She opens her eyes and stares at me in panic, clutching my hands so hard, it hurts. “I don’t want to get married, zia.” “Of course you don’t. You’re sane.

it has to be said aloud. Things gain a certain gravitas when they’re spoken.

I was young once, too. I had dreams once, too. I had needs and desires and a wide open future that stretched out ahead of me like a golden, glimmering dream. Until all the beautiful dreams were destroyed by the cold, killing weight of a wedding ring.

SPIDER

She’s not a servant, that much I know. There wasn’t a hint of servitude in those flashing eyes. She looked more like a warlord about to lead an army of soldiers into battle.

Reyna.

I glance back up at her face to find her stony gaze turned to withering heat. It’s a look that could melt steel. I’ve never seen such hot, wordless fury. It makes the burning lakes of fire in the deepest pits of hell look like cozy bubble baths in comparison. All that heat and hate she’s blasting at me goes straight to my dick, which throbs in excitement. Figures. The fucker only ever wants what he can’t have.

She quirks her lips. “Now you’re toying with me, Mr. Quinn.” “Spider.” After a beat of confusion, she says, “Pardon?” “Call me Spider.” “Why on earth would I do that?” “Because it’s my name.

Do you have a temper?” “All men have tempers.” She scoffs. “Don’t I know it. What I mean is are you violent?” “I’m second-in-command of the Irish Mob. What do you think?

Honestly, I haven’t felt this unhinged in years. The man brings out the animal in me.

When I said she was a force of nature, it was accurate. She’s an erupting volcano, a category 5 hurricane, and a magnitude 10 earthquake, all wrapped up in a body made for sin.

Reyna means queen.

Anger is so much easier for me to deal with than tenderness. Anger gives you armor. Tenderness strips you naked to the bone.

He picks up the wine and hands it to me. “Here. Drink this. It’ll give you something to do with your mouth other than spit venom at me.

The only thing I had to sustain me was the hope that one of Enzo’s violent rages would end in my death. They never did, though. He beat me near to it many times, but death never came to rescue me. I had to rescue myself instead.

To match all the fireworks going on inside my uterus. I never imagined I’d one day actually feel my ovaries throb and pulse like they were hooked up to electrodes, but here we are.

a man who’d marry a woman for any reason other than love has the soul of a monster.

If you think I’ve got a stick up my ass about marriage, you’re right. You know why? Because a man gains everything when he takes a wife. A maid, a cook, a housekeeper, a social manager, and a toy he can fuck whenever it suits his convenience. But for a woman, a wedding is where her life ends.

It’s about escape. He wants to escape into marriage with the same longing I wanted to escape from it. For me, marriage vows were the beginning of a long, horrible tumble into the dark. For Quinn, they’re the end of it.

I want her to learn that marriage to me isn’t the end of her life. It’s only the beginning.

Standing in the water with her red hair all wild and wavy around her shoulders, she looked like aphrodite. Like a goddess made of flesh for the very first time.

I guess that sounds like I’m describing myself—I’m not. I know I’m not the right guy for her, either. We’d probably murder each other.

But I find myself not wanting to leave him here with Riona. I tell myself it’s because I’m supposed to be watching her, keeping her safe. But if I’m totally honest, I look at Nero with his outrageous good looks and that air of menace that appeals to women in a very specific way, and I feel something just a little too close to jealousy.

the fact that he followed her into the bathroom and put his hands on her . . . it makes me want to murder him. Just snuff him out of this world.

What?” I say. “What about the Griffins?” “They’re fuckin’ . . . mafia,” he says hoarsely. “I was pissed. But I’m not suicidal.

Cal fell in love with the daughter of our worst enemy. Nessa is married to her own goddamned kidnapper. Nero got his heart stolen by a girl he barely noticed in high school. And Dante is back together with the woman who ripped out his heart.

Camille and I are the same,” he says simply. “Not in circumstances or experiences. Not on the outside. But in the things that matter, we’re aligned. What we care about. What we want. What we feel.” I

There’s the parts that are the same and the parts that fill up the holes in each other. You don’t know what’s missing inside of you until you find it in someone else.

He’s easy to talk to and even easier to listen to.

I guess that’s true. Even Raylan and I seem to get along when we’re eating together. Raylan probably gets along with everyone, though.

he actually has a very calming presence. He knows when to talk and when not to. When to just have a companionable silence. He’s not always trying to fill the air with nonsense.

I’m so sorry that someone trying to KILL ME is an inconvenience for you,” I say acidly. “This is fucking crazy! You’re with this guy and—

He throws his arms around both Raylan and his mom, squeezing them tight until his mother shouts, “Alright, don’t break my back, let me out of this hug!” He grins, letting her go. “I didn’t even see you there, Ma.

Riona surprises me often. Like when she was singing in the car. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look so uninhibited and simply . . . happy.

I loved that apartment—why don’t I want another one? Am I afraid of being there alone? Afraid of someone pouring gasoline under my door again?

Simone,” he says. “I’ve loved you from the moment I saw your face. I know that will sound shallow since I’m talking to the most gorgeous woman in the world. But I promise you, in your face I saw your bravery, your intelligence, and your kindness. As soon as you spoke to me, it was like a door opened into your mind. I saw this whole other universe of creativity and cleverness. A way of looking at things that I’d never imagined. And I wanted to walk through that door. I wanted to live in your world. You made such an impact on me that I never forgot you. Through all the time we were apart, I thought of you constantly. I dreamed of you. I longed for you. To have you back in my arms brings me a joy that I can’t express. The reality of you is a hundred times better than my imagining.

Thank you, Simone, for coming back to me. Thank you for bringing our son. Thank you for raising him. Henry, you’re a good man already. I’m so proud of you.

I will love you every moment of my life,” Dante says. “I will cherish and protect you. Anything you want, I’ll get it for you. I’ll be your best friend and your ally. I’ll make your life better, always, and never worse.

But they’re also tears of anguish because I’m realizing that I love Raylan. I truly, truly love him. And that terrifies me.

I feel wetness on my cheeks, and all of a sudden Raylan puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close to him so my face is hidden against his chest. He’s doing that for me—because he knows I’d hate to have anyone see me cry. Even my own closest friends and family. He knows me so well. He knows exactly what I need.

I’d respect him more if he were an honest asshole instead of a fake nice guy.

A wave of relief washes over me at the sight of my brother, who looks as cool and competent as always, and Dante, who could have ripped that fucking scuba diver in half with his bare hands if he would have been in the pool with me.

As I turn my face into the spray, I feel another swoop of panic. I remember the awful heaving of my lungs, desperate for air.

My love for my family is like the roots of an oak tree. A part of the tree, necessary for life. It’s always been there and it always will be.

Should I call the police?” “No,” I say automatically. The Griffins don’t call the police when we have a problem. In fact, we’ll do anything we can to avoid contact with the cops.

I grin at her. “You can tell ‘em I’m your cousin if you like.” “No thank you,” Riona replies coolly. “I know how you treat your cousins where you come from.” I can’t help giving a little snort.

She’s a tough nut to crack. And I’ve always liked a challenge. Honestly, if she liked me right off the bat, I’d think she had terrible taste.

Who’s Nick?” “My boyfriend,” she says primly. “Can’t wait to meet him.” She frowns. “You’re not coming.” “Sorry, darlin.’ I’m your bodyguard. That means anywhere you go, I go too.

You can fuck a lot of people. And anyone can be a friend. But there’s a third part to love . . . admiring the person.” “Admiring them?” “Yes. That’s a lot more rare. There are only a few people I really respect.

In this moment, I want more than anything to be one of those people. To be respected and admired by a woman like Riona is a real accomplishment.

I’m still distracted. My brain keeps floating back to my walk with Raylan down the birch avenue. I miss him. That sounds so ridiculous, but it’s true. I’ve gotten so used to him being by my side almost constantly. When he goes anywhere else, I feel his absence.

Raylan has become like sunshine on my skin. Warm, comforting, enlivening. When he goes someplace else, I feel chilled and dull. Like a flower just waiting for the sun to return.

As soon as I feel his forearm loosen, I turn my chin to the side and drop down with all my weight, slipping out of his grasp. I swing the knife wildly, and this time it sticks into his thigh. I lose my grip on the handle. The Djinn gives a strangled yell and backhands me in the side of the face, knocking me backward.

His blue eyes find mine, and I see infinite relief in them as he looks me over, as he sees that I’m safe. He pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly against his warm chest. “You’re okay. You’re okay,” he says. I think he’s reassuring himself.

When I told Riona what happened to Ellis, little did I know that she and I would likewise bury a body twelve hours later. One of those little jokes the universe plays on us. Riona seems to be thinking the same thing. She looks at me with solemn eyes and says, “Now we have our own little secret.

You need to be loved,” I tell her. “You’re not above it any more than I am. You’ve been happy here with me. Happier than you are at home. This is where you belong—here with me.

Disappointment washes over me, heavy and dark. I hadn’t realized how much I’d been hoping that Riona would stay. After everything we’ve been through together. Everything we’ve learned about each other . . . I thought she had bonded to me like I bonded to her.

I look up at his handsome, scruffy face. I wish he’d give me his charming smile one more time—the one that drove me crazy at first. Now I think it would just make me feel warm and happy.

It makes me think of the ranch house, where every piece of furniture and every bit of decor seems to tell a story of the person who made it and the people who used it over the years.

I wonder what it would feel like to hold my own child. To see a mix of my own features and the features of the person I loved best in the world. I can imagine the gratitude I’d feel to my wife for carrying my child and going through the pain and labor to bring it into the world. I can imagine the overwhelming impulse to take care of them both. To provide for them and keep them safe.

But I was right about one person at least: the man sitting next to me. Raylan flew to Chicago to make sure I was safe. He saved me when nobody else was there to do it. He hasn’t left my side since except to brush his teeth or use the shower in my hospital room.

Nessa has dropped our gifts off at the reception table, and now she’s sliding into her seat next to Mikolaj, directly behind me. Miko had been silent and scowling up until that moment, his pale face and white blond hair in stark contrast to his all-black suit. When Nessa sits beside him, his expression changes entirely. His sharp features soften into a smile, and a light comes into his ice blue eyes, until he hardly looks like the same person. Now he seems almost approachable and not like he might murder all of us. He lifts one heavily tattooed hand to tuck a lock of hair back behind Nessa’s ear. In his accented voice, he says, “You look stunning, moja mała baletnica.

No, you won’t.” Nessa shakes her head with surprising seriousness. “When you really fall in love . . . that person becomes your world. You’ll come back sometimes. But mostly you’ll want to be with Raylan. And that’s okay. I’m happy for you! I’ll miss you like crazy, though!

I had to do it twice. Because you hated Raylan the first time.” “I know.” I scowl at him. “You better name your firstborn after me for all the work I put in.

I promise to choose you over fear or selfishness. Over ambition and other cares.

I don’t want to trap you,” I say to Riona. “I want to unleash you. I want to set you free. I want to show you what you really are . .

You wouldn’t shoot your uncle . . . ” he says, his yellowed teeth bared in a stiff rictus of a smile. “I absolutely would.” I pull the trigger, shooting him right between the eyes.

But there’s a fierceness in his face that Oran didn’t have. Men have the ability to recognize leaders—it’s clear at a glance that Fergus is a boss.

Did you take the carpet out, too?” I say, remembering the bloodstain. “Of course. That’s how we carried the body out. Cal shut off the cameras and told Carl to take a smoke break.

I’m glad she has you here,” Nessa says. “You’re going to stay here with her?” Firmly, I say, “I’m not going anywhere.

squares.” Riona gives a raspy little chuckle. “Don’t joke--I can’t laugh right now.” “I can’t help it,” I say. “I’d do anything to make you smile.

Don’t worry, Raylan, I haven’t run away. I smile to myself. I know Riona, and she knows me. There’s something I have to do this morning. It won’t take long. Please come meet me downstairs at 12:00. I promise I’ll be there. I want to respond to what you said last night. xoxo Riona

now, I wonder if I can give up on the ranch and my life in Tennessee. If she asks me to stay, will I say yes this time? I think I have to. I promised my mom I’d come home for good. But I know my mother. I know she wants me to be happy. If I tell her that Riona is the thing that will make me happiest . . . she’ll understand

Riona,” I say slowly. “This is in Knoxville.” “I know,” she laughs. “I saw it when we went into town to get the horse stall mats.” “You bought a building . . . in Tennessee?” I know I sound like an idiot, but I can’t quite believe this. “Yes,

I just can’t believe it. I don’t want to allow this wild happiness to rise up inside of me in case it isn’t real. I grab her hands and grip them tightly. “You want to come back home with me?” She looks at me, her green eyes bright and shining. “Yes,” she says simply.

I want to choose you, Raylan. I want to choose you over anything else.” I shake my head in amazement. I really thought I was getting the hang of Riona. Then she knocks me over like this. I say. “I was all set to tell you that I was gonna stay here in Chicago. And darlin’, I’m still willing to do it. I want you to be happy, Riona. If that means staying, then I’ll stay.

Raylan . . . the happiest I’ve ever been was that week on the ranch with you and your family. It’s beautiful, it’s peaceful, and it feels like home. It's where I want to be, if it means I’ll be with you.

Standing in the water with her red hair all wild and wavy around her shoulders, she looked like Aphrodite. Like a goddess made flesh for the very first time.

And like a goddess, she had a kind of terrifying intensity. Her skin was paler than normal from the cold water. Next to that, her red hair and green eyes looked as vivid as a venomous snake. Maybe more Medusa than Aphrodite.

Now I want to be close to Riona. I want to grab Penny’s reins and pull her over so I can rest my hand on Riona’s thigh and tell her that she’s fucking gorgeous, and sexy, and brilliant, and stubborn. That she drives me insane, and I can’t get enough of her.

Stay back over there,” I say to Grady, though using my softest tone so it doesn’t startle Star. “You’re ugly, and you’re scaring her.

I would have been jealous at the thought of Raylan bringing another woman here.

And I realize that the massive meals she cooks that fill the table might stem from a long-ago desperate desire to be able to feed the people she loved with as much delicious food as they could stomach.

You don’t know that in innocence and vulnerability, you’re like a kitten padding around next to a tiger.

He never left marks that someone else could see. But the rest of my body . . . I was covered in burns. Cuts. Bruises. And sometimes worse. I begged him to be careful, not to hurt the baby . . . Thank god he didn’t. For his own reasons, not because he gave a damn what I wanted.

I wish I could enjoy things as easily as everyone else seems to.

seen before. Strangely, she looked more herself than she did in Chicago. She was smiling and laughing, dancing with me like she’d been doing it all her life.

I don’t want to trap you. I want to unleash you. I want to set you free. I want to show you what you really are . . .

All that order makes me wonder. In my experience, when somebody clings that tightly to a sense of control, it’s because something happened to them at some point in their lives that made them feel powerless.

rip open her door and flip on the light. She’s tangled up in her sheets, ripping and clawing at them where they’re wrapped around her throat.

Riona’s scream jolts me right off the couch. Before my eyes are even open, I’ve jumped up and I’m running to her room. I rip open her door and flip on the light. She’s tangled up in her sheets, ripping and clawing at them where they’re wrapped around her throat.

Shh,” I tell her. “It’s alright. I’m here.

Again, I feel that flood of anger that a man put his hands on this woman.

I have a sister. I’d fucking kill anyone who tried to touch her. And I feel that same drive to protect Riona. To keep her safe.

I’m here,” I tell her again. “No one’s going to hurt you.

You better be getting up with him in the night,” Imogen says warningly. “Don’t leave it all to Aida.” “Do you honestly think she’d allow that?” Callum laughs. Imogen smiles. “No. Probably not.

When you’re addicted to someone, you’ll do anything for one more taste, no matter how you get it.

She doesn’t like to do anything the easy way.” “Better not say that too loud,” Nessa smiles. “In case she can hear us.” “I wouldn’t dare say anything behind her back that I wouldn’t say right to her face.

I’d go anywhere for you, Riona. I’d do anything. I know I probably shouldn’t tell you that. You don’t like anything if it’s too easy. But it’s true—you’ve got me wrapped around your little finger.” “I could say the same to you,” she says, arching one perfectly shaped eyebrow.

The reality of you is a hundred times better than my imagining.

you are everything to me,” she says. “My heart and my soul. My happiness and my safe haven.

I promise to choose you for the rest of our lives.

Do I have to give up myself to have love?

He knows me so well. He knows exactly what I need.

Bo and Duke used to fight like wild animals as they got older. But they were best friends, too.

You think they have romantic feelings for each other?” “I know they do. You can’t have a best friend that you’re attracted to. That’s what being in love is. It’s wanting to fuck your best friend.

I slide my hands down her sides to the curve of her waist. Her body reminds me of a violin—perfectly shaped, perfectly balanced. I want to play her like an instrument. I want to tease the most outrageous sounds out of her.

I’ve always had this compulsion to overcome challenges. And Riona is a constant challenge. She’s strong willed and stubborn as fuck. Determined not to be impressed by me. Intent on always doing things her own way, damn the consequences. Maybe I shouldn’t have raced her at all. I know how competitive she is. But for fuck’s sake, so am I! I thought it would be fun. Then I saw how seriously she was taking it. And I guess I realized I was taking it pretty damn seriously, too.

Parents love all their children,” he tells me. “But not all children are equally able to accept love. I’ve tried to show Riona how much I value her. But I don’t think she’s ever understood how much she means to me.” He touches her hair again, gently, just like Imogen did in the kitchen. “I’m not blaming her,” he says. “I only wish I spoke her language better.

I think about the day I discovered that Waya wasn’t related to me by blood. He was only my father by caring for me, teaching me, protecting me, and loving me. He was only my father in all the ways that mattered. I wasn’t able to accept his love in that moment. But I felt it every day since.

This is home.” If Raylan would have told me that before I ever saw this place, I would have thought he was crazy. Who would want to live in Tennessee after having traveled the world? But I’ve seen with my own eyes how beautiful the Boone’s ranch is.

I know she won’t be shocked by anything I tell her. I can trust her to take the story to her grave. Only a mafia daughter understands true discretion.

The Djinn is an ambush predator. He likes to hide himself, waiting and watching. Taking pleasure in his victim’s obliviousness. Letting them wander closer and closer. Then, when the moment is right . . . he pounces.

I always remember numbers—addresses, phone numbers, birthdays. And the numbers in legal files. I don’t know why they stick in my brain. I could tell you case file numbers from years back. It’s useless information most of the time—I’d rather keep the brain space for something else. But that’s the way my mind works.

I never met Callum on my last visit—he was busy watching the birth of his son. I know all about him, though. He’s married to Dante’s little sister Aida. He’s the oldest Griffin child and heir to the empire.

Think that’ll secure the partner position?” Raylan forks up his last bite of hash. I flush. “Yes, actually.” “Isn’t it kind of a given? Since your name’s already on the door?” “No, it isn’t,” I snap. “But that’s exactly what people think. Which is why I have work harder and stay later than anyone. Because otherwise, no matter how smart I am, no matter how much business I bring in, everyone assumes that I got where I am because my last name is Griffin.

I don’t know why I get such a kick from getting a rise out of her. I guess it’s because she’s so determined to keep that perfectly composed demeanor at all times. It’s like she’s setting up a challenge for me. And I’ve always been one to rise to a challenge.

I can tell from the dark shadows under his eyes that he was telling his mother the truth—he’s been getting up with a newborn. You can’t hide that haggard-but-happy look of new parents.

It was bizarre watching the charming and well-bred politician melt away so I could see the Irish gangster underneath. It’s easy to see the Griffins for what they are today—one of the most wealthy and successful families in Chicago. You forget that their empire was built on blood and crime. That Fergus Griffin, and his father before him, and his grandfather before him, had no scruples about crushing anyone who got in their way. I suspect Callum is the same.

I’ve never felt anything like this. A lot of the things I do for pleasure—swimming, running—are meant to calm me down. Put me in a zen state. This is the opposite. I feel enlightened. I feel alive. I feel terrified and exhilarated and thrilled, all at once. I can see every golden hair on Penny’s smooth coat, every blade of bright green grass, every bird soaring overhead. I can smell the trees and the grass and even Raylan’s skin more acutely than ever.

I feel powerful like the horse. Limitless like the open space. Wild like . . . like Raylan, I guess. He always seems like a force of nature. Like he could never belong to a city or a place. He’s just himself, at all times. Wherever he might be.