Cunning Vows: Enemies to Lovers Dark Romance (Lethal Vows Book 3)

Amanza has eyed me, then River, then me again throughout the last dreadful hour. I glance at the time more times than I can count, wanting this to end.

It started on a high as I rode his fingers and tongue into oblivion, and now I’m forced to sit through this uncomfortable meeting. I can tell what River is trying to do; to show me how stable and profitable his business is. It’s impressive, to say the least, but I’m sure he wasn’t counting on the fact that his little awestruck lover was attending as well.

I stare at my half-empty glass of water as Patrick and River discuss personal matters. I think back to River’s and my kiss. It keeps running through my mind. I know sex. This other fluffy shit, however, is new and uncomfortable for me. Yet I leaned into it, like discovering a new sexual position. It was deeper than anything I tried before, and he didn’t even have his cock inside me. That was terrifying.

I let him take my control away when I’m so used to doing that to others.

Whatever this thing is between River and me is changing me, yet the further I lean into it, the more curious I become. The hungrier for him I am. So much so that I was willing to throw in a freebie to suck his cock so he got off just as much as me.

I’m falling. But for what, I’m not sure.

“Dessert?” River asks me, as the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake is sat in front of him. I lean in without even thinking, and he lifts his fork, which now has a piece of the cake on it, and places it in my mouth. I close my eyes, and a soft moan escapes my lips.

The table’s occupants continue to chatter away around us, but it feels like it’s only us sitting here.

“Remember, it’s bad if you shoot me in front of all my men. So remember that before what I’m about to say.”

My gaze dips to the cake. “Then you better make sure this cake is worth it.”

He chuckles as he feeds me another bite, and I know in the way that he’s staring at me, he’s imagining this fork is his cock instead.

“I saw where you went today at three,” he admits.

A chill runs over my body, and my gaze snaps to his. His hand locks on my knee. “Don’t run away. It’s just a pleasant chat.”

“I don’t do pleasant,” I reply.

“Don’t I fucking know it,” he says with a small laugh. “I’m not going to tell anyone.”

I don’t like the way he makes it sound like it’s our little secret. In fact, I don’t like at all the way he knows this part of me.

“For what it’s worth, in third grade, I got rejected by my first crush,” River says.

I scoff. “You? Rejected? Sounds like a theme.”

He laughs, but it’s then I realize he might be trying to… make me feel better? Share a secret? He offers me another bite of cake, and his hand gravitates up my inner thigh, eliciting goose bumps and promises of more of what happened only an hour ago.

“Where are your birth parents?” he asks.

I chew the cake, eyeing him.

“Dead for all I know,” I reply with a shrug. I look around the table, uncomfortable with the personal questions. Then I realize he probably already knows all of this. I have a file on him as well, but I find myself asking, “Where are yours?”

He fills my glass of water to the top, and I take a massive mouthful, feeling suddenly parched.

“My mother lives back home in a house I pay for.” He cuts off another bite of cake and lifts the fork to my mouth. I’m not into this feeding shit, but I take satisfaction in the way Amanza’s gaze is burning into the side of my head. I don’t think of myself as a petty woman, but while I’m forced to sit through this, I might as well ruin someone’s hopes and dreams.

When I don’t continue the conversation, River asks, “Why the fascination with jewelry?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? I like pretty things that sparkle.” I open my mouth, and he slides the fork in. Just as he does, Vance comes up behind me and leans down to whisper in my ear.

“Meredith called,” he reports. Fuck me, the old bitch is going to be on my case now that she knows about Alek’s disappearance.

“Who is Meredith?” River asks. From his reports, he most likely already knows she’s my foster mother. She does, however, have two names, so he might not be so familiar with the other one.

“My foster mother,” I say dismissively as I stand. I know better than to ignore Meredith. Alek and I learned quickly that the consequences of making her wait were not worth it. I’m not sure, though, if this summons has to do with Alek being MIA or her wanting to wiggle her way into this deal with River.

“Do you plan to fuck Amanza?” I ask him because I know she’s listening. Maybe this will give him a opportunity to distract himself elsewhere. At least that way, I might not have this tiny nagging voice asking something else of River. Something I never want to address with any man.

“No, I plan to fuck you and only you,” he replies as he stands.

I press a hand to his chest. “We aren’t exclusive,” I inform him. “My pussy will be your payment as discussed, then once the debt is paid, we end and are back to business only.”

That arrogant smile returns as he says, “If you say so.” He forks another piece of the cake, but instead of offering it to me, he places it in his mouth. I hate his boyish smugness.

Vance walks back over then and says, “She requests your presence immediately.” I didn’t realize Clay still had a phone to his ear. Is that old bitch still on the phone with him? “What should I tell her?”

“While this has been fun, meeting your men, and a woman you’ve fucked, I have business of my own to attend to,” I state. I look at Patrick and give him a smile and a nod. His gaze tracks me up and down as he takes me in. I keep my smile in place as I look at Amanza before I turn to River. “Pleasure.”

He shakes his head. “We’re not done. I haven’t finished my meeting.”

“Rain check, then,” I say smugly.

“I have to escort Anya. Please, enjoy whatever is on the menu.” He reaches for his phone and slides it into his pocket, looking at me. “I’ll take you.”

“I have my men,” I remind him.

“Why do you have men?” Amanza questions, and I turn to see her studying me. “Isn’t River protection enough?”

I scoff. “Excuse me?” Clearly, this bitch doesn’t know who I am if she thinks I need to depend on the likes of River for security.

She looks behind me to Vance and Clay. I can tell she likes what she sees, so it unfurls an ugly side to my scathing personality.

I lean over with my hand on the table, as if I’m letting her in on a secret. “Sometimes I let them fuck me with their mouths. Other times, it’s for protection. But mostly, it’s because I can afford eye candy instead of hiding behind an innocent girl’s persona. Is that all?”

“I don’t know what he sees in you,” she says, shocked by my words.

“That’s enough,” River says to Amanza, who’s stunned that she’s being scolded, as he places his hand on my lower back before he steers me away.

I tentatively look at the fork on the table, and River casually pushes it away. “You’re not stabbing someone with a fork in my restaurant,” he whispers into my ear. It’s loud enough for her to hear, and her eyes go wide.

“At least your restaurant might be known for something, then,” I reply as I smile and wriggle my fingers at her to say goodbye.

“Sir, are you leaving already?” Michael asks as he stands at the other end of the table.

“Deal with the rest of the evening for me, Michael. I’m escorting Anya.”

“Sorry?” I say. “Our evening together is done.”

“It’s done when I say it is,” River says as he guides me to the entrance. The two cars are already waiting as my guards step out behind us into the cool evening air.

River opens the passenger door of his car and addresses my men. “I’ll be taking her.” They don’t take orders from him, so they look at me instead. I internally sigh. Fuck, this asshole is determined. I don’t like the idea of introducing anyone to Meredith, but who knows, maybe she’ll throw a kitchen knife at him and put me out of my misery.

I give a simple nod, and he shuts my door before he rounds the hood and gets in the car.

“Where am I going?” he asks as he rolls up his sleeves to reveal his tattooed arms. I tell him Meredith’s address as he drives. I look at my phone, out of habit now, hopeful that Alek might’ve replied.

“You were jealous,” he says after a moment of silence.

“W-what?” I choke out.

“You asked about Amanza because you were jealous.”

A crazed laugh escapes me. Me? Jealous? Impossible.

“No, let’s not get our facts wrong. I was not jealous, Lake.” I smile at him.

“If you say so, Tanya.”

“I do say so,” I tell him, not taking my eyes off him. “Is this whole facade a power thing? You want me because I’m powerful and you’re curious how I fuck?”

“No,” he says calmly. I’m disappointed that he doesn’t give me more bite.

“So why?”

“It’s an Anya thing,” he says with a smirk. “Though, I do want to know how you fuck. I want to know how else to elicit those noises from you when cake isn’t involved.” He turns to look at me then, and I try to hide the smile that dares mar my usual unmoving features.

“I like cake.”

“And jewels,” he adds.

“Yes, I’m a simple girl with simple pleasures,” I say, and as it leaves my mouth, it sounds like a lie.

“You are far from simple, Red. I doubt you have a simple bone in your fucking body.”