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

It’s a dick fest in here tonight. At least that’s what Alek used to say when it was only men who attended an auction. That didn’t bother me in the slightest. What does bother me is that Alek never called me back last night. And I wish he had. I’m mad that I was too distracted to answer his call. Alek isn’t someone I compromise for.

Ever.

Yet I’m letting River sneak in more and more.

I don’t know if it’s selfish to ask River to stop searching for Alek. Would it be for Alek’s sake or for mine? Have I fallen into a habitual stupor that this workload and lifestyle without him might carry on for longer?

I never thought the day would come when I would consider Alek’s and my separation—ever.

“It’s a full house tonight, and the crowd is eager to buy,” Vance reports after I return from momentarily slipping into the private office. I’m watching the stage from the side as the auctioneer presents the last woman for the first half of the auction.

I would expect no less from any of our auctions. It just always seems peculiar on the nights when it’s only men buying. Like I give a shit. Money is money, after all, no matter whose hand it comes from.

“Anya, you’re looking as beautiful as always.” I turn to find Rick Cansis approaching me. He must’ve spotted me from his table. He isn’t much older than me, maybe in his early forties, and is a kingpin in sex trafficking. It’s rare to see him come to these events personally, though he’s been a loyal customer for quite some time. And while he’s here to buy the women, he always tries his luck with me, even after being rejected multiple times.

I turn to look at him with no smile on my face whatsoever, as I sense this will be no exception.

“Anya, you can smile. It won’t crack that beauty.” He winks, and still, I say nothing. “What will it cost?” he asks, leaning against the same wall I am.

“Excuse me?”

“To buy you,” he says matter-of-factly.

I’m almost having déjà vu. I huff out a small breath.

“Name your price. You know I have the money.” He moves in a little closer.

“You couldn’t afford me, Rick. It’s best you get back to the auction now.” I wave a hand in the direction of the stage.

“You know, rumor has it you’re looking to settle down,” Rick says as he leans in, as if it’s our little secret. “That’s why I thought I’d come to you first. You don’t want any of these average-income-earning men.”

My temple pulses. None of our patrons are “average-income-earning,” but that’s a bold fucking statement about me looking for anything.

“I’m sorry, what?” I scoff, tempted to ask Vance to bring me my knife.

“Meredith and I had lunch a few days ago. She said you were ready to settle down.”

What the actual fuck?

“So how much?” he repeats.

My phone dings, and I look down at it. Payment received.

“That’s enough, right?” I turn toward River’s voice.

“You just sent me twenty million dollars. Is it enough for what?” I say, trying to gather my thoughts about Meredith suggesting to a sex trafficking kingpin that I’m looking for anything.

River smiles, dressed in an all-black suit, his gaze sharp as a knife.

“A date,” he replies, then looks at Rick. “You should leave before I pull out my gun or Anya gets her knives. She has a nasty habit of carving out people’s eyes.”

“For your information, that only happened once, and I much prefer cutting off dicks now.”

Rick sizes up River, but when his gaze cuts to me, his shoulders sag slightly. “I must be mistaken. I didn’t know you found someone so quickly.”

He’s quick to walk away and back to the auction.

That old bitch is trying to cause havoc now, but why? Considering how she feels about relationships, why is she trying to put fuckers like Rick onto me?

“I didn’t need your help,” I growl at River.

“I wasn’t helping you. Since you refuse to wear a ring, it’s obvious I have to make my ownership known.”

I gasp. “Are you fucking kidding me? Calm your macho shit down.”

He breaks out in a smile. “That’s the first time you haven’t outright denied that you’re mine.”

I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. He’s lucky he fucked me so well this morning that I’m in a good mood. “You have a habit of showing up when you aren’t welcome,” I tell him, turning back to the stage as the last woman steps out.

“You see her?” I point at her. “That is what your money will get you, so go and bid.”

“And have you throw gasoline on another one of my cars? No, thank you. You might actually be gaslighting me right now,” he suggests with an arched eyebrow.

I try to hide my smile, because it was a lot of fun setting his car on fire.

“Thank you for your generous contribution of twenty million. I’ll take your payment as good faith for future opportunities.”

“No, you will take that payment for a date. Now, come.” He reaches for my hand and pulls me behind him.

Vance seems almost used to the exchange, as he doesn’t even bother to interfere.

I sigh. Technically, I don’t need to be here. I have enough people trained for this job, and I could easily leave. But it’s the question of should I?

“I think you forgot who you’re trying to boss around.” I pull back.

“Fuck it.” He grabs me, lifts me up, and throws me over his shoulder. “Dinner. With me. Now,” he barks, carrying me out the door and past Clay, who is now just as used to River coming in and taking me when he wants to. I’m amazed he hasn’t been shot yet. Maybe I’ll have to be the one to rectify that.

“So demanding. Are you this demanding with your other women?” I ask as he carries me out to a new car that I haven’t yet seen. He puts me down, careful that my dress doesn’t ride up.

“That was jealousy, sweetheart. I can admit it, unlike some,” he says, wiping something from my black dress. “How about this?” he croons, his fingers now on my lips. “I’ll hike up your dress, taste that sweet pussy, and you can take a photo. And if you feel the need to get jealous again, you can look at it. Fuck, you can even send it to whoever you think you need to be jealous of.” He winks.

“Just get in the car,” I tell him, opening the passenger door for myself. He smirks as he waits until I’m inside, then he closes the door for me and walks around to sit beside me.

“You didn’t like my idea. I thought it was rather clever.” He smiles as he starts the car.

“You just want to go down on me again.”

“Fucking truth,” he says, stepping on the gas and tearing down the driveway and onto the main road. Someone beeps behind us, but he doesn’t seem fazed.

“It’s not the correct way to ask for a date,” I chastise him as I look at my nails.

“It’s a half date,” he corrects me.

“What even is a half date?” I ask, confused. If I’ve learned one thing about River Bently, it’s that he’s about as unpredictable as I am.

“It’s where my mother is also joining us.”

“Fucking hell, River.” I throw my hands in the air. “Parents don’t like me. It’s just the nature of the beast. They hate me, and why would I want to sit awkwardly with your mother?”

“Because you two are the most important people in my life. I want you to like her, and her to like you.”

His honesty catches me off guard. Am I really that important to him?

I’d usually flippantly think “why would I care,” but the thought doesn’t rear its ugly head.

I like the way it sounds, but it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t do well with parents. Not that I’ve ever tried. But considering my own estranged relationship with Meredith, I don’t do first impressions well.

“What if she doesn’t like me?” I ask. “Because that’s a high possibility. Mothers hate me.”

“She won’t once she gets to know you,” he says with unrelenting confidence. “She’s only here for a short while this time, and I’ve already spent most of my time with you.”

“Breaking into my house, I might add.”

“Yeah.” He smirks.

“How did you even get past my guards last night?” I ask, baffled. Anyone else who tried—and there were only two previous attempts—was shot dead before they even made it past a window or door.

“I have my ways.” He winks. “That and I hacked all of your security cameras and had a key made for your front door.”

My jaw drops open. “You just used a key to let yourself in?”

“Yes, Anya. It’s how people used to do it back in the day. You should try it someday,” he says smugly. “I’m not against you firing your bodyguards, though.”

“I’ll get rid of you before them,” I say defiantly.

“I feel much the same way about my dogs,” he says with an arrogant smile. “My mother loves Mexican food. I hope you’re okay with that?”

I sigh. I’m out of my fucking mind actually doing this. But it might be an interesting distraction to watch how a normal mother interacts with their adult child since mine is currently trying to fuck me over at every turn now that Alek isn’t around.

“I’ll be sure to bring my sombrero,” I say, exasperated.

He chuckles as he grabs my hand, rubbing his thumb over it.

I stare and stare and stare.

I really have gone mad.