Cruel Vows

MASSIMO

Paisley looks gorgeous in the elegant Chanel evening gown I picked out for her, even if she kicked up a storm about wearing it.

“Are you nervous, princess?”

Her eyes narrow as she glares at me. “Why the fuck would I be nervous?”

My hand tightens on her hip, and I squeeze. “You’re about to meet your future family.”

“Not if I have any say in it.”

I click my tongue. “You already know that you have no say in it. Now be a good girl for me.”

“I’d rather stab myself in the eye with a blunt knife.”

Her anger is an alluring and beautiful quality that I love coaxing from her. I steer her through the entrance of Sal’s restaurant. “Charming, princess.”

Father is already here with Leo and Camilla, but there’s no sign of Luca yet. It’s not just our immediate blood family here tonight, but also my father’s consigliere, Lorenzo, and his underboss, Dante.

The Allegros aren’t here, since they’ve been tied up fixing things in San Diego after the Volkov Bratva wreaked havoc. However, my uncle Marco and his two sons, Rico and Matteo, are in attendance.

Marco notices me first and comes over to us, smiling widely. “I hear congratulations are in order, Massimo.” His attention shifts to Paisley. “This must be your beautiful wife-to-be.”

I nod and pull Paisley closer to my side. “Yes, this is Paisley.” I glance at her. “Paisley, this is my uncle, Marco.”

Her eyes narrow. “And?”

Marco raises a brow as Rico and Matteo approach. “Aren’t you a charmer?” he asks.

Rico claps me on the back. “How’s it going, Mas?”

I clench my jaw, ignoring my cousin’s irritating use of a nickname he knows I hate. “Great, Rico and Matteo, this is Paisley, my fiance.”

Matteo chuckles. “I never thought I’d see the day that the great Massimo would settle down with a woman.” He winks at me. “At least not with only one woman.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Paisley stiffen. She’s unaware of my reputation as a philanderer. In fact, she knows nothing about me and I know nothing about her.

Uncle clears his throat. “I think your father is in the private events room. You’re both a little late.”

I swallow hard, as it’s not my uncle or cousins I need to be worried about. If my father really disapproves of Paisley, he’ll put a stop to our engagement.

As they turn to lead the way, I yank her harder against my side and lean down to whisper in her ear. “Play nice, Paisley. Or you’ll be in serious trouble when we get home.”

Her deep green eyes flash with anger as her jaw clenches. “Really? What are you going to do? Ground me?”

I growl softly. “You don’t want to push me and find out what I’m capable of.”

She doesn’t respond as I yank her toward the private events room at the back of the restaurant. We’ve been coming to Sal’s since I can remember. It’s our regular place and Sal is part of the famiglia, even if not a blood relation.

Italians have a deep rooted sense of family and it’s always been at the core of our values.

It’s why all of us were so shocked when Imalia betrayed us and ran back to Spartak Volkov. She turned her back on her family and switched sides as if it was easy for her. I’ll never understand it, especially not since Spartak Volkov is fucking crazy.

“Massimo,” Father says, smiling widely when he sees me. And then he glances at Paisley, his brow furrowing slightly as he takes in her appearance. “This must be your fiance?”

I nod in response. “Yes, Father, meet Paisley.” I squeeze her hip in warning. “Paisley, this is my father.”

She nods. “Great.”

His jaw clenches as he returns his gaze to me. “I see, I’m sensing that your future fiance is not exactly willing to be here.”

“I already told you that,” I say, pushing my hair away from my face. “Last night.”

“Si, but I didn’t expect her to be publicly rude. How are we to explain this to the famiglia?” He glances behind at our closest people gathered around the table.

“Don’t tell me that anyone will have a problem with this, considering we fucking sell women for a living.”

My father’s dark eyes flash with irritation. “I wish you would have listened to me and picked a nice, beautiful Italian girl.”

“So do I,” Paisley says, drawing both of our attention to her. “I don’t want to marry your son, so why don’t you put a stop to it?” She tilts her head, staring my father right in the eye. “You are Don Remy Morrone, are you not?”

Her ballsy challenge to my father makes him stiffen as he glares at my fiance.

“I see why you picked her,” he says simply, nodding toward the table. “We’ll make it work.”

Paisley’s expression is priceless as she really believed she could reason with my father. “There’s something very fucking wrong in the head with you people,” she says, loud enough for me to hear, but thankfully not my father.

“Shut your mouth, princess. Or you may end up dead before this night if through.”

She taps a finger against her lip. “I think that might honestly beat marrying you.”

I grab her hips hard and dig my fingertips into them, knowing it will leave bruises.

Her brow furrows in pain, and she tries to break away.

“And yet you enjoyed me fingering that pretty little cunt in the shower less than an hour ago,” I murmur into her ear, pressing my lips just below it. “You were moaning like a dirty little virgin who can’t wait to be fucked.”

Paisley turns rigid in my arms at the mention of our encounter in the shower. I could see how irritated she was with herself for giving in to the pleasure and then complaining when I didn’t allow her the release she craved. It drives me wild to know that she’s wet and gagging for release while she stands here, meeting my family for the first time.

“Now, try to behave yourself or I might have to punish you in front of my entire family.”

Paisley glares at me over her shoulder as I release her hips, grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward my family.

Mia is the first to notice me, jumping to her feet. Her eyes are wide when she sees Paisley. “Is it true my big brother is finally settling down?” She rushes over to us.

I nod. “Yes, Mia, this is Paisley,” I say, introducing them. “Mia is my second youngest sister. My youngest is away at school.”

“Shut it,” Mia says, coming to stand in front of Paisley. “I need to speak to the woman who finally tamed you.”

“Tamed?” Paisley asks, raising a brow.