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

River’s back. I can’t decide whether he is a sucker for punishment or just plain stupid.

We’re at another auction in another mansion. This one involves guns. Not your average buy one, get bullets free either. No, this involves black market guns in bulk. And they always do extremely well. Though, I must confess that Alek always ran this auction, and this is the second one I’ve watched over while he’s been gone. Despite the change, none of the patrons dare inquire about his whereabouts, but I know gossip has spread about his disappearance, which pisses me off even more. Because my personal family affairs are of no concern to them.

Considering the already bad mood I find myself in, I walk around to where River is seated and lean down next to him and whisper in his ear.

“How did you get in?” He turns to me, his mouth barely an inch away from mine, and he smirks. His full lips lift, and I have to remember why I hate him.

Clay and Vance stand behind me, and I know they don’t like him, particularly since they’ve warned me to stay away from him and to not give him my time for the million dollars he paid weeks ago for a chat.

“Why hello, Anya.” River says my name with a slight drawl at the end. I flick my tongue over my teeth as I stare at him, waiting for him to answer my question.

The bidding has started, and it’s getting higher and higher. Usually, it thrills me to anticipate how high it might go. To think about all the beautiful things I can buy with the proceeds. But I’m certainly pissed that he’s here and doesn’t seem to be bidding at all. Who the fuck gave this guy access to my auctions?

“I’ll tell you exactly why I’m here over a drink, perhaps?”

“I don’t drink,” I tell him, and his brow shoots up in surprise.

“Why is that?”

“I prefer my judgment not to be impaired,” I tell him honestly. “It’s how drunken mistakes happen. It’s how people fuck the wrong people.” As I say it, my gaze flicks back down to his lips. He licks them, and I know he can tell I’m thinking about them.

I want to strangle him for getting under my skin so much. Why does he just keep popping up like he owns the place? And why haven’t I appropriately dealt with him like I would anyone else?

“Smart, but one glass never hurt.” He stands, and I pull back as he towers over me. “Shall we, so we don’t interrupt?” He nods to the showcase on center stage as bids continue to increase.

“Considering I’m about to have your sorry ass escorted out for not bidding, I’ll walk you there myself. Wouldn’t want the door to hit you on the way out,” I snark.

He kicks up an arrogant smile but proceeds to follow me anyway. Clay and Vance walk on either side of him. Very few of the bidders give us their attention.

We walk out into the hallway and toward my private room. Out of all the mansions we own, this is my least favorite. It’s boring, with brown tones and dreary paintings and trophies on the walls. It suits well to the theme of items sold here, but without Alek in it, I find nothing nice about the place. It’s an eyesore, really.

“Wait outside,” I instruct my men. They briefly glance at each other but say nothing as they stand on either side of the door, staring down River as he steps inside first. I follow him into the private room and close the door. This room is just like the rest of the mansion—basic. Functional. Empty.

“How did you spend my money?” River asks, walking to the bar in the corner. I couldn’t be fucked telling him not to have any of Alek’s liquor.

“Which money?” I ask him since he’s paid me twice.

“The last lot.”

I smile as I pointedly glance at my hands, flashing my new jewelry.

“You like expensive things,” he notes.

“I do,” I say, looking back up at him. He’s staring at my hands, which are covered in Cartier. “Stunning, really, don’t you think?”

“I agree,” he replies, but he isn’t looking at my hands when he says it.

My core floods with heat again, and I hate how my body betrays me around this man.

“Let’s get your proposal out of the way, shall we? You paid me one million dollars for my time to hear you out. So I will. Then I’ll happily reject you and send you out of town. If you’re not gone in two weeks, you’ll leave this city in a body bag,” I say sweetly.

He cocks a smile as he pauses to take a sip of his scotch. I lean against the table and brush my hand over my red leather dress, still entirely aware of his gaze that rakes over me.

“Surely, thirty million would suffice for me to taste again?” he says slowly, his gaze fixed on me.

“Taste again?” I ask, surprised in his change of topic, considering I just threatened his life. “Ha.” I comb my hand over my sleek hair that’s pulled back in a tight bun.

“You’d turn me down?” He puts a hand to his heart as if I’ve offended him.

“Is that what offends people these days? Really?” The threat lingers in the air as if it was never mentioned, and that pisses me off. Because River Bently clearly doesn’t see me as a threat. I begin to rummage through Alek’s top desk drawer, curious about what objects I might be able to use as a weapon, until I pull out a letter opener.

“For the love of God, Red, please don’t let it cross your mind that you’re going to try to stab me to death with a letter opener,” River says with an exasperated tone.

I place the tip of it against my finger. “It’s more effective than you’d think. And stop calling me Red.”

He chuckles with a cocked eyebrow. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you’ve already used one on somebody. Did they make it out alive?”

I shrug casually. “I don’t know. Did they ever find the body?”

He laughs, and I’m surprised and transfixed all in one. “I’ve been curious ever since I was told you were crazy.”

Some might be offended by being called crazy, but I love it. Thrive and bask in it. It means I’m unpredictable, and people fall into place easily around unpredictability.

“Curiosity often kills the cat.”

“Lucky I’m more of a dog person,” River replies dismissively as he walks toward me and stands between my legs. I allow him that close, and he allows me to put the letter opener to his jugular.

He seems unfazed as he puts the glass of scotch down beside me.

“Be careful. You can’t touch what you haven’t paid for,” I purr. My body thrums for him, an unwelcome need eating me alive.

But I refuse to give in to the likes of River Bently.

When he becomes a little bolder and presses into me, his bulging trousers in line with the edge of my skirt, I press the letter opener firmer against his throat. It won’t do too much damage, but if I were to get a little stabby with it, it certainly will. “Tell me why you’re here, River.”

His gaze dips to my cleavage, and it arouses satisfaction in me because he’s still only a man. I paid a lot of money for these tits, so they better be the best. Enough to even bring someone like River to his knees.

“For you, of course,” he says without hesitation.

“Why?” I ask again.

“I think I’m due my taste,” he insists. In such close proximity, I can smell his cologne, and I hate how it challenges my focus.

“Yeah, about that. We didn’t agree on how many ‘tastes’ you got. Now, you can leave if that is all you came here for.”

“They’re my guns, did you know that?” He inclines his head toward the door, indicating the auction room.

“Sorry, your what?” I ask, confused by his words.

“Those guns you’re auctioning off in there are mine.”

I freeze momentarily. There have only ever been a few times I’ve been caught off guard. In fact, I can count them on one hand. This is one of them.

“Are they?” I ask. Truth be told, I don’t know where Alek gets them from. I know who I contact about them, and that’s the extent of it.

“Yes, and as I said, I have played nice. I have given you your cut for me to work here, and I’ve even been working with your brother to give him guns.” He picks up his glass and takes a sip of his drink. “So where the fuck is my cut?”

“Your cut?” I ask.

“Yes. Your brother usually pays on time, but not this time. I let the shipment go in good faith and as a favor to you. Because I knew you were good for it. Tell me I’m wrong, Red.” I’m shocked. How did I not know this?

Reaching for my phone beside his glass of scotch, I scroll through my contacts for the gun smuggler and place the letter opener beside me. He remains where he is as he smugly takes another sip. His size widening my legs is a very difficult distraction, making me want to mount him.

The smuggler answers on the third ring. It sounds like he’s just woken up. “Anya?”

“Who is the supplier?” I ask him.

“Well, it’s a shipping—”

“No, who owns it.” I cut him off. He pauses, as if unsure what to say. “Who am I buying these from?” I basically growl into the phone as River stands in front of me, sipping his drink and watching me with those fucked-up eyes.

“River Bently does,” the guy on the other end of the phone says.

My heart falters for a moment. Fuck.

I hang up and look River dead in the eyes.

“How much does my brother owe you?”

He smirks, taking a last sip of his drink before he places the empty glass down. I hate how it smells on his breath. No, it’s just him as a whole. This entire time, he’s been fucking with me. I had no idea, and I don’t handle being fooled very well. He casually brushes something from my shoulder, though I’m sure there was nothing there.

“A lot,” he utters, leaning in and breathing in my ear. “I don’t take kindly to late payments, but I could let this one slide for another taste.” My nipples peak in attention at his closeness, and I can feel my breathing grow heavier.

Just a taste.

I don’t like being backed into a corner, and suddenly that empty glass near his hand is awfully tempting. His hand drops to mine when I hadn’t even realized my hand was already drifting toward it.

“This is not the time to get stabby, Tanya,” he chastises.

“I was going to use the glass over your head first, then the letter opener.”

His laugh kicks my heartbeat up a notch, and I’m certain I can feel its vibration slip straight to my core.

This man is dangerous on so many levels.

“How much do I owe you if I agree to a taste?”

“Technically, without the late payment, he owes me fifty million.” He smiles and pulls back, and I feel the absence of his warm hand over mine. I have the urge to scrub my hands and body immediately, not used to the unfamiliar feeling that lingers.

He casually takes his empty glass and walks over to the bar as if he owns it, and pours himself another drink. I know my brother only likes expensive-tasting liquor. We’re the same in that sense, a taste for expensive vices. Mine just so happens to be the shiny type. “Late payment is an extra million a day,” he adds.

“How late is he?” Fuck, Alek, what have you done? What have you left me with?

“One month.”

“Thirty million?” I ask, shocked at the amount. He nods.

“And then there’s the matter of the last shipment. I never got payment for that.”

“I have money,” I tell him. Money hasn’t been an issue for years.

“Oh, I know you have money. You’ve done very well for yourself, Anya. I’m impressed. Even without your brother, you’re doing well. But now I’m here.”

“I don’t accept business partners,” I tell him.

“No, but do you know how late the payment is for the last shipment?”

My guess is it would be triple the amount of the last and would take everything we’re making tonight to pay it off.

All of it gone.

Fuck.

I’ll have to do another sex auction. Those always bring in good money. And it’s easier than dealing with River.

“As I said, the latest installment could be waived for a taste, but the last lot…” He shakes his head.

“What about if I fuck you?”

His brow raises. “Don’t you mean if I fuck you?” he counters.

I shake my head.

“No. No man has ever fucked me, River. I do the fucking.” My hand goes to my hip. “You’ll waive both late fees, and I’ll allow you to touch me while I ride your cock, and we’ll discover if you can make me come.”

That arrogant smile kicks up again. “Be careful what you wish for, Red. Addictions can be a dangerous thing.”

I laugh at his insinuation. “The only thing I’ve become addicted to is sex toys.”

He holds his hand out to me, gentleman-like, and I frown at it.

“Aren’t you just going to fuck me here over this desk?” I ask.

“No, Red. I’m certain that somewhere in this seven-bedroom mansion, there’s at least one bed.”

I jump off the desk, unsettled by his intentions. I just want this over and done with. “You’re not going to try to cuddle me or some shit, are you?”

He laughs as I lead him out the door. “I don’t think you’d know what to do even if you were given affection handed to you on a platter, Red. But I’ll fuck you every way, wherever and whenever I please. But first, I want to muffle your screams with a pillow. You know, being a gent and all.”

“You assume already there will be a next time,” I scoff as I walk between my men, who look confused. “Finish up the auctions. I’ll be busy until the end,” I instruct them, and besides, I’ve already made my obligatory appearance. “River, follow me.”