Vengeful Lies

The irony of her last name is not lost on me. Because Jewel is a diamond in many ways, but she’ll look so much better with my last name instead of hers. I keep that thought to myself, of course, because it was hard enough getting her to wear the fucking ring.

She’s grumbling complaints in the passenger seat after touching up her makeup and hair. Not that she needs to; she’s stunning as it is. “This better be worth it.”

I can’t help the arrogant smile that touches my lips because I know she’s going to fucking love it. “You love picnics, don’t you?”

I feel the sensation of her hateful glare boring into the side of my head and the unspoken promise of a thousand deaths if that’s what I have planned. I laugh, unable to stop myself. She’s too easy to rile up, especially at the mention of anything romantic or commitment-related.

We pull into one of Ivanov’s estates. Hawke and Ford’s adoptive parents, Anya Ivanov and River Bently run the underworld auctions within the city alongside their uncle, Alek Ivanov. Alek and River primarily run the gun auctions. My family has worked with them for years, establishing a friendly agreement. None of them are ready to retire, and I’m certain Anya will take her jewels to the grave, but her riches and business will go to the twins.

Jewel’s eyebrows crinkle slightly as she assesses the wealthy clientele making their way up to the mansion. The majority of those who attend these auctions are men, and most of them are intimidated by the red-haired woman standing at the door, welcoming everyone with an insincere smile.

Anya Ivanov, who is nearing her sixties, is not a woman to be trifled with. So I’m certain Jewel will like her very much.

I step out of the car and round the front before the valet can offer his hand to Jewel. I hold my own hand out to her, and she unenthusiastically takes it and steps out. “Remember to pretend to like me. After all, you are my soon-to-be wife.”

“You’re really looking forward to an untimely death before the wedding, aren’t you?” she threatens with a sweet smile. I return the smile as I hook our elbows so I can escort her.

Anya sneers at the back of the person she just so “kindly” welcomed into her home. “Disgusting choice in shoes,” she says when her husband steps out beside her.

“Eli?” River says, surprised to see me. He steps up to us and takes my hand. His father and mine have been doing business for many years now. River is known for shipping high-quality weapons into the city. I don’t know much about his and Anya’s marriage, but from what the twins told me, he blackmailed her into doing business with him; she tried to kill him multiple times, and then they somehow fell crazily in love. “I wish I knew you were coming tonight.”

“I was hoping you could make room last minute for me and my fiancée,” I say, motioning to Jewel.

“Fiancée?” Anya says over River’s shoulder, basically pushing him out of the way to get a better look at Jewel. “I haven’t heard this.” She sweeps her gaze over Jewel, and to her testament, Jewel isn’t intimidated. And then Anya zeroes in on the ring and necklace. Anya is known for her love of jewels. “Well, it would appear the boy has good taste at the very least,” she notes, taking my fiancée’s hand and peering closely at the ring.

“I wish she looked at the ring I tried to hand to her all those years ago in the same way,” River jokes from behind her. She gives him a pointed glare.

“You were lucky I married you,” she’s quick to remark.

“This is Anya Ivanov. She runs the auctions with her brother, Alek. She’s also Hawke and Ford’s mother.”

“Adoptive mother,” she corrects. “Those little shits would have more manners if I’d trained them from the very start.” But her tone has softened. As terrifying as this woman is, she would kill anyone who spoke poorly of them. Except for herself.

“I think they learned most of their poor behavior after meeting you,” River jests.

The corner of her lips tilt into a smile. “Are my thugs of sons with you tonight?” she asks, looking over my shoulder and dropping Jewel’s hands.

“Not tonight. I wanted to have some alone time with my fiancée. She has a fondness for guns, so I was hoping to treat her to some gifts this evening.”

Anya’s gaze slides back over to Jewel, mischief glittering in her expression. “A woman who can handle herself is always welcome through these doors. As long as you promise me the moment Mr. Monti makes you feel less than, you’ll put a bullet in his brain.”

Jewel actually laughs at that. “I can absolutely promise you that. The still-healing knife wound to his leg can attest to it.”

Anya’s expression breaks into a wicked smile as she turns to me. “I like her.”

River pulls her back by the shoulders. “Please don’t give my wife any more ideas.”

“There might be hope for the new generation yet,” she says over her shoulder. “Come. I’ll personally escort you to the auction. Be a good husband and greet our guests, River.”

Jewel leans into me and whispers, “She’s kind of terrifying, but I love it.”

“Of course you do,” I reply, not at all surprised.

“And you don’t have to treat me to guns. Just give me my father’s back.”

I pat her hand. “You know I won’t do that. But it doesn’t mean I can’t treat you until then.”

“Does your father know you’re here tonight?” Anya asks casually. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Crue. Is he halfway into the grave yet?”

I bite my tongue. There are only a few people who get away with speaking about my father dying. Anya is one of those few.

“No, but he’ll be retiring soon. After our marriage.”

“Oh, yes.” She stops at a barrier of red curtains. “I forgot about the archaic marriage rule you have in your family. I’m lucky my sons choose to simply fuck like rabbits and not bring anyone home. I definitely don’t want to deal with little wet blankets as sons.”

Jewel tries to hold in her laughter, and I try not to let it infect me the same. Anya pulls back the curtains, and her twin, Alek, stands there, watching the night’s crowd. He adjusts his gloves as he glances over at us. His expression doesn’t change when he notices me.

“Mr. Monti and his fiancée, Jewel, are here to bid on some guns. Give them our table for this evening since we don’t have any available space,” she tells him.

He nods and starts walking. We follow in silence. Alek is known for his lack of communication, and the gloves he always wears have been a mystery to many. The only people he will touch or let touch him are his wife, Lena Love, who is a famous singer, and his daughter, Hope.

Jewel’s eyes widen as she looks around the room, taking in the tables, each with a single candle in the middle to illuminate them. A main stage is positioned at the front of the room. I’ve been to a few of these auctions. I also supported Dutton when he conducted his first virginity auction a few years ago after taking over the majority of Dawson’s more lucrative businesses.

Alek stands beside a chair and pulls it out for Jewel. He looks bored, and I know it’s only because of our families’ close ties that the killer is even pretending to have any manners. The elder Ivanov twins are wild cards. Then again, other families say the same thing about my own, so who am I to throw stones?

When Alek leaves and I sit beside Jewel, she leans into me. “Isn’t he married to Lena Love?”

I’m not surprised that she’s done her research on my family members, close friends, and our dealings with both. But I don’t like it either. I drag her chair closer to me and pull her to sit on my lap.

“Is this really necessary?” She tries to break from my hold.

“Extremely. Look around you,” I say, brushing the back of my finger against the pulse at her neck. Her breath hitches, and my cock begins to thicken, with her simply sitting on my lap. “Everyone is watching you.”

She looks around and then, as if not even realizing, wraps her arms around my neck as she says quietly, “They’re not looking at me. They’re looking at you.”

“They’re looking at us,” I correct her. Attending an event such as this is a public announcement of my engagement. I make a point to hold her hand to my lips and slowly kiss the ring. Realization dawns on her expression.

“Did you bring me here to show me off like some brood mare?” she hisses under her breath, looking wildly pissed.

“No, I brought you here to let you buy whatever you like. Some women might like jewels. Others lingerie. But you, Kitten, love guns.”

She looks around again. “And remind me why I have to sit on your lap for that?”

“So you’re reminded of the gun you’re sitting on that’s kindly paying for all these gifts.”

She laughs then, and I hate every fucker who turns our way and looks at her. “Did you really just refer to your cock as a gun?”

I thread my fingers through her hair possessively and pull her lips closer to mine. “I don’t know how long I can contain myself if the word cock falls from your lips again.” I rub my thumb against her lips thoughtfully.

Her gaze intensifies, and I can’t look away. I want her again. But I want her to come to me willingly. To crawl to me and show her loyalty.

Some of the most powerful and lethal men in the city are in this room tonight, but it’s her I can’t look away from. She’s more lethal than all of them combined.

An announcement is made that the auction is about to start, and she pulls away. That’s when we notice a waitress wearing lingerie, standing a few feet away, seemingly too nervous to interrupt. How long has she been standing there?

“Drinks are on the house,” she says with a smile, unable to meet our gaze. She places a whiskey on ice and a champagne flute down in front of us.noveldrama

An announcer steps onto the stage, leading several men wearing suits and carrying briefcases. They each place a case on separate tables, then flick open the locks and lift the lids to reveal the weapons inside.

Jewel leans forward, her eyes growing wide, and I grin as I watch my fiancée light up like it’s Christmas Day.

No, jewelry and lingerie are definitely not going to woo my fake fiancée. But anything that could kill me will.