Deviant Vows by Anna Widzisz

CHAPTER TWENTY

Macsen

“Here it is,” Theo mutters, passing me the memory card. I instantly pop it on my laptop with Theo joining beside me. My eyes are strained on my laptop screen as I watch the security footage from Davina’s house. Diego said the attack happened around three in the morning and the attacker possibly came through the back door.

The footage keeps playing and the frustration within me starts to crawl. No fucking security at the back entrance. None. Why did Davina get rid of them in the first place? Living with me doesn’t mean she’s safe at her old house.

Since the night she was attacked, the urge to find out who dared to harm her hasn’t lowered. I swore to myself to find out who hired this attacker and make them see what a huge mistake it was for them to even think of making my Nyx suffer.

I watch the intruder come in and instantly look at the camera like he knows it would be there, which makes me wonder if he has been following Davina for a while since he is aware of this. He leans closer and raises his hand to press something on the camera, turning it blurry and removing the rest of the video. I rewind it again and pause it when his hand is raised. I zoom in and find a tattoo on his hand.

A dagger is inked on his skin.

“This looks like a symbol of one of the assassins group in the Firm,” I mutter, pointing at it. “Find out more about this. I have to know who ordered an attack on her,” I order Theo and turn to face him. “Also double up Davina’s security. I don’t like how she just walked around Liverpool without any backup.”

Theo remains in his spot like he wants to say something.

I sit back in my chair, with my foot resting on my opposite knee, my hands on either side of the arms. “Just spit out whatever you’ve got to say.”

He looks at the footage before returning his cold gaze to me. “It’s pointless to even talk about it. You won’t even care,” he mutters and starts to leave the room.

“What do you mean?” I ask, halting his steps.

He looks over his shoulder before speaking, “You know it well. Instead of focusing on your territories, here you are investigating like fucking Sherlock Holmes to find who hired an assassin.” Theo shakes his head with an unsarcastic smile. “We are mobsters. Getting attacked is part of it and since she’s been ruling slightly longer than you, I’m sure she knows it. You are too focused on things that aren’t the priority. What about the power and position you’ve worked day and night for?”

Standing up, I head towards him. “Just like the Firm, she is my priority too, Theo. I don’t know how many times I have to explain it to you but I’m done doing that,” I sneer close to his face. “She is family now. You don’t have to know why it bothers me that she’s been targeted, but you have to respect my orders and come up with the solutions.”

His nose flares like an enraged animal that is about to lose its control. But I know he won’t pull anything on me unless he has a death wish.

“As I said, you won’t even care. You are too blinded by her lies, even though father has told the truth about her,” he says before heading to the door but pauses at the doorway. “But when she will start to take away everything right in front of your eyes, then you will know why I’m so concerned about my own brother. I understand why you married, I just don’t understand why all of a sudden it started to mean so much to you.”

Shutting the door with a loud bang, he leaves.

Running a hand through my hair, I sit back and light a cigarette to regain composure. After the night I got to see who Davina truly is, my whole perspective about her changed in a blink of an eye. There is no longer hatred or distrust caging my heart whenever she is around me. The scars that she carries inside-out reveal that she is one hell of a woman. Taking a deep drag, I exhale a lot of smoke, watching it diffuse in thin air.

Maybe I am stupid to have any feelings for her after the past between our families. But it happened. Doing the right thing always makes me feel so wrong because of how I grew up. I was born in hell and keep on living expecting it in everything. However, for the first time, I don’t expect this hell from Davina.

Something changed, though it’s not time to admit it to her. Not because I am a coward who doesn’t want to act like a fucking Romeo carrying his heart wherever his Juliet is, but because of the darkness and violence that should have a place in our marriage. I have uncountable enemies. They always look for any weaknesses to attack me, to make me kneel for them just to protect my loved ones.

Besides, I can’t let Davina rule over my heart because it is crystal clear that love isn’t meant for either of us.

We may have been destined to be together through an agreement, but fate isn’t on our side when it comes to bringing our hearts together.

Just then the door opens again but this time it isn’t Theo. It is the woman who has been consuming my thoughts day and night.

Davina

I didn’t plan on coming. Most definitely not today as I hoped to get some decent sleep after my meeting with William, but somehow my mind thought that it’s the right time. As much as I’d want to argue with it, I just prefer to have it done and over with. Which is why I’m now standing on the threshold of Macsen’s conference room in his hotel. The exact one where we first met. Kind of fitting that it might just as easily go down the drain if his answers aren’t what I expect them to be.

Although I act like it’s whatever, deep down I care whether he’s the one to betray me after I’ve opened up to him about my past.

My heart beats fast and this unbearable ache in my chest makes it hard to talk. Especially when Macsen looks up at me with those dark eyes that somehow no longer show any resentment. And it’s just that much fucking harder to speak.

“I didn’t expect you to come here today,” he says, confusion in his expression.

The adrenaline courses through my bloodstream and my demeanour becomes a permanent stain as I close the door behind me and walk further into the room. I want to stop at a safe space from him to be able to think properly but my legs have a mind of their own and soon I feel his hands on my hips.

Macsen looks up from his chair and his lips pull in a tight but genuine smile that makes me want to just trust him and his good intentions. But I’d be foolish to trust a mob boss, wouldn’t I?

Then he pulls himself up and our bodies are touching, my chest heaving against his. The electricity running through me just as much I know it must through him. My mouth goes dry and I lose the words I’ve been repeating for the last hour. The words that I was meant to say to him.

He wraps his arms around my waist possessively and peers down at me, meeting my eyes. The increasing tension in his dark eyes isn’t making it any easier on me, and I curse myself for being weak.

This is exactly what William was worried about.

I despise men. I hate most of them with double the force I can manage to create. They have always disappointed me in the end, never had my back. I know it’s bound to be the same with Macsen, yet I don't hate him anymore.

My eyes unintentionally close, and I melt in his arms. I feel his hot breath on my face as his thumb gently grazes my jawline. Suddenly, I’m lifted and put on the table, my arse flat against the surface. My head spins before I focus my eyes on Macsen once again.

I cock my head. “We need to talk,” I tell him.

Macsen places his hands on both of my sides and leans into my ear. “All we do is talk. Don’t you think it’s quite enough for now?”

It isn’t. Especially when things can crash down at any moment, and I’m still in the dark as to whether my husband had anything to do with my possible downfall. However, as I’m about to tell him exactly that, he closes any space that is left between us and his lips crash against mine with full force. Distracted by the beautifully inked arms running up and down my spine, I kiss him back.

His palm closes on the back of my head and he puts all the sudden desperation into our kiss. As if he wants to show me that nothing matters except here and now. When it’s not true.

Our lips mould together flawlessly and I open up for him as our tongues collide. An explosion of the gathered hatred and tension throughout the years evaporates and pure passion takes its place. Macsen’s taste is a mix of mint and tobacco, and I cannot resist him. My legs part, wrapping around his hips the moment he comes closer.

Right now, he has the power to destroy me like never before, and it rings like a loud annoying alarm in my head.

I pull away. Putting my palm against his chest, I create a slight distance between us. His brows move in surprise as his head tilts to the side with a question in his eyes.

I bite down on my trembling lip, trying to gather myself.

“What’s going on?” he asks at last, seeing as I’m there in front of him completely conflicted.

“Police started investigating me and my business,” I say, watching him carefully. If he’s involved, his primal instinct might kick in and he might show a sign of guilt or anything of that sort.

I see nothing.

It doesn’t mean he’s innocent yet, though. So, I continue, “Someone sent them one of the papers with the list of all my businesses which was signed by me. Or at least it appeared to be my signature.”

“How?”

I shrug. “I have no idea. I believe it’s forged because I have never signed a paper like this.”

“Do they plan to charge you with anything?” It’s a genuine question, not one asked in a mocking manner. He’s afraid they will, not that they won’t.

“Hopefully, no. I’ve had a meeting with a lawyer who gave me the idea of how to stop it from happening.”

He doesn’t say anything as if waiting that I’ll continue.

“I’ll keep you updated,” I clear my throat and slide to the side, getting off of the table and away from his touch.

“You will keep me updated?” he asked in frustration. “Davina, we’re married. Your business is my business now, so if you’re being investigated, don’t you think I should help you get out of it? Not being on the sidelines, waiting for shit to hit the fan?”

Then the worst happens. The realization settles on his face.

My cheeks are hot and probably red.

“You think I had something to do with it,” he admits, and automatically, I shake my head. Not because it’s not true, but because I wish it wasn’t. Because I hope it’s all one big misunderstanding.

And also because he thinks I suspect he might destroy everything whether he’s guilty or not.

“No, I just need to see it through on my own. As long as the investigation isn’t officially open and I’m not charged with anything, I have the possibility to stop it. And even if you want to help, there’s nothing you can do. At least for now. But I have an idea.”

He shakes his head in disappointment. I have no idea whether he believes me or not. I can’t read his face. “Alright, Davina. Do whatever you think is necessary, but I want to know if you can’t handle it. I won’t have you fight through it yourself. It’s not to be taken lightly.”

Don’t I know it?

I nod and quickly move to give him a peck on the lips. “I have to go. See you tonight.”

It’s not how I imagined it to go. I didn’t think I’d act. But it just seems like the best thing to do right now. He won’t ever tell me the truth, so I either have to find out myself or stop this shit from shifting into something more serious. One way or another, I’ll deal with it. Even if I have to pretend for a little longer.

Although, I’m not sure if I’m really pretending. Macsen is someone important. He holds something within him that I crave. I don’t have to make myself want it. Want him. I just do.