“Vera, I was looking for you.” I caught her in the foyer, my fingers threading through hers, holding tight, unwilling to let her slip away.
She tried for indifference, but the tension in her eyes betrayed her. “I’m fine.”
I traced her pulse with my thumb. “You’re never fine when you say you’re fine.”
She gave a half-laugh, eyes flicking away. “Erin backed me into a corner tonight. Says you’re screwing Bianca.”
I stepped closer and claimed her hips like I had every right. “You think I’d do that to you?”
She met my gaze with warm, mocha eyes. “Of course not. Do you think I’m that fragile? Erin thrives on drama to deflect from her own mess. I’m not playing her game.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Then what is it? You’re circling something, Vera.”
She hesitated, searching my face for a safe place to land. “It’s not just Erin. She’s loud, but she’s not that smart. The media garbage? It’s Saira. It has to be. That woman’s a psychopath. Dangerous and smart. She can manipulate anyone, even from prison. Erin’s just a mouthpiece. If she’s gassing on aboutBianca, it’s because Saira wants her to. This all feels like the quiet before a storm, and I’m done waiting to get blindsided.”
A chill ran through me. Saira was more than vindictive. She was methodical, patient, and always two steps ahead of the game. “That woman will eat you alive if you let her. She’ll twist every word, every look.”
Vera squeezed my hand, steady as stone, mouth curving. “She can’t break me. I survived you, remember? Pretty sure I’m indestructible.”
A reluctant grin tugged at my mouth. “You did more than survive me, love. You ruined me for anyone else.”
She leaned in, close enough to steal my breath. “I need to see Saira alone. She’ll drop her guard and believe she’s in control. Let her think she’s playing cat and mouse. But if you’re there, she’ll put up a wall.”
I cupped her cheek, my thumb brushing her jaw. “You’re asking me to stand back while you walk into a snake pit alone. I don’t know how to do that.”
She softened, brushing her lips against mine. “You already do. You trust me like I trust you. We’re honest with each other.”
“You’re the one, Vera. Full stop. I never gave a damn about being better until you. I want to be the man you deserve.”
She kissed me hard, mouth hungry, hands sliding under my shirt to rake her nails across my skin. I hauled her against me, pinning her hips to mine, feeling her body melt and fight in the same breath. Her scent—jasmine and trouble—filled my head.
She broke away just enough to graze my jaw with her lips. “I know. That’s why I’m doing this. For us.”
I let my hands memorize her waist. “Promise you’ll come back to me. ”
“Always. I find my way back to you every time.”
She eased away, straightening the handbag strap on her shoulder. But before she reached the door, I gently caught herwrist. “Whatever you face in there, you’re never alone. You’re my heart, Vera.”
She pressed her palm to my chest. “Good. Because you’re mine.”
And just like that, she was gone. This time, the ache in my chest felt different. Stronger. Because trusting her wasn’t just an act of faith; it was the only thing that made me feel whole. Vera was my risk—and my reward.
THE VIPER’S LAIR
Vera
Lester Harbor Women’s Correctional Facility. Sunday, December 23
Ihated the sting of fluorescent lights, their harsh glare filling a windowless room. The white walls pressed in, sterile and suffocating, a silent reminder of captivity. My gaze flicked to the correctional officer by the door. My muscles tensed and my stomach twisted into a hard, sour knot.
I stared at the woman who sat across from me at the table.
Saira narrowed her eyes and snarled. Her once flawless face was pale like sour milk. Silver roots emerged from the crown of her head, marring her once-perfect snow-blonde hair, now dry like straw. She looked nothing like her former self on the magazine covers.
I smiled at the viper. “Hello, bitch.”
“Why, if it isn’t my ex-husband’s whore,” Saira hissed. “How’s life? Has Alistair given you any special gifts yet? Herpes? Gonorrhea? HPV? He loves whores, and you won’t be the last.”
