“A vacation, little witch.” Vlad stood and crossed the dining room to the whiskey decanter. “If you think I’m going to let you moan like that in public without me, you have another thing coming.”
“Moan? Whatever do you mean?” She teased, using a slice of crusty bread to soak up her remaining sauce. Vlad glared at her as he poured himself a drink, but she maintained her clueless demeanor as she finished her meal. She didn’t leave so much as a single drop of his homemade sauce on her plate, and it turned him on to watch her eat his food with appreciation. If she dressed this beautifully and behaved this friendly because of noodles, he would learn to cook every pasta dish known to man.
“That was amazing, thank you,” Belladonna sighed, sipping her wine as she leaned back in the chair. “I hope you realized the can of worms you opened feeding me because now I’ve learned your secret. I can’t return to eating regular food knowing you cook like this.”
“How about we strike a deal? You let me try one of your pumpkin-spiced lattes, and I’ll make pasta whenever you crave it.”
“Oh, you drive a hard bargain.”
“Every vampire in this house has tried it but me.”
“I know.” She winked. “That’s the fun of it.”
Vlad shook his head and emptied the wine bottle into her glass as he settled back in his chair. He genuinely wanted totaste her latte, but he would make her pasta whether or not she let him try it. He enjoyed eating with his wife. He loved that she was opening up to him, and her attention was like a drug. The more he used, the more addicted he became, and suddenly their random interactions weren’t enough. He wanted more. He wanted meals together and date nights and conversations where she wasn’t teasing him… not that he wanted that to stop. Watching her waltz into his office and hop onto his desk was the highlight of his day.
“Would you be willing to make dinner a standing date?” he asked. “You’ve been a stranger in my house long enough. I want to know the wife wearing my ring.”
“Like once a week or every night?” she asked, twisting the stem of her wineglass between her black polished fingertips.
“I couldn’t commit to every night since my position demands much of my time, but we can discuss a frequency you’re comfortable with. This isn’t a demand, but a request.”
“You genuinely want to get to know me?” Surprise colored her features, and he realized that from her point of view, he was the ruthless man who’d stolen her from her life. She wasn’t wrong, but something inside him had awakened. Just looking at her wasn’t enough. He needed to understand her soul.
“No strings attached,” Vlad said. “But I enjoyed this dinner. I’m eager to do it again.”
“Hmmm,” Belladonna grunted thoughtfully.
“What?”
“I’ve come to terms with the fact that you and I are both immortal creatures, so till death do us part will take centuries. I wanted to hate you, but forever is a long time to hate the man you live with. I would prefer we were friends.”
“So, you’ll have dinner with me?”
“Under one condition,” Belladonna said firmly, placingher wineglass down. “I’ll eat with you every night that you’re available if you agree to one thing.”
“Of course.” Every night he was available was more than he’d hoped for.
“My parents. My friends. I want the freedom to call and see them. I cannot live as your wife if you keep me from the people I love, so I would like to invite my family over for dinner.”
“You want Rowena here… in my house?” Vlad leaned back uncomfortably.
“I want my mother here… in our house,” Belladonna corrected. “Your son is welcome in your home. My mom should be welcome in mine.”
“I don’t know.”
“Then we don’t have a deal because I can’t respect someone who keeps me caged. It was one thing when you were just the brute who stole me from my fiancé, but you’re proposing we form a genuine relationship. I won’t sit here and pretend I enjoy the company of a man who refuses to let me see my mom.
“Besides, our marriage is supposed to further the peace. What good is our union if you cannot have dinner with the in-laws? This house has wards for your safety. All I’m asking for is a meal with my parents. Two people…. And pasta and wine. That’s it. Surely you have the decency to allow my mother to remain in my life.”
Vlad took a long sip of whiskey. She had a point. He’d forced her to marry him and cut her off from her old life. She went from being a daughter and a friend to a wife overnight, and in her shoes, he would despise her for locking him away.
But then his mind flickered to Lucian’s words. Something was coming, and his wife’s name was among the threatening whispers. Was this a plot to destroy the vampires? Was allowing Rowena to breach his walls the mistake that wouldburn his reign to the ground? Or was this simply a young girl in desperate need of her mother?
“One dinner with your parents, that’s it,” he said finally, hoping he didn’t regret this decision. “If your mom doesn’t try to kill me, we can go from there.”
“She won’t, I swear it.” Belladonna’s face lit up, and Vlad decided that even if Rowena killed him, his agreement was worth it for his wife’s smile.
Atriumphant thrill ran through Belladonna. She hadn’t expected him to agree to her terms, and this shift in their relationship excited her. She hadn’t spoken to her parents or her friends in months, and loneliness had started to set in. Broomstick, Fang, and Jinx were excellent company, but cats weren’t people. She missed the coven and her family, and against her will, she missed Vlad when he wasn’t around. Their marriage began with turmoil and anger, but the more her magic swelled in his presence, the more she wondered if he was her destiny in disguise.
