“Why the fuck hasn’t she called me?” I asked the second Vixen picked up.
“Mr. Korven, I have no idea. She hasn’t said a word to me in five days either. Maybe she just decided to quit?” she said, her voice careful like she was trying not to set me off. “Did things go well last time you spent the night together? Did you take good care of her?”
The question pissed me off instantly, mostly because I’d been torturing myself with the same shit. Was Serenity ghosting me because I wasn’t good enough in bed? It was the first time I’d ever doubted myself like that. She made me anxious in ways no one else ever had. I’d given her everything. Couldn’t figure out if I’d fucked up so bad she’d decided to walk away. I was even proud I’d convinced her to only come to me, and the past few days I’d been barely breathing, just waiting for her to call. I missed her like an addict misses a hit. Nothing ever got under my skin like she did.
“What do you mean? I know how to fuck my wife, Vixen,” I shot back, voice bitter.
“I apologize. I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise,” she said quickly, “but I do find it strange she hasn’t returned. Have you tried talking to her?” she pressed, and fuck, her questions grated on me. It was just a reminder of how bad I’d wrecked things with Serenity. How even simple shit like talking to my wife or being in the same room felt impossible without someone raising theirvoice.
“Who do you think you are, some kind of marriage counselor?” I snapped.
“No, I—”
“Stick to the shit you know. Just make sure you let me know the second she shows up.”
“Yes, sir,” she answered.
I didn’t give her a chance to say anything else before I hung up without a word. I was pissed at myself and the whole fucking world. All I wanted was to fuck my wife. I wanted her so bad it hurt.
“If anyone had told me you’d lose your damn mind over a Veylor,” Krash shook his head as he walked into my office.
I glanced up at him, face shutting down. I knew he was trying to get under my skin, but I wasn’t in the mood for his sarcasm.
“You got anything for me?” I asked, trying to focus on the work that hadn’t moved in five days.
“Cold as ever, huh?” he joked, and I shot him a look that could’ve flattened him. He raised his hands in surrender.
“I’m on it. With the losses on both sides, it’s hard to find anyone from the Veylor clan who was there when your mother and your wife met in secret.”
Frustration bled out of me.
“Keep digging. I want every detail,” I ordered.
“Of course,” Krash said.
Then the room went quiet and I felt his stare burning into my back.
“You know,” he finally said, “instead of driving yourself crazy with all these questions, you could just move back into the Korven estate and be close to her. What’s the point of living on the other side of the city when your mind and soul are stuck on your wife? Go home, and at least you’ll stop looking like you’re headed to your own funeral ‘cause you haven’t seen her in fivedays, Konflict.”
I gave him a look that would’ve dropped a lesser man.
“You think I haven’t thought of that?” I growled. “She hates me so much she’d probably leave the house and sleep God knows where just to avoid being under the same roof. I’m not letting my wife sleep anywhere but the Korven estate. The only reason I let her stay at Vixen’s is because I’m the one spending the night with her. I’m not risking her running off to who knows where.”
“In that case,” Krash said, grinning like the bastard he was, “maybe you should try getting on her good side for once. Get her some flowers and little gifts. Something that actually surprises her and says you want to call a truce. Make a move she isn’t expecting, for once.”
“I’ve never given anyone flowers in my life,” I admitted, the idea turning over in my mind. “She likes flowers. She even wants a tattoo of them,” I said, the memory of my conversation with Serenity surfacing.
“Well, there you go. Woo your wife properly and maybe she’ll forgive you.”
I looked at him, not really convinced. I’d screwed up so badly, I doubted flowers could get me out of this mess. Still, I had to admit it was a start, and right now, I didn’t have a better way to start a peaceful conversation.
“When you’re fucking your girl, can’t you pick up some info for me?” I asked Krash.
“Nah, man. Don’t try to use my dick to get answers you could get by talking to your wife. And do you really want to draw attention to who’s fucking Serenity behind that mask? Because that’s exactly what’ll happen if I start asking questions, Konflict.”
“Yeah, fuck… You’re right. It’s just that… stuff like giving flowers, getting down on my knees to ask for forgiveness, none of that comes naturally to me. It doesn’t even feel like me.”
Krash looked at me with that amused glint in his eye, stepped closer, and slapped my shoulder. “If you try to fix things the same way you always have, you’re just going to piss her off even more.” His mouth curled into a crooked, knowing grin.
