Page 190 of Lovely Venom

“And what do you want in exchange for this offer?” Angelo hedges. “Because you aren’t known for your philanthropic nature.”

“To the contrary, I can be rather generous.” He tosses Mariella a salacious glance, and she rolls her eyes. “But all I’m asking in return is one little…favor.”

Angelo stiffens as Ares retrieves a folded piece of paper from his pocket and opens it up.

“They say the universe has perfect timing,” Ares remarks. “And as it turns out, my family is in need of a new physician. Obviously, I’ll require someone who understands privacy concerns and on-call hours. I also thought it might bolster the public perception of unity between our families, and our new alliance, by working together on a joint charity initiative. For that, I’ll need to appoint a medical director to the foundation. Of course, she’ll have to attend functions with me, walk me through the programs⁠—”

“Mariella isn’t for sale,” Cristian bites out.

“Well, that’s a relief.” Ares’s dark, calculating eyes collide with Mariella’s. “I’m not looking to buy her. I simply want to borrow her for a year. For her expertise, of course.”

“No,” Cristian says again.

“I think you’ll find it’s not quite that simple. Is it, Angelo?”

Angelo mutters a low curse, which seems to confirm that he’s agreeing with Ares in some capacity.

“Let me see that.” Mariella approaches Ares and plucks the paper from his hands.

There isn’t much to read, apparently, because it only takes a few moments for it to sink in before she glances back at Angelo.

“This says the Vitales owe him one favor,” she clips out. “As in the entire family.”

Angelo sighs. “We can keep negotiating.”

“I’m afraid there isn’t much else I want,” Ares says.

“Do you really think this is going to work?” Mariella glares at him. “Forcing me to spend time with you won’t make me forget you’re the world’s biggest asshole.”

“Perhaps,” he answers wryly. “But it doesn’t change the fact that this is what I’m requesting. I thought it was rather generous of me to amend the treaty in the first place, so Angelo and Abella could live their happy ever after. And once you agree to this, I’ll happily sign a marriage contract for my cousin to trot off into the sunset with your other brother.”

“Mariella, you don’t have to do this,” I tell her as I shoot Ares a dirty look, which he conveniently ignores.

“Why the fuck would you sign that?” Cristian glances at Angelo.

“Really?” Angelo counters. “You’re going to question my choices right now, when your decision is what landed us here?”

“Enough.” Mariella sighs, turning her attention back to Ares. “If I do this, I want your word, in writing, that you will leave me alone once the contract is up.”

Ares’s jaw tightens subtly as he nods. “Agreed.”

“I mean it, Ares,” she says. “No more stalking. No more disappearing other men who show an interest in me. No more scheming, period. After the year is up, it will be a clean break, and you’ll let me live my life without you in it.”

“I’ll draft it up this afternoon.”

There’s a long beat of silence as we all stare at him. Despite Mariella’s demand, he seems unflappably confident this will work out in his favor.

“You can draft it up now, along with Cristian’s marriage contract,” she tells him. “But I can’t start for a few months. I need time to transition my current patients before I take on anything else.”

“Naturally,” Ares says, as if he expected as much.

“Mariella.” Cristian sighs, clearly not liking this one bit.

“Don’t worry about me,” she tells him. “If this is what I have to do to get my point across, then I’ll gladly do it. In the meantime, you can sign your contract and then go torture the fuck out of that piece of shit in the woodshed.”

Cristian and Angelo exchange a look, silently conceding.

“You can come inside the house.” Angelo narrows his gaze at Ares. “And I want a stipulation that Mariella is to be armed at all times inside your home.”