Vow (Andino + Haven Book 2)

by Bethany-Kris

  “I don’t know … I think you love her just as much.”

  “That’s fair.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, and leaned against the doorjamb. “You can go, by the way. If you want to, I can call a car for you right now to take you wherever you want to go. That’s your call, Haven.”

  She stood from the chair she’d been sitting in as Kim regaled her with stories of Andino, and his family. “Is that what you want?”

  Andino gave her a look that heated her up, and yet turned her into stone at the same fucking time. So intense, like fire slipping over her skin and promising love and sin and forever. It was all in his eyes. It had always been in his eyes when she cared to look, she thought.

  “You know what I want,” he said. “You have always known, Haven.”

  “But is it what you want right now?”

  “I want you to stay. I want to take you down the hall, and feed you the best food you’re ever going to taste because my aunts and mother helped my grandmother make it. I want you to laugh when they tell you stories about me, and I want them to know you like I do. Because how can they not absolutely love you once they know who you are? That’s what I want.”

  “So, after that, then,” Haven whispered, inching closer to him with every word, “what happens?”

  Even as she came closer, he remained still. Like he was letting her do what she needed or wanted to do. He wasn’t trying to influence her, and she appreciated that. The problem was—this man never needed to do anything to influence her. He just needed to be. That was the kind of hold Andino Marcello had on Haven’s heart and soul.

  Why ignore it?

  Why pretend like it didn’t exist?

  That was impossible.

  “What happens if you stay after dinner?” he asked.

  She was only a few inches away, now. Less than a foot. If she leaned in close, she would be able to kiss him.

  She wanted to.

  Badly.

  Haven waited …

  Andino’s green eyes lifted to meet hers, and he smiled in that way. The way that made her heart skip beats, and her stomach flip. Like she was the only thing in the world that he cared to see for the rest of his life. She didn’t know how he managed to do that.

  “If you stay,” he murmured, “what happens is that I get to spend the rest of my life explaining why I did what I did, and showing you every single day how much I love you. That you are the first thing I think about in the morning when I open my eyes, and the last thing to grace my mind before I fall asleep. You are in my dreams. My fucking blood. There’s no getting you out now. I see you everywhere, Haven. Even when you’re not here, you’re all around me.”

  Why did she like that so much?

  Haven glanced away. “You almost got married today.”

  “It was never going to happen.”

  “Still—”

  “Still nothing,” he interrupted softly, finally moving away from the doorway to close the distance between them. Before Haven even understood what had happened, he was right there in front of her, and his lips were seeking hers. The kiss was gentle at first—a soft hello, and a gentle I missed you. A kiss like he’d never given her before. And yet, it still burned her all over, and turned her world upside down. “I’m sorry that I’m such a selfish fuck, Haven. I’m sorry that I was willing to hurt you, and whoever else I needed to, so that I could keep you. But I’m not sorry that I got what I wanted because that means I get you.”

  His words whispered against her lips like their own soft kiss.

  She shivered even as he kissed her again, and drifted the tips of his fingers over her cheeks and jaw. The sliver of a tear escaped the corner of her eye, but he was quick to wipe it away like it hadn’t even existed in the first place.

  “Is that what they meant?” Haven asked, meeting his gaze. “At the church—when people were talking about what was going to happen now. When they said what you did meant war? Is that what it means? Keeping me means war?”

  Andino’s hands cupped under her jaw, and he tipped her head back, so he could stare into her eyes. “There’s a little more to it; more people and reasons than just this … but it’s a big part of it, yes.”

  “I don’t think I’m worth that.”

  “You’re worth the moon and the stars to me, Haven. I would burn this city down if that’s what it would take to have you. Don’t ever underestimate what I am willing to do to make sure you’re right where you belong.”

  “And where is that?”

  She knew.

  She still wanted him to say it.

  “With me. You belong with me.”

  This man was something else, and Haven didn’t know what to do about it. A man so willing to draw blood, and strike out first simply because he could, and he knew what he wanted. That thing just happened to be her. She could see the truth reflecting back in his eyes—nothing and no one was ever going to be worth what she was to him. No one would ever draw his fury and violence out like she could.

  May their God save the soul who thought to take Haven from Andino.

  May their God have mercy.

  This man would have none.

  Haven knew that absolutely.

  “You terrify me, Andino.”

  He grinned. “Why is that?”

  “Because you’re never going to let me go.”

  “But do you want me to?”

  Her answer came easy.

  So sure.

  Whispered, too.

  “No, I don’t want you to ever let me go.”

  • • •

  Haven could feel Andino’s eyes on her from down the table. He’d moved from her side to have a conversation with one of his cousin’s boyfriends—or husband? Haven wasn’t sure if Catherine was married to the man they called Cross, or not. There were so many Marcellos, and she was having a hard time keeping up with who was who, and who was married to who or just with so and so.

  She loved it.

  She did.

  But even as she talked along with Catrina—Andino’s aunt, and Dante’s wife—she could still feel Andino watching her. He’d long since ended the conversation with Cross, but he hadn’t come back to join her at the other end of the table.

  “I’m sure your mom was looking forward to seeing you, then,” Catrina said. “Too bad you missed that flight … Dante?”

  “Hmm, yes, bella?”

  “Did you know that Haven’s mother is sick?”

  Dante’s gaze turned on her, and then down the table to where his own mother was sitting beside her husband next to the only Irish girl at the table—next to Haven, although she wasn’t as Irish as Gabbie Marcello. The girl was married to another one of Andino’s cousins. Haven only remembered who she was married to because of the fact she was so vibrantly different from the rest of the Marcellos.

  “I did not know that,” Dante said, glancing back at Haven. “I’m sorry.”

  This man—like a lot of the others sitting at the table—was a whole other kind of mystery to Haven. She didn’t know what to make of him, and more often than not, when he stared at her … she wondered if he was trying to figure out her secrets, or just size her up because he could.

  He was polite.

  Nice.

  He was not the same arrogant man who cornered her in her club months ago, and pissed her off without barely trying at all. He was welcoming, and even comfortable to talk to. Yet, at the same time, she didn’t know what to make of him.

  “Her cancer came back,” Haven explained.

  “Merda,” Dante murmured.

  “No cussing at the table, Dante!”

  Catrina gave Haven a sly grin as Dante shot his mother an apologetic look down the table.

  “Le mie scuse, Ma,” he said, and then when his mother’s gaze was turning away he added under his breath to his wife, “She doesn’t miss a fucking click.”

  “You know better than to try,” Catrina replied, laughing.

  Haven smiled.

  She couldn�
��t help it.

  Dante was quick to go back to their first conversation. “What was that I heard about a missed flight, then?”

  “It’s nothing.”

  Catrina shook her head. “Not nothing. She was supposed to fly back to Florida this evening … to stay with her parents.” The red-headed woman shrugged one shoulder, and nodded in Andino’s direction, adding, “I think that’s changed for reasons … right?”

  Haven sighed. “It’s a work in progress.”

  The woman nodded. “It’s changed, then.”

  Dante chuckled at the way Catrina didn’t even act like Haven had given a non-answer. His expression softened as he glanced at Haven again. “They must be angry—”

  “They’re not, actually. They just want me to be happy.”

  The man looked her over in a whole new way, then, before his daughter down the table caught his attention for a brief moment. “Don’t we all? I’m sure they’d still like to see you, though. Especially now.”

  “I’ll figure something out. See if I can get the tickets changed over, or I’ll just grab a new flight.”

  “No need,” Dante said quickly. “Tomorrow, there’ll be a private jet waiting for you to use as much as you want over the next several months, so you can see your mother as often as you please. I’m sure that would make her smile. And she’ll need that with all the treatments, won’t she?”

  Haven blinked. “What?”

  Dante smiled slowly. “You heard me, I’m sure.”

  She had, but still …

  “You don’t need to—”

  “Do you think Andino won’t provide you with the exact same thing? Trust that it’s already in his plans, and I have simply saved him money and time as I am the one who owns the jet in this family.”

  “First of all,” Catrina said, “that is my jet.”

  The man leaned over, and kissed the woman on the top of her head. “Yes, Cat, it is your jet. Retract the claws, now.”

  Catrina smiled, pleased, and then turned on Haven. “But yes, you can take it as often and as much as you would like. Consider it … a welcoming present.”

  “A welcoming present,” she echoed.

  “That’s what I said.”

  “That’s an expensive way to welcome someone.”

  Dante laughed, and gestured at the chandelier hanging over the table. It was the size of a small car, for fuck’s sake. Haven hadn’t gotten to see very much of the mansion since she arrived, but what she had seen was enough to tell her that the Marcellos were vastly wealthy.

  “I think we’re financially okay to let you use the jet,” Dante said.

  “But you don’t have to.”

  “Have to and should are not the same things,” he returned, “and if it were my mother, I would move heaven and hell to make sure she was comfortable and happy. Which would absolutely mean having her children there.” The man gave her another serious look, adding, “No thanks needed, please.”

  Haven opened her mouth to do just that anyway—she had the distinct feeling that arguing with Dante was going to get her nowhere fast—but someone else called her name. This time, it was a familiar face.

  Catherine, Andino’s cousin.

  “You want a tour of the place?” Catherine asked.

  “Yes, let’s do that,” the girl next to her said.

  Cella, maybe?

  There were a lot of Marcellos.

  Haven looked to Andino, and already found him staring back at her. Of course. He’d not once looked away, and her whole body knew it.

  “Have fun,” he said, smiling lazily. “I’ll find you.”

  There was something sinful in the way he said that. Something that promised fun and wickedness. It had been far too long since she got a taste of sin from this man.

  Haven didn’t get to think on it for long.

  The women pulled her up from the table, and were already talking about the mansion before Haven could say goodbye. She did manage a quick glance over her shoulder, though.

  Andino watched her leave, too.

  NINETEEN

  “Thank you.”

  Dante peered down the table at Andino, and silence blanketed the room. Andino was acutely away of the eyes of their remaining family members turning on him and his uncle. He’d wondered, after the things he did and the shit he said in the office earlier, how this night would shake out for Haven.

  But he especially wondered about his uncle, and how Dante might treat her. Oh, sure, he expected his uncle to be nothing less than respectful. That was just who the Marcellos were. That didn’t mean Dante would actually make an effort to ensure Haven was comfortable, and entirely welcomed into their folds.

  That had been a toss up.

  Dante surprised him.

  “For what, nipote?” Dante asked.

  “What you just did for her. She didn’t want to accept it; she isn’t the type. You didn’t have to do that at all, so yes, thank you.”

  Dante lifted one shoulder, and reached for his glass of cognac. “Do make sure you are on quite a few of those trips with her. I am sure her parents would like to meet the man who has effectively changed all of her plans, huh?”

  Smooth.

  Andino chuckled. “I planned on it.”

  “Good.”

  Dante’s attention was taken away when Catrina leaned closer to her husband to whisper something in his ear. He nodded, and kissed her cheek before she stood from the table and excused herself from the room.

  Gio came to sit beside Andino, smiling in that way of his. So fucking cocky—even at his age—and proud. “She did okay, though, didn’t she?”

  “Who, Haven?”

  “Who else, son?”

  Andino smirked. “She did okay with everybody, yeah.”

  To say the least.

  The Marcellos could be overwhelming. They were not, by any fucking means, a small family. Unless someone grew up under everyone’s feet, it was ridiculously easy to get confused about just who everyone was.

  Haven, on the other hand, barely acted like it fazed her at all. If she had been the least bit confused or overwhelmed, she didn’t show it. And Andino had been watching just in case she needed him to step in and save her from something awkward. She hadn’t needed him to do that at all, clearly.

  But …

  Well, he had enjoyed watching her. A little too much maybe. The woman could dominate a room when she was in it, and she probably didn’t even realize she was doing exactly that. Her laughter drew attention, and smiles. When she talked, people turned to listen even if she wasn’t talking directly to them.

  It was … enthralling. Sure, that seemed like a good enough word. After all, she’d enthralled him from the very beginning.

  Andino loved watching Haven. He planned on doing exactly that for the rest of his fucking life. Nothing less would be acceptable.

  “My wife adores her,” Dante said, bringing Andino’s attention to the table. “Loves her already.”

  Andino raised a brow in question.

  Dante chuckled at the sight. “I can tell, if you were wondering. You know your aunt, Andi. She doesn’t even try to pretend when she could do without a person.”

  That was true.

  Catrina was just about the only Marcello in their family that did not subscribe to the normal politeness of society like the rest of them did when it came to new people. She could be incredibly cold, and intimidating. Especially to other women.

  And yet, she hadn’t been like that to Haven at all.

  It was also not lost on Andino that … in a way … Haven would be the woman taking over Catrina’s position in their family. Eventually.

  Sure, his aunt had her own thing as a successful Queen Pin sitting alongside her equally dangerous husband. But she was also—next to his grandmother—the matriarch of the Marcellos as the boss’s wife.

  Dante smiled at Andino’s sudden quietness. “I suggest you allow my wife to spend as much time as she possibly can with Haven. It will make that trans
ition easier, believe me. Haven may be naturally able to handle a room, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t benefit from having an influence, if you get my drift.”

  He’d never thought of that before. All over again, he found a great need to be grateful for the way his uncle was making a conscious effort to do whatever he needed in order for Haven to be comfortable and welcomed.

  Even after all he’d done …

  “I’m a bit of a shit, aren’t I?” Andino asked.

  Beside him, his father laughed. As did the rest of the people at the table. He was more curious about the amused smile his uncle wore.

  “You are you, Andino,” Dante replied, “and I no longer care to make you into someone else. Why should I? You’re doing fine being exactly who and what you are, Andino. Even if you are a bit of a shit.”

  • • •

  “Oh, my God, you’re awful.”

  “But you love it.”

  Andino pushed Haven back on the bed in one of the many spare bedrooms in this particular wing of the mansion. The skirt of her dress was shoved up over her hips, and he caught sight of pale lace between the heaven that was her thighs. He couldn’t help but lean in closer to get a taste of her pussy and that lace at the same time. She was tart, and hot, and sweet. It made his mouth water with the need for more. She laughed as he pulled back just enough to yank those damn panties down her legs.

  “Pretty sure this was not supposed to be a part of the tour!”

  “But do you want me to stop?”

  Haven tensed on the bed, whispering, “Please don’t.”

  He chuckled, and went back to his task. Nothing pleased him more.

  This hadn’t been a part of the tour, but when he went looking for her and realized that he had a chance … Andino took it. All it required was a look at his cousins, and the women scattered to leave him alone with Haven.

  A minute later, and he had her on a bed.

  Perfect.

  No one was going to come looking for them. And even if they did, they safely had a while before they would be found. Andino was going to make good use of that time. He had a lot of missing days to make up for.

  “Fuck,” Haven whined. “Andino.”

  Her back arched high off the bed when he finally got his mouth on her bare pussy. She was waxed again—smooth under his lips and tongue. It allowed him to taste the flavor of her arousal but so much more, too. The salt on her skin, and the way her blood rushed to the surface when he sucked her sweet little clit between his lips hard. As much as he wanted to keep his attention focused on the throbbing bud, he moved down to get another good taste of her.