Savage Vow (Ivanov Crime Family #1)

by Zoe Blake

I thought of the breakfast tray Rose had brought it up to my bedroom. I, of course, had refused it out of spite. It was filled with healthy food and vegetables. Vegetables! Who the hell ate vegetables for breakfast? She told me Gregor had informed her I probably hadn’t eaten something fresh and green for weeks. The fact that was true did not give him the right to dictate what I ate.

“How do you know so much about art?” “Why? Do I not seem like the type of person who can appreciate high culture?” He snatched the same tomato off my plate and ate it with a wink. “I’m serious.” He nodded toward my plate. “Take a bite of salad, and I’ll answer.” Spearing a single leafy green with the prongs of my fork, I raised it to my mouth and ate it with a flourish and a cheeky smile. “Cheater.” “You didn’t say how big of a bite. Now answer my question.”

“Listen very carefully, you beautiful wild creature. I love you. For the last time, this is not a fucking game to me.” His gaze flicked down to the thin line of dried blood still visible on my neck from last night’s attack. “If I had lost you last night, I wouldn’t have gone on living. You are my salvation. I need to see the beauty in the world through your eyes or there is no point. Don’t you understand? You are the only light in my unrelentingly dark world.”

“What’s this?” “It’s sočivo.” I sounded out the Russian word. “Soh-chiva?” He nodded. I inspected the dish. “You didn’t sneak any vegetable in here, did you?”