Page 90 of Vow to Claim You

“Good.” He tips his glass in my direction. “Then we’ve done the business.”

And that’s when I glance down at the terrace and stop hearing him entirely.

Because a man is standing too close to my wife.

He’s young and handsome, the sort of man who’s spent his life assuming every smile was an invitation. He’s leaned into Ayanna’s space with a glass in his hand, and he’s saying something that makes her laugh. His hand is on her bare arm.

On. Her. Arm.

Something goes very still and very cold in the center of me. The old, ugly, animal thing I keep on a short chain.

“Ah.” Nikos has followed my stare, and there’s open amusement in his voice now, dark and delighted. “And there it is.”

“There what is.”

“The cold Viking...” He turns fully toward me, entertained. “Jealous. I genuinely didn’t think the wiring was installed.”

“I’m not jealous.” My eyes haven’t left the man’s hand. “I’m assessing a problem.”

“Mm. Is that what we’re calling it?” He settles back against the balustrade like a man with a good seat at a fight. “Tell me, should we put money on it? I give that boy thirty seconds before he learns firsthand why they call you the Viking.”

I’m already heading their way. The crowd parts as though on instinct, the body clearing a path before the mind understands why. By the time I reach them, the man is mid-sentence, his hand still on my wife, and Ayanna is wearing the cool, blade-bright diplomatic smile she was raised to put on in situations like this.

“You’re touching my wife.” I don’t raise my tone despite the caged animal in me trying to break free now—which is infuriating, because five minutes ago I was perfectly calm. And now, watching another man flirt with my wife feels suspiciously close to a declaration of war.

The man startles, turns, takes me in, and his grin falters. His hand drops from her arm like the skin scalded him.

“Vold.” He swallows.

“Correct.”

I step between Ayanna and him until he has to tip his head back to hold my eyes. It takes him all of two seconds to realize his mistake.

“I’m giving you something very few men receive.”

His brows furrow. He’s fortunate I just promised Nikos no one would die tonight, and I’m not the man who breaks his word.

Because outwardly, I’m perfectly composed.

Inwardly? I’ve already killed him three different ways.

“A warning,” I say, forcing the thought aside. I look at the hand he’d laid on my wife before my gaze returns to his. “Walk away. Don’t let me see your hand near her again, or you’ll learn exactly how I earned my reputation for making examples.”

The man stumbles over his own feet as he flees.

I turn to Ayanna. She’s watching me with her arms loosely folded, one brow arched.

“I had it handled,” she says with dry amusement.

“I know.” I did know. That isn’t why I came, and we both understand it. “I didn’t.”

Something kindles behind her eyes, and she buries it fast.

“Vold.” Alexei has appeared at my elbow with a glass of something amber, looking thoroughly delighted. He tips his head toward the man fleeing the terrace.

“Well,” he mutters into his glass. “You scared him.”

“I introduced myself.”