Shattered Vows (Midnight Manor Book 2), page 22
“I understood why you did it, Ash. You don’t need to apologize.”
“I do.” Asher swallows hard. “It was my job to protect you all, and I bailed on it.”
Kol frowns. “You always thought it was, but it wasn’t.”
Asher pushes a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair. “At any rate, you should know that if I could do it over, I would.”
“I appreciate that,” Kol says.
“I’ll let you rest. The doctor said you need it. He’ll be back tonight to change your dressing.” Then Asher turns to me. “If you get sick of this one’s bedside manner, Anabelle has been asking about you.”
“Okay. I’ll be sure to touch base with her later today.” There’s a warm feeling in my chest that for the first time in my life, I have a friend who’s concerned for me. Once Asher has left, I lie down next to Kol again, taking his hand. “Do you want anything to eat, drink?”
“I just want you.”
Turning my head, I kiss his shoulder. “You came after me into the maze.”
He stiffens for a moment before he relaxes. “I wasn’t about to let her take you away from me. I’d face all my worst nightmares to prevent that from happening.”
“Still… I know that wasn’t easy for you.” Tears well in my eyes, but I suck them back. The skin on my cheeks feels raw from all the crying I’ve been doing in the past twenty-four hours.
“It was easy when I considered the alternative.” He squeezes my hand. “How are you? Are you okay after what happened with Margaret?”
“I will be. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she’s not my real mother. I wish I hadn’t had to do what I did.” I squeeze my eyes shut as the image of me plunging the knife into her chest resurfaces. “I would do it again though to save you. I know now why you did what you did for your brother and Anabelle. I’m sorry I doubted you.” A tear slips free, and I swipe it away.
“Look at me,” Kol says.
I let go of his hand and turn onto my side, resting on my elbow so I can look down at him.
“I would have questioned your sanity if you hadn’t doubted me at all.”
A small smile tilts my lips. “How did you find my biological parents?” It’s something I’ve been wondering about while I was lying here with Kol, waiting for him to wake up and going over everything in my mind.
He blows out a breath. “When I couldn’t find any adoption records for you, I figured that you were either bought on the black market or kidnapped when you were a baby. I had a hunch, and I was right. If my child was stolen, the first thing I’d do is upload my DNA into one of those public genealogy databases so that if my child or their descendants ever uploaded theirs, I’d know about it. After you were hurt during that thunderstorm, I sent your blood in to be tested. I paid the company handsomely to keep the results from being public, but I wanted to see if anyone matching your DNA would be a close enough relation to track down your parents. Turns out they were both in the database. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Margaret right away. It was selfish. I thought you might leave me to go find your real family.”
I lightly place my hand on his chest. “You are my family, Kol.”
His amber eyes glisten as he looks at me. “And you’re mine. I’m never going to be separated from you again, sweetheart. I’m sorry it took so long for me to get my head out of my ass, but I promise that if you’ll let me, I’ll work the rest of our lives to make you happier than you were the day before. You’re everything to me.”
“I love you, Kol Voss.”
“I love you more, sweetheart. Believe me. You can’t even fathom how much.”
Careful not to put any weight on his chest, I lean in and kiss him. Just a chaste kiss, but it’s the seal of our promise to each other.
“I’m so glad all of this is behind us,” I say when I pull away.
He frowns. “There’s one loose end to tie up, but I’ll take care of it in time.” Before I can ask what he means, he asks me another question. “Do you want to know about your birth parents?”
I shake my head. “Not yet. I’m still trying to sort out how I feel about everything. But I think I’ll eventually want to meet them.”
He nods.
“Will you come with me if I do?”
He smiles at me. “Is that even a question? I’m going to be worse than Nero.”
My forehead wrinkles. “What does that mean?”
Kol shakes his head. “Never mind, just get back here and kiss me again.”
So I do.
Epilogue
KOL
FOUR MONTHS LATER…
Jessie Wallace died on a Monday morning on the golf course. It was reported as a heart attack, but what the autopsy didn’t show was the untraceable poison that somehow made it into his drink courtesy of the cart girl, a member of the Costa crime family.
I told Marcello Costa we’re even now.
We’re still not one hundred percent sure how Margaret got hooked up with Marcello’s goons, but the best guess is that she too was surveilling the manor, and they stumbled upon each other, and she had something to offer them. Information maybe, or possibly just getting Rapsody out of the way so she wasn’t a problem when they took me. We’ll never really know.
There was no chance I was going to let Jessie keep breathing when he still posed a threat to Rapsody. She’s been finding it hard enough to get over everything Margaret did to her and lied to her about.
A couple of months ago, Rapsody decided that she wanted to reach out to her birth parents. They were skeptical at first, since more than twenty years had passed since she’d gone missing, but we told them that Rapsody had decided to do a genealogy report, and I sent them the findings.
The story we went with was that Rapsody confronted Margaret, and she stabbed herself in the chest.
Rapsody and her birth family talked over the phone at first, and a month later when Rapsody was ready, we took the private plane to Ohio where they live. Turns out Rapsody is the big sister to another sister and brother. They’re an extra bonus to having her parents that she’s thrilled about.
We even flew in again last week right before Christmas so that she could drop off some gifts to all the family members.
Things are still a little awkward between them, but that’s to be expected. I’m sure in time it will get easier. We have plans to go visit again in the new year.
But tonight, it’s New Year’s Eve, and I have something special planned. Something I’ve been forcing myself to put off since I woke up with that stab wound and Rapsody lying beside me.
The only reason I put it off was because I didn’t think she was ready. I knew she was still processing all the shit that went down. It wasn’t the time to ask her to be my wife—again. But I’ve waited long enough, and tonight is the night. I refuse to start the year without solidifying our union.
Originally, I was going to plan some elaborate setup, but decided against it. That’s not who she is. She enjoys adding people and experiences to her life. So I figured why not give her something else to love as part of the proposal?
I step into one of the many living spaces in the communal part of the house to find Marcel where I left him with the newest member of our household.
“He peed on the rug,” Marcel says as he sees me approach.
“I’m sure it won’t be the last time.”
“It’s the Pearl Carpet of Baroda, sir.”
I shrug and bend to pick up the yellow Labrador puppy sniffing around the area rug. “Come here, big guy.” I hold him out to Marcel. “Here, hold him so I can put his collar on.”
Marcel takes the dog, albeit with a pained look on his face. I pull the collar from my pocket and slide the giant pear-shaped engagement ring onto the leash ring at the front, then I secure it around the puppy’s neck.
“Perfect. I’ll take it from here.” I pull the puppy from his arms.
“Thank God,” Marcel mumbles.
“Better get used to him. You’ll be seeing a lot more of him.” Laughing at Marcel’s expense, I turn and make my way back to the conservatory.
Rapsody wanted to get some painting in before the festivities tonight. She’s been doing more and more painting and experimenting with erotic art regularly now. I haven’t told her, but I reached out to an art dealer in New York with some pictures of her paintings and they’re interested in seeing more and talking to her.
The puppy wiggles in my arms as I make my way through the manor, whining to get down, but I keep a firm grip on him.
We finally reach the conservatory, and I poke my head around the doorframe. “Mind if we join you?”
Rapsody looks over her shoulder at me with a smile. “Of course. But who’s we?” I step fully into the doorway, and she gasps, her paintbrush falling to the floor. “Oh my god, who is this?”
She crouches down, and I set the dog on the floor. He races over to her.
Smart dog.
“This is your new dog. Happy new year.”
She looks from me to the puppy, clearly at a loss for words. When he leaps up on her to lick her face, she giggles, and it’s the best fucking sound in the world.
“What’s his name?” she asks between licks.
“Why don’t you see for yourself? It’s written on the gold bone on his collar.”
She looks at the name tag. “Max. What a perfect name for a perfect boy.”
The moment she sees the ring, she stills and looks up at me with wide eyes. I step over to them and take her hand, helping her stand. Then I bend to pick up the dog.
“Hold him while I get this?”
She takes him in her arms while I work the ring off the collar. All the while, she watches my every move with glistening emerald eyes.
Then I get down on bended knee. “Rapsody, this may not have started in the best way, but what it’s grown into certainly is the best. I want to show you the world. I want to give you all the experiences you can handle, and I want to prove to you every day that we’re meant to be together. I never thought much about love until you came along. And I’m thankful every day that I’m a jealous, prideful, angry man, because if I wasn’t, you might be married to the wrong man right now. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anybody, and somehow, you’ve found it in yourself to love me too, flaws and all. Will you do me the privilege of becoming my wife and my partner for the remainder of our days?”
Big fat tears roll down her cheeks, and she nods. Vigorously. “Yes, yes, I’ll be your wife. Yes!” She shifts the puppy to hold him with one hand and holds out her left one to me.
I slide the oversized ring on her finger. I don’t want any asshole to miss the fact that she’s taken.
“Wow. Kol, this is… just wow.”
I chuckle and stand. “I’m glad you like it. Now give your fiancé a kiss.”
She leans forward and places her lips to mine, kissing me briefly while Max wiggles between us.
“I promise I’ll show up to our wedding day this time.” She laughs.
I scowl at her. “That’s not even funny.”
I lean in again to kiss her, and this time Max stretches his head up and his slobbery tongue joins in.
“What the hell? You’d better not be a little cockblocker, Max.” I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand while Rapsody laughs hysterically.
Why do I get the sense that this is going to be a theme in our lives now?
As long as Rapsody is mine, everything is right in the world. At least in my world.
Later that night, we head to the dining room to enjoy a New Year’s Eve feast with my brothers and Anabelle, Max in tow. I’m already regretting getting Max because he is going to be a little cockblocker.
But I don’t mind—much—since Rapsody’s face lights up whenever she sees him. I’ve never once in my life wanted to have, or even thought about having, kids, but now I find myself thinking about them and what Rapsody would be like as a mother.
“Oh my god, who is this?” Anabelle springs from her seat at the table and rushes over to us.
“This is Max. Isn’t he the cutest? Kol gave him to me today.” Rapsody looks up at me, and I swear there are fucking hearts in her eyes.
I’m getting laid so good tonight. That is, if that little ball of fur in her arms lets me.
I scowl at him because I know he won’t. Rapsody sets him down.
“Wait.” Anabelle yanks Rapsody’s left hand forward. Her attention goes from the sizable diamond ring to Rapsody’s face and over to me. “Are you guys engaged?”
Rapsody presses her lips together and nods, emerald eyes glistening.
“Oh my god, congratulations!” Anabelle wraps Rapsody in her arms.
Asher and Sid get up from the table, walking over to us.
“Congratulations.” Asher sticks out his hand, and we shake. When our gazes connect, I see what he’s not saying—that he’s happy that after all the fucked-up shit we went through, I was able to find my piece of happiness.
“Another one bites the dust.” Sid shakes his head. “Jesus.” He pulls me in for a hug and claps me on the back.
“Don’t knock it until you try it,” I say to him.
He guffaws and clamps my shoulder. “Yeah, no thanks.”
I look around the room while they give their congratulations to Rapsody and realize that Nero’s not here.
“Where’s Nero?” I ask.
Sid frowns. “No idea. He should be here already.”
We shoot the shit, but when the staff brings the food in, we make our way to our seats around the table.
Max spends the first half of dinner running around and whining for food, which of course the women give him, until he finally conks out in the corner.
Our champagne glasses are in the air, and we’re about to toast when Nero walks in.
“Finally! Where the hell have you been?” Asher asks.
“Sorry, I’m late. I, uh… had something that came up.”
A blonde with big boobs, the bartender at Black Magic Bar, steps around him.
“Guys, this is Cinder,” Nero says.
My eyes narrow on Nero, as do my other brothers’, because she isn’t just the bartender at the local dive bar. She’s also the woman Nero’s been stalking for the past six months.
But I’d bet my bank account she doesn’t know that.
Once upon a time, elusive billionaire Nero Voss, thought he’d found his happy ever after. He was wrong.
On the heels of betrayal, he finds himself fascinated with a dancer at the local strip club. A rebound is one thing, but Cinder brings out urges in him that he thought he left behind.
As his obsession grows, he tries to distance himself but when he finds her in need, he can’t resist being the one to lend her a helping hand.
MIDNIGHT WHISPERS is a contemporary dark romance reimagining of Cinderella.
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Midnight Whispers!
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Also by P. Rayne
Mafia Academy
Vow of Revenge
Corrupting the Innocent
Coveting the Mafia King’s Sister
Craving My Rival
Standalones
Beautifully Scarred
Midnight Manor
Moonlit Thorns
Shattered Vows
Midnight Whispers
Acknowledgments
We hope you enjoyed your time at Midnight Manor! If this was your first visit, welcome! And if you’ve already read Moonlit Thorns (Midnight Manor #1) then welcome back!
We’ll be honest, Moonlit Thorns was so well received by readers (thank you!) that it piled on the pressure to do the same with Shattered Vows. But that’s almost impossible to do because each brother has their own story to tell and they’re not the same people. So whether Asher or Kol is your favorite, or maybe one of the other brothers, we hope that you still enjoyed the story and all the elements of the world that remained the same—the gothic vibes, the sex club, the anti-hero MMC, etc.
Poor Kol, we knew the whole time we were writing Moonlit Thorns why he was so abrasive and distant. His pride and his obsession with Rapsody were festering under his skin and this man would not rest until he found her. And because that had been his sole focus for so long, once he did, he was kind of like… what now? He hadn’t thought that far ahead and hadn’t realized how it would feel to be around her again.
When we were plotting this one out, we knew we wanted the when/where that he snatched her to be dramatic. Her wedding day to someone else fit perfectly because we LOVE a jealous hero and what a better way to bring out that side of Kol.
We have to give much thanks to everyone who helped bring this book to market…
A big shout to Regina Wamba for the gorgeous cover. Her work on the entire Midnight Manor series is breathtaking.
Thanks as always to Cassie at Joy editing for the line edits and for My Brother’s Editor for the proofread. You both helped make this story what it is today.
The Valentine PR crew always keeps us in check and follows up to make sure we’re hitting those deadlines. Not only do we need it, but we appreciate it!
A HUGE hug to every blogger, influencer and reader who read the first book in the series and was excited about this story. We weren’t sure how Moonlit Thorns was going to be received but you all opened your arms as wide as possible to welcome it into your life. Thank you is too small a word, but it’s all we’ve got. Word of mouth is so hard to come by in this marketplace and we appreciate everyone’s hard work, efforts and enthusiasm to spread the word about this series! We see you and are so, so grateful! <3
