I did not take too kindly to disrespect. I knew I was going to end Davion's naïve little brother's life just as I watched him try to get sympathy from my wife. There was no way I could allow him to live another moment, as he rarely stood too close to Verena.

Immediately I was too busy trying to form a trauma bond with the little bastard, I had signaled one of my lieutenants to hand me my machete. I made sure to hide my machete in the inside of my coat jacket so Verena could not take notice of it or she would probably somehow try to convince me not to commit murder. I was itching for another kill, this needed to happen not only for Verena to learn that this is the life she has been connected to for many years that I shielded her away. I can no longer hide the darkness from her anymore.

She needs to see how vindictive and corrupt I can get with those who cross me. I yearned to see her reaction to me as I sliced Eryx's head off his body and blood splattered across her white winter bodysuit, I am sure I was pissed about the fact that is now soiled with blood and ruined because of me. Verena looks down at the body, with no fear in her eyes, but yet confusion, as if she was expecting me to kill Eryx whatsoever. Verena frowns as she marches over to me, as snow boots make a crunching sound as they hit against the large pile of snow.

"You promised me you wouldn't kill him. Lied to me". One of my lieutenants took hold of the bloody machete in my hand, "Cherie we need to get you cleaned up this instant, I can't have my queen meeting the Sinclairs in this state". Verena pushes me off of her, "I liked this outfit too, your ass is going to buy the entire winter collection from Balenciaga".

I smile inwardly, "Whatever you want, Cherie, your wish is my command. Now let's make a pit stop at one of my homes here in the mountains". Verena pouts her lips out at me with her arms crossed, as if they are going to stop me from touching her.

"You can be mad at me all you want, we have business affairs to attend to. Did you forget?" Verena sighs, "I don't at this point, it seems to me you only tell me things to get me to shut the fuck up. I could have stayed back at the island for this shit." I take hold of Verena's hand, suddenly tugging her forward.

"Keep it up and I'm going to handcuff you to me for the rest of the day, you won't have any choice but to be stuck with me".

Verena rolls her eyes, "I see you trying to be like me now. When you handcuffed me the other day, you seemed annoyed by the idea, or maybe you have a secret handcuff fetish. Let me find out".

I then lean down, placing my hand against her neck, "Oh, you definitely will find out what I can do with handcuffs. Don't think I'm just going let that shit you pulled last night in the hotel room is going to slide. You still owe me some pussy".

Verena gasps at my blunt response. "Fine, I'll do whatever you want for right now, but as you leave this place, you better start looking at landmarks to build my pediatric clinic. I'm not playing with you Eryx Vallea".

This was a fucking goddess glaring back at me. I take hold of her hand as we begin to walk to one of the Black Land Rovers. I hold the door open for Verena as she climbs inside the backseat of the vehicle. As I shut the backseat door and sit next to Verena as she places her seatbelt on I begin asking her questions.

"Tell me exactly what you want this clinic of yours to look like".

Verena places her hands in her lap, "I always dreamed of having a pediatric clinic with other fellow black pediatricians. I want to create a clinic where black kids feel safe and their parents don't have to worry or stress about the cost of medicine. I want my clinic to be massive, maybe the size of a school. I want to have a huge sign in the front that says the Verena Vallea Pediatric Clinic. I want there to be a center for kids who have autism, as we have a portion of the clinic dedicated to kids who have autoimmune diseases such as sickle cell, diabetes, and different forms of cancerous diseases. I want there to be a cafeteria that serves the best quality food by top-tier chefs who create gourmet meals but a healthier version of it".

I was truly impressed with the ideas Verena has for her clinic. "It sounds to me like this is a hospital, rather than a clinic being that clinics are fairly small. Verena what you are asking for is a medical center". Verena has a determined look in her eyes as she stares back at me.

"I had the opportunity to work with some of the best pediatricians and nursing staff in the country during my time away from Alphacrest. The medical family that I worked with taught me that my job as a doctor is to provide for the community, and that is exactly what I want to do. What is the point of having wealth and you are not going to use it for something greater than yourself".

Verena's words truly hit my heart and made me realize that I needed to do better as a husband. I needed to support her dream.

I was going to do everything in my power to make her dream a reality. I take hold of Verena's hand and place a kiss on top of it.

"I promise to make this dream of you having your medical center a reality".

Verena looks at me with uncertainty in her eyes for a second before she nods and looking at the window. Still doesn't fully trust me yet, that will only change soon enough. We are making progress, slow not at the speed I would have hoped it to be at this point, but we are building something where we both can be honest with our wants and desires.

"So Ryx are you not going to share your wants and desires with me". Verena suddenly says. I am taken for a loop because she is calling me Ryx, a name I haven't heard her say in such a long time. She is the person that is allowed to call me Ryx.

"Ryx, are you listening to me". I blink my eyes and shake my head. "Of course love, I'm listening to everything you are saying. I don't have anything I am working on at the moment outside of trying to win back your heart, that's my main priority at the moment. When the time has come when I can think of something I want to build, you will be the first person I share that vital piece of information with".

Verena doesn't flinch or try to move my hand away as I place my hand on top of hers.

"That's cool. I'm sure you already have something in the back of your mind you want to do, but it will come when the time is right".

Verena adds as she leans back against the seat as I place her legs on top of mine. I smile as I caress Verena's hand. Verena looks up at me curiously as one of the drivers goes up one of the steep hills in the mountains, causing us both to brace ourselves against each other. "What are you smiling about?".

"I'm smiling because this is the first time since you've been back you haven't blown up on me. You're still in love with me, admit it, Rena".

Verena glances down at our joined hands. "I will always have love for you Ryx". I shake my head,

"That's not what I asked you, Rena". Rena shrugs her shoulders in response.

"Take it or leave it, you are not out of the doghouse, it's not that simple to say I love you and all our issues go away". I lay my head against her bosom as I breathe her flowery vanilla scent. "Whatever you say Rena. You know you still love me, if you didn't you would have every opportunity to kill me the night you ran away, but instead you chose to let me live". I can feel Verena's body stiffen at my statement. "I wasn't thinking rationally that night".

I groan at her response. "I think you were very rational when that sharp blade pierced the side of my body. That shit fucking hurt by the way". Verena thinks this funny and begins laughing. "Oh you can laugh at the pain you caused me. Woman I had to get 30 stitches behind that shit you pulled". Verena places her hand on the back of her head.

"I'm sorry Eryx... for stabbing you that night". Verena couldn't see the grin plastered across my face right now, but I felt like this was a profound moment that was happening right now as my eyes began to close.

"Eryx I know your ass just didn't fall asleep on me".

I couldn't help but fall asleep I was so fucking tired. I barely slept last night. I need a nap before I decide how or if I should kill the Sinclairs. Murder was on my mind even as I slept. Dreaming of how many ways I could kill or make someone's life a living hell. Davian was going to either be forced to play by my rules or he would be joining his brother in the afterlife.



Verena finally shared a vulnerable piece of herself with Eryx. I know many of you don't care for Verena, but the woman has gone through a lot of shit with Eryx. She really is the one who can put him in his place when he gets carried away. She is not scared of him whatsoever.

I wanted you guys to see that Verena and Eryx are about to communicate effectively. At one point in their relationship, they did do well with communication, but Eryx fucked up and influenced Verena to flip the script on him. Verena still loves Eryx she is just not ready to tell him just yet because she watches him like a damn hawk, his every move.

There is going to be a showdown between the Sinclairs and Valleas. Eryx plotting what his next move is going to be while Verena might be on to something else completely.