Page 27 of Of Vows and Betrayal

I blush, realizing I’ve been caught staring. “He’s… he’s something,” I say, trying to play it cool.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Mrs. Thompson asks, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

I shake my head quickly. “No, it’s nothing like that. He’s just my bodyguard.”

Mrs. Lawson gives me a knowing smile. “Maybe it should be something more.”

“Why do you say that?” I ask, my heart racing.

“Because, dear, he looks at you with the same longing when you’re not looking as you do when he’s not looking,” she replies, patting my hand gently.

My heart skips a beat at her words. Could she be right? I glance over at Javier again. He’s engrossed in the card game, but there’s a warmth in his eyes that makes me wonder if there’s more to his feelings than just professional duty.

As we continue knitting and chatting, I can’t help butsteal glances at Javier. Each time, I find myself hoping Mrs. Lawson is right. Maybe, just maybe, there is something more between us.

The visit ends too soon, and as we drive back in a comfortable silence, the weight of the day’s events lingers in the air. I steal glances at Javier, my mind replaying the words of Mrs. Lawson.

“You handled that viper well today,” he says as we reach my street.

“Thanks,” I say, smiling at him. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

He chuckles. “Well, I’m here to protect you. That includes verbal attacks too.”

I let out a sigh at the memory of Sophia’s speculative face. “You shouldn’t defend me that much.”

He turns to look at me, frowning. “I can’t just stand here and say nothing.”

“No, but this won’t fly,” I say, my voice tinged with regret.

He scoffs. “I’m not afraid.”

Then you’re a fool,I think. “But I am. I don’t want you to disappear too.”

He looks at me for a beat longer, his eyes intense and searching. His gaze slides to my lips, remaining there for a moment that feels like an eternity before he looks back up, meeting my eyes.

“We’re in trouble,” he says, voice low, eyes intense.

I nod, the gravity of his words sinking in. “Yes, we are.”

We pull into the driveway, unspoken feelings hanging heavy. As I step out of the car, I glance at Javier, ourconnection growing more dangerous with each passing day.

For now, I cling to the warmth of his presence, knowing that for the first time in a long while, I’m not facing this messy world alone.

Chapter 7

Javier

“How is it progressing?” I ask, entering Derek’s basement office in Synco Tower, a chaotic sanctuary cluttered with computer parts and cables, the air filled with the musty scent of the boiler room next door.

He sighs, swiveling his chair to face me, his perpetual scowl deepening. That man is a certified genius—the kind who would probably make Einstein look like an idiot—but with all his tattoos and piercings, he looks more like a rock star than an intellectual.

When we grew up, we always said he would become a serial killer or an evil mastermind. He settled somewhere between the two and became the best hacker I’ve ever seen. It’s still extremely weird that he demanded his office be in the basement near the boiler room and the cleaning closet. To most people, he looks like part of the janitorial team. Little do they know that this company, its success, and its billion-dollar turnover would not exist without him.

“Can’t you just chill for a minute, man? We’realmost there.”

It’s my turn to glare. “No, I willnotchill.” I can’t. Every day with Ophelia makes things more complicated. Her innocence gnaws at my hardened shell, threatening to dismantle my revenge. I start questioning if Tiago might be right—this plan may cost too much.

“Ophelia’s slipup about Little Island was quite helpful.”

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