Page 32 of Of Vows and Betrayal

“Oh lord, it’s beautiful! He’s going to love it. How much was it? I must repay you for it.”

Far more than you might think, but it needs to be on his desk.“Okay, it wasn’t much though. Only two hundred dollars.”

She frowns. “That’s it?”

I chuckle. “Right? I had to get it for that price.”

She twists her mouth to the side. “That antique person must not be very good at his job.”

“No, it seems like it, but…” I shrug. “I would have been foolish not to do it.”

She gets her wallet out, pulls out two hundred dollars, and puts it on the console. “Please take the money. Maybe he will love it so much that he will allow me to skip Francesca’s birthday.”

“One can hope!” I say, but I don’t mean it. Actually, I need her to go. I’m counting on it, and once again, guilt tries to rear its ugly head. I’m using her, and I hate it.

And yet you keep on doing it, Tiago’s voice pipes in my head.

She takes the ship carefully, and before I can react, she kisses me on the cheek. I jerk back, my skin tingling.

“Don’t do that!” My voice cuts through the air, sharper than I intended. Her face falls, and regret coils around my heart.

Her face starts burning. “I’m sorry, I just—I wanted to say thank you. I—” She shakes her head, and this time, the tears in her eyes are of embarrassment and rejection instead of joy. “I won’t do that again. I’m sorry. See you tomorrow.”

She exits the car so fast she almost drops the ship, butshe recovers quickly and goes into the house.

I grip the steering wheel, knuckles white as I struggle to control the turmoil inside me. She had no idea that I didn’t pull away because I didn’t want her but because my feelings were too strong. If she had stayed a moment longer, I might have turned and kissed her. I wanted to claim her, to lose myself in her.

I let out a shuddering breath and lean back in my seat, staring up at the darkening sky. I can’t afford to lose control. Not now, not ever. But the lines are blurring, and my resolve is wavering. For Ophelia’s sake and the sake of my mission, I have to remember who I am and why I’m here.

With a final glance at the house, I start the car and drive away, determined to bury my feelings and focus on the plan. The war is far from over, and I can’t let my heart become another casualty.

Chapter 8

Ophelia

Iwish I could stay home tonight. No, that’s a lie. I adore the dress I bought at the mall—the way it clings to my curves and the vintage allure it brings out in me. The makeup artist transformed me into a fifties vixen, complete with bold red lips and a coiffed hairstyle.

But the excitement dims when I think about where I’m going, even though I can’t help but imagine his reaction when he sees me like this. It’s a disaster waiting to happen, but he’s more than just a brute. He’s the man whose soft gaze makes my stomach flutter, who knows my favorite treats. My fingers brush the bee pendant resting against my skin. The makeup artist my father hired tried to replace it, but I stood my ground.

My phone beeps, reminding me that I have less than five minutes to leave the house if I don’t want to be late for Francesca’s party and cause a scene. I look at myself one last time in the mirror before glancing at my feet. The heels make me teeter. I whisper a silent prayer that they won’t betray me tonight.

When I get downstairs, I nearly miss a step when I spotJavier standing there, his intense gaze locking onto mine. It’s a little awkward for me since his reaction to my kiss. I didn’t think; I just acted, and the visceral rejection broke my heart. It’s silly, I know—he’s so much older, so serious, everything I’m not. But I couldn’t help the hope that sparked every time he looked at me.

“I didn’t know you were working tonight.”

“Of course I am. You’re going somewhere, so am I.”

I feel the flush spread on my neck as he extends his hand to help me down the last few steps.

“It would have been a shame to miss seeing you tonight,” he says, his eyes roaming over me. “You are absolutely breathtaking.”

My heart skips a beat at his words, but I force a casual smile, trying to downplay the thrill his compliment gives me. “You’re just saying that because you’re my bodyguard, and it’s your job to keep me happy.”

He lets go of my hand, sighing deeply before looking down the empty hall. “No, I shouldn’t say thatbecauseI’m your bodyguard.”

This puts a lead weight on the reality, and we both stay silent until we reach the fancy club where the party is taking place. We’re not even out of the car, and I can hear the music blaring. I can’t help but wince.

“It’s not too late to turn around and go get a burger.”

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