Page 35 of Of Vows and Betrayal

I take his hand, and we weave through the throng of partygoers, their laughter and chatter a distant buzz in my ears. As we pass by the bodyguards’ area, I make eye contact with Javier. His eyes dart to our joined hands, and a muscle in his jaw twitches. I give him a small, reassuring smile, hoping he understands that I’m just playing along for now.

Outside, the cool night air is a welcome relief.

“Thank you. I’ve got her from here,” Javier says from behind me. His tone is defensive again, and his body is much too close to mine.

Romero eyes him silently for a few seconds before looking down at me, a smile on his lips. “Yeah, I better get back in. We don’t want the rumor mill to start before it’s necessary, do we?” He takes a couple of steps forward, and I can feel Javier’s grip on the back of my dress.

“So, that kiss?” Romero asks, but his eyes move to Javier. Is that a challenge I see there?

I lean over and press a quick kiss to his cheek. “Thank you for getting me out of there.”

He smiles, looking genuinely pleased. “Anytime, Phee. And don’t forget about our date,” he adds before disappearing inside the club again.

Javier gestures to the valet, and we stand side by side on the curb, waiting for his car. His arm brushes against mine, sending a shiver down my spine. The warmth of his body radiates through the thin fabric of my dress, making it hard to focus on anything but the desire to be even closer.

“So, you’re going to date ten-cent Romeo?” he asks.

I glance at him, but he’s looking straight ahead. “Is that a problem?”

He looks down at me, his eyes narrowing a little. “It shouldn’t be.”

Shouldn’t… “That’s not an answer.”

His jaw tightens, and he looks away. “It’s the only answer I can give.”

I cross my arms, trying to ignore the way my heart races when he’s this close. “Way to be cryptic.”

He takes a deep breath, his gaze finally meeting mine. “You deserve someone who cares about you,” he says softly. “Someone who sees you for who you are, not just as a pawn in this Mafia game.”

My breath hitches, caught in the snare of his intense gaze, a desperate plea for something more than words can convey. “And you think Romero doesn’t see me that way?”

Javier’s expression hardens. “I think Romero sees you as you show yourself to them, which is as fake as it is. It’s not about you; it’s about what you represent.”

I feel a pang of frustration. “And what about you? What do you see when you look at me?”

He hesitates, his eyes searching mine. “I see someone worth protecting. Someone who deserves better than all of this.”

I deflate as the valet pulls up with the car, and Javier steps forward to open the door for me. As I slide into the passenger seat, his words echo in my mind. There’s no feeling behind his words, just a sense of duty that, despite all reasonable thought, hurts me far more than I anticipated.

“I’m not going to date Romero. I can’t keep pretendingthis life is enough for me,” I say as he starts the car.

I see the tension ease from his shoulders, a flicker of relief softening his stern features.

“I… This is not for me,” I add for good measure. “This role—you’re right.”

He lets out a growl as if I am frustrating him. “Why are you doing things you hate so much? Why don’t you admit how you feel about all this?”

I feel tears starting to burn at the back of my eyes. “Because I think if I open the floodgate, I’ll suffocate.” I rest my hand on my chest. “Because I’m angry—angry at him for claiming me, angry at my mom for leaving me.” I shake my head. “They managed to hide me so well, no one even knew I existed.”

“No, no one did.”

His comment makes me frown, but I’m too emotional to think twice about it. “And then I’m here, in the middle of a dangerous world where my life is in danger just because of the blood I share. They just threw me in this golden cage, and part of me is grateful—I am—but also, I wonder what I would have done if I had the choice, and knowing what I know, I think I would have wanted no part of it.” I shake my head. “But it’s too late now, and being his daughter puts a target on my back. The way we met is confirmation of this.” I touch the scar on my neck, the memory of that day with Javier still fresh. “This life isn’t what I wanted,” I say, my voice shaking. “But I guess we don’t always get to choose, do we?”

Javier’s grip on the steering wheel tightens, his knuckles turning white. “Caring doesn’t excuse everything.You deserve to be safe, to be happy, not to live in fear and manipulation.”

I look out the window, the city lights blurring as tears well in my eyes. “It’s not all that bad.” I’m not certain if I’m trying to convince him or myself. “I’m lucky to have a family, and my mom called him; she must believe he would be a decent father.”

His silence speaks volumes, his unspoken thoughts pressing heavily between us, a barrier as tangible as it is invisible. “Desperation sometimes makes you do foolish things,” he all but whispers as we stop in front of the house.

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