Page 17 of Of Vows and Betrayal

“Money? No, I’ve got enough.” He looks at the box and jerks his head. “One of whatever is in that box and you have a deal.”

The relief I feel is almost unparalleled as I relax in my seat and open the box, revealing four Danish pastries.

“You drive a hard bargain, but you’ve got yourself a deal. Plus, I need to have them gone before we get home anyway.”

“Do I want to know why?” he asks, reaching for a flimsy paper towel in the box and grabbing a Danish.

I know instinctively that my answer will frustrate him, but I answer anyway. “Looks are important in this world,and excess curves are frowned upon.” I pick up my own Danish and take a big bite to show him how much I truly don’t care about it.

“Uh,” is all he says before he mimics me, taking half the Danish in one bite. “Where to now?” he asks.

I can’t help but smile when I see cream at the corner of his lips. Before I think, I reach over with my napkin and realize my mistake as I wipe at his mouth. He catches my wrist.

“I’m sorry. Truly.” I try to pull away, but his grip tightens slightly. “Please let go. I didn’t think.”

He releases my wrist slowly, putting the rest of the Danish on the napkin. He seems as eager as I am to end the awkwardness of the moment.

“Can you drive me home, please? I’m done for today.”

He nods, surprisingly compliant, and I’m too grateful to leave this car to question it further.

We drive in tense silence. I half expect him to tell me he quits when he stops in the driveway, but he simply waits for me to exit the car. As soon as I open the door, he speaks.

“What time tomorrow?”

“You’re coming back?”

He lets out a startled chuckle. “I thought it was a recurring gig.”

“Oh, yes. It’s just—” I shake my head. “Tomorrow, same time would be great.”

I don’t give him an opportunity to add anything and quickly exit the car, removing my cardigan to sneak in my Danish pastries. The tension from earlier lingers, but I feel a small flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, things willwork out with Javier as my bodyguard.

As I close the door behind me, I can’t shake the feeling that something significant has shifted. Javier’s presence is not just a professional necessity; it’s a spark that could ignite a fire in my carefully controlled world. I look back at the driveway one last time, seeing his car pull away, and I know this is just the beginning.

Tomorrow will bring new challenges but also new possibilities. And with Javier by my side, I can’t help but feel a thrilling mix of anticipation and fear. What lies ahead is uncertain, but one thing is clear: my life will never be the same.

Chapter 5

Javier

Ipark my car in front of Midsummer Petals, trying to blend into the bustling neighborhood of East Harlem. The streets here are alive, a stark contrast to the cold, calculated world I’ve been blending in for the past decade. These streets were once my world, filled with familiar faces and memories. But that was before my heart hardened, and I sold my soul for vengeance.

As I walk toward the shop, I can see Ophelia in my mind’s eye. Her laughter yesterday seemed so genuine, her eyes bright, and it hits me that she’s not acting like the spoiled Mafia princess I expected.

Actingbeing the key word, but truthfully, it doesn’t matter. What I need is to get more information about her to gain her trust, to use the in that I have with her, and it seems that her past and her mother’s legacy could be the easiest way to gain her as an unsuspecting ally.

Her father texted me this morning, telling me I was not needed, and I couldn’t help but worry something tipped him off. I need this access for the time being.

I lean against my car and text Derek, my tech geniusand confidant, a brother in everything but blood.

Me: So? Is there something wrong with her?

His response is almost immediate. No surprise, though—he’s always hyperconnected. So much so that I wonder if he sometimes remembers how real life is.

Derek: I don’t like doing that.

I roll my eyes.

---