Page 56 of Stolen Vows

The corner of my mouth hooks into a smirk when I hear Romeo’s tail thump against the floor. His way of voicing his vote, I’m sure. “With you? Always.”

She smiles at him, warming that dark space between his ribs. “Give me a few minutes to close up.”

I nod, my gaze never leaving her as she bustles around the store, going through her usual closing routine. Romeo trails her, staying close. I lean against the counter, content to wait and watch both of them until she’s ready.

Ten minutes later, drinks in hand and Romeo leashed, we step onto the sidewalk. Francesca locks the door behind us, and we start our usual route.

I wait. Let the silence work for me. Because I know she wants to fill it. I just have to be patient.

Sure enough, after a minute, she says, “My sister visited me today.”

My brows knit together. “The one from that college party?” In all the weeks we’ve spent time together, we haven’t talked too much about our families.

“Huh, yeah. I guess I kind of forgot that you would’ve met her. But yeah, that’s her. She’s my only sister really.”

“It didn’t go well.” It’s not a question. The pinched expression on her face says it all.

She shakes her head, worrying her bottom lip. “It’s just my family. They’re always in control. Always pulling strings. Even now, they have their hands in this bookstore.” She gestures vaguely, then exhales, her voice going softer. “I don’t even technically own it yet.”

A low pulse of awareness thrums through me. I knew something seemed off when I quickly scanned the documents I found with Oracle months ago.

I glance at her, my brow furrowing. “Who owns it?”

Francesca takes a slow sip of her latte, like she’s buying time. Then she exhales, her shoulders slumping slightly. “My Aunt Miriam left me the bookstore in her will. But my parents, they had some stipulations added. Benchmarks I have to hit in my first year, or else . . .” She trails off, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter. Not really. It’s just another way they’re trying to control me and—” She cuts herself off with a loud exhale. “God, I’m sorry. I don’t want to talk about them anymore.”

I nod like it’s nothing. Like I’m not already planning to dig into every single document attached to this bookstore the second I get home.

Because I knew something was off when I ran Oracle the first time.

And now she’s just confirmed it.

Instead, I hold out my hand, palm up. “Give me your phone.”

She blinks and slips her phone from her pocket, placing it in my hand. “Okay.”

I type my contact information in her phone with a casual shrug and hand it back to her.

Her fingers close around her phone, her lips curving just slightly. Soft, knowing. “What was that for?”

“For when you want to talk about your family. Or anything else. Or nothing too.”

Her thumb flies across her screen before she locks it and slips it back into her jeans. A second later, my own phone vibrates inside my pocket. I glance down at the screen.

“For when you want to talk to me,” she murmurs.

Unknown Number: It’s Francesca

The little sun emoji punches me in the chest.

20

GRAHAM

The walkback to my place is short, but my thoughts make it feel longer. Francesca’s words play on a loop in my head.I don’t technically own it yet.

That shouldn’t sit the way it does. Like a piece of glass stuck beneath my skin, a foreign object that doesn’t belong.

The way she said it, how she hesitated, was what got me. Like she wasn’t sure if she should say it at all. Like maybe she wasn’t supposed to say it.

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