Page 7 of Ruined Vows

His words sting because he's right again. Carol's man was perfectly silent, perfectly obedient—and perfectly spying on me and reporting my movements back to her every day.

"Do you ever shut up?" I ask as I finally get the door open, careful not to make noise that might disturb Mrs. Samuelson. I step over the threshold with my right foot first. It's a habit I've had since childhood.

"Sure," he says, but his eyes remain fixed on me.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Stop looking at me." I arrange my keys, wallet, and phone on the entry table, making sure they're perfectly parallel to the edge.

He smiles, just a little. "Pretty sure that's my job here."

"You're supposed to be watching the perimeter."

His eyes track slowly down my body, then back up. "Oh, I've got eyes on the perimeter."

Heat rushes through me, pooling low in my belly. I've never been looked at like that—like I'm something to be devoured. Drew certainly never looks at me that way.

I push past the kitchen into the small living room stuffed with books, Isaak following close behind. "This is intolerable. Domhn's got to find someone else."

He laughs, crossing those ridiculously huge, muscled arms over his chest. "He doesn't trust anybody but me. You heard him."

His voice booms, and Mrs. Samuelson's dog starts yapping upstairs.

"Have you ever heard of whispering?" I hiss, impulsively hitting his shoulder with my fist. It's like punching a wall. "I have an elderly neighbor upstairs."

"Good," he says, barely lowering his volume. "Did she hear anything the night of the break-in?"

I glare at him, frustration boiling over. "Weren't we just talking about finding a replacement for you? Domhn's got to know somebody else. Anybody else. I can't stand you, and you can't stand me. This is impossible. There's no way this is going to work."

A crash comes from somewhere in the apartment.

Before I can think, I all but leap into Isaak’s arms.

THREE

ISAAK

My arms are suddenlyfull of soft, warm woman. My senses are still alert to danger, though, so I immediately spin and set her back on her feet behind me.

Then I turn back toward the threat and spread my legs and arms wide to shield Kira.

“Stay here,” I whisper, barely audible as I put a hand back, my entire body tense and on alert. I lean over and yank my hunting knife out of the sheath in my boot. Ever since I saw how helpful Quinn’s knife came in earlier this year, I haven’t gone anywhere without it.

I hear Kira gasp and pull back from me, but that’s for the best.

We haven’t turned on any lights yet, so I get low and start to creep through the darkened house.

“What about horror movie rules?” she hisses from behind me. “No one left alone.”

“Just stay put.”

But when I start forward again, I hear footsteps behind me.

“I said to stay put.”

“I don’t want to be alone!” She sounds genuinely freaked out.

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