Page 41 of Tarnished Vow

He sat across from me. Well, it was his fault my heel was ruined.

“Didn’t you hear I’m engaged?”

His expression fell. “What?”

“Yep.”

His phone started ringing. “Hold on a sec, it's Luca. He’s freaking out over Vince disappearing.” he answered it. “Yeah, he is fine, asleep, I’m guessing. Maddy is here.” He continued to stare at me. “No, they aren’t back together.”

Why did people keep assuming that?

He scoffed, agreeing to something Luca said before ending the call.

“Seriously Maddy, is there anything I can say to change your mind, get you to marry my brother instead?”

The double doors slid open. Vince. He looked sick.

“Great. Are you happy now Bastion? You’ve woken him up.” I know he is all against locking his family out, but he needed to reconsider using the locks.

Bastion actually looked guilty, standing up. “Sorry, Luca was freaking out, that you died and something about oil.”

Vince nodded, seeming to understand, but was staring at me. That distant broken look back in his eyes.

“I’ll, um, leave you two to it.” He whacked Vince's shoulder, walking past. Maybe I could just start locking the front door without him knowing.

“Go back to bed.” Getting off the couch, after hearing the front door close.

He didn’t move. What was going through his head? He looked physically sick.

“I probably need to handle that with Luca.” He muttered, turning, and walking away from me.

Checking the time, not even an hour sleep, and he thought that was acceptable. Sometimes, it was hard to believe he wasn’t doing this on purpose to hurt himself.

Listening to him walk up the stairs.

Fine. If he wants to be difficult.

Grabbing my phone, I walked to his room. Thinking of all the ways I could threaten him. Closing his door, he looked up. Sitting on the edge of the bed.

Oh, the irony. Different bed. Same broken Vince.

“I told you earlier. This new habit is over.” Crossing my arms, leaning against the door.

He didn’t look at me, instead reaching for his shirt. Oh. He knew how to infuriate me.

“When I move in, we’re using the locks.” I snatched the shirt from his hand. “Learn to delegate torturing people.” Throwing the shirt to the ground. “If you don’t start taking better care of yourself, I’ll be a young widow. So, stop being selfish.”

He continued to stare at me. As if questioning if he had heard me right.

“See how exhausted you are? You’re staring at me as if I’m a hallucination.” Shaking my head, “Sleep, then shower. I’m not talking to you until the end of the day, and I swear to God, Vince. You walk out that front door, you’ll regret it.”

I sent a message to my uncle Cole, saying that I wouldn’t be making it to the meeting. Then I went back to painting my toenails.

Movement out of the corner of my eye caused me to look back. Vince was leaning against the doorway, watching me. How long had he been there?

Shirtless, he walked towards me, his hair wet from the shower. Him and his effortless sex appeal.

I had expected him to try to leave at some point today, but he hadn’t. Putting the lid on the nail polish, pretending I didn’t feel him watching me.

---