Page 17 of Vow to Hate You

“Good,” I answered, tugging my face from Damian’s hold. “Because wearing his clothes has my skin crawling. I need to go shopping for my own stuff later today.”

“We’re leaving in ten minutes,” Damian said, turning to grab his coffee. “The car is already downstairs. You’re welcome to come with us, Charlotte.”

I rolled my eyes as I grabbed the garment bag. He was perfectly polite to everyone except me. Though, from the scathing glare my sister was giving him, she wasn’t falling for his charm. She grew up with him too, but didn’t spend as much time with him and his two friends like I did.

“I need to make a call,” Char said, grabbing her purse off the counter. “I’ll meet you downstairs, Talie.”

I nodded, muttering a goodbye as she walked toward the front door. The second she was out of sight, I grabbed the hem of Damian’s t-shirt, tugging it over my head. His sharp intake of breath proved he was watching, and I quickly shimmied out of his shorts, which left me completely naked.

“Natalia.” My name rolled off his tongue as a warning, but I ignored it as I slowly unzipped the bag to pull out the black dress.

He stayed behind me, his stare was burning through me as I slipped into the cocktail dress. It landed right above my knees,and the sleeves went down to my elbows. There was padding in it, and I was relieved it didn’t need a bra since I didn’t have one. The fabric covered me above the collarbone, making sure no cleavage was showing. It was exactly the kind of dress my father approved of. The kind I absolutely hated. I reached behind me to zip it up, but fingers wrapped around my wrist, preventing me from touching it. He pushed my arm away before there was a small tug when he grabbed the zipper.

“Do you plan on getting naked in front of me often?” he asked, his voice rough. He began to zip up the dress painstakingly slowly.

“Is that a problem?” I asked sweetly.

He didn’t respond, but his free hand suddenly brushed my bare back where he hadn’t zipped it yet. I resisted the shiver jolting through me when his fingertips trailed up my spine.

I’d seen his reaction when I stepped into the shower last night. He might despise me because of what I did, but sexually? He wanted me. And I planned to play it up as much as I could. I could tease him until I drove him absolutely crazy. If he wanted to force me to stay, then I could make him regret it.

“I think you can only do this for so long until you work yourself up so much that you won’t be able to control yourself,” he murmured, his breath on the back of my neck, making goosebumps spread over my skin. “When that happens, I’ll be the one you’ll be begging for. You’re not the only one who can play this game, Talie.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m trying to get dressed. Though, I guess I’ll have to go without panties today.”

He finished zipping up the dress, and once his hands left me, I spun around. His gaze trailed down me, the heat in them impossible to miss.

He cleared his throat. “We don’t want to be late. Let’s go.”

His words reminded me of what we were doing, and I scowled as I stepped into the matching black three-inch heels Char brought me. I wanted to scream. To argue. But none of it would do any good. Damian had his mind made up, and this lunch was happening.

CHAPTER 8

talie

My stomach twisted painfully as I stepped into the elevator after my sister. Damian was right behind me, and he hit the rooftop restaurant button. We were in a hotel, and the restaurant we were going to eat at was one of the best in the city.

“Does Dad know Talie is back?” Char asked, looking at Damian as the elevator hummed to life.

“He will in a few minutes.”

I bit my tongue, anger rushing through me. I’d seen my father a couple times in the last five years when he came to visit me in Europe. He believed I was in school the entire time, and I was able to keep up with the lie thanks to my mother.

She was from England. When she and my dad got a divorce, she moved back home, leaving me and Char in Connecticut. Being a parent figure was something my mother never wanted. We didn’t hear much from her after their messy divorce when I was twelve. But when I called asking for her help to leave the States, she eagerly agreed.

My dad had strayed during their marriage, having multiple affairs, and my mother never missed a chance to make him pay. She knew having one of his daughters across the ocean with her would piss him off. Since her family was even wealthier thanmy father’s, he had no leverage to threaten her with to force me back home. It wasn’t only wealth that made my father obey. I was almost positive my mother’s family had ties with powerful people in criminal circles. Though, I was never able to get a straight answer from her.

It was a win-win situation. My mother had been able to get under my father’s skin by signing me up for a prestigious university in England and taking his eldest daughter away. I got the freedom I wanted. She didn’t care if I went to the school or not. I’d actually only seen her a few times in those five years.

“Ready?” Damian asked, holding his arm out when the elevator doors slid open.

I gave him a fake smile, linking my arm with his. “You’re a fucking asshole, in case you don’t know.”

He chuckled as he led me forward. “I’m well aware, Talie. Now, keep that smile on and act like the wife you promised to be when you married me.”

Defiance bristled through me. I opened my mouth to make a snarky retort until I caught sight of my father. He and Damian’s father were deep in conversation near the restaurant entrance, making my steps falter. I wasn’t fucking ready for this.

“One hour of pretending,” Damian whispered in my ear. “Then you can go right back to openly hating me once we get home.”

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