Page 67 of Sacred Vow

I was fucking wrong.

Now that I have her, I’m never letting go.

She thinks I won’t drag her to the judge; she’s wrong.

Looking now at the persistence in Mason’s eyes, I realize I should have done so already. My claiming her keeps her safe, to a point. Until she has my name attached to hers, the Patrulis will continue to cling to the idea they have a right to her.

“Stay away from her. There is nothing else we need to discuss. If I hear you’re still pursuing this, it won’t be a sit-down meeting when we see each other.” I gesture for the doors of my office to be opened. Kraze doesn’t open for several hours. The club is empty, and Isolde isn’t in the building. It was the only place I would agree to meet.

“If I find out you are withholding information, there will be a price to be paid.” Mason’s threat falls on deaf ears.

Isolde’s safety trumps any connection, any business deal, or any promises given in the past. If Mason puts one toe within fifteen feet of her, I will cut it off. And then continue up the rest of him.

“You should go now.” I point at the opened door. “I will be in touch if there is anything to relay.”

Mason shoves out of his chair, slapping his son on the shoulder when he doesn’t follow right away.

“I expect to hear from you.” Mason buttons his suit jacket and waltzes out of the room.

Only once the doors are closed do I turn to Sergei.

“He’s been too comfortable for too long. He forgets he doesn’t have the Ivanov family backing him anymore. He’s grown weak and stupid.” Viktor shoves out of his chair and snags his phone from the table.

“He’s desperate. And desperate men are dangerous. I’ve heard he’s up to his balls in debts. When he fucked over that Ivanov deal, he lost more than their protection,” Sergei points out.

“It might be time to rethink those terms. We can probably handle whatever blowback happens from it.”

They both nod in agreement.

“We’d be fine,” Viktor says.

“What little protection he still has wouldn’t come after us, I think,” Sergei says.

“Good. I need to get back to the penthouse.” I check my phone as I stand. Three messages from Isolde, all asking if I’m on my way home. “I have an eager woman waiting for me.”

“Izzy, if you don’t slow down, I’m going to tether you to my side.” Andrei catches up to me and pulls me back to him.

“It’s not my fault your meeting took so damn long.” I fall into step beside him, reading the road sign when we come to a crossroad in the zoo. “Primates House, this way.” I point to where we need to turn.

Since the club last night, it has taken everything in me to keep from climbing down the side of the building and coming to the zoo on my own. But Andrei promised he’d go with me, and I agreed to wait for him.

But now we’re here and the urge to get to the primate house is too strong to ignore. Who knows what will happen when we get there. A flood of memories could come pouring down on me. In only a matter of seconds, I might remember everything.

I haven’t allowed myself to consider what that might mean.

I’m going to remember watching my brother die.

It’s going to be like it just happened.

I slow my step, taking in a breath.

“Izzy?” He squeezes my hand. “You do not have to do this.”

But I do.

I have to know what happened.

“Just down here.” I point to the building in the distance. I look around at everyone around us, waiting for something to feel familiar. For something to trigger my memory.

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