Page 7 of Sacred Vow

“You should know. You taught me.” She tries to keep up her bravado, but the tremor that runs through her body when I press myself against her betrays her.

“That’s right. I did.” I run a hand down her bare arm. “Any more weapons I should know about?” I move my hand down to the damn slit. She has more curves since the last time I saw her, and every inch of it works for her.

“If I did, do you think I’d tell you?” She tries to sound brave, but there’s the nervousness again, shaking her voice. Her attack was spontaneous, I think. She doesn’t seem to have any plans now that I have her in my grasp.

“Guess I’ll have to check for myself then.” I grab the material at the slit and pull it aside, exposing her bare ass.

Fuck. There is only so much resolve a man can have, and she’s testing every bit of mine.

She sucks in a sharp breath when my knuckles graze over her ass cheek.

“No panties.” I cup one cheek in my hand, angling my body away from hers. “Were you hoping for something tonight?” I squeeze her ass until my fingernails dig into her flesh and a wisp of air blows from her lips.

“You’re a fucking prick.” She squirms, but still gets nowhere.

“Such foul language.” I release her ass, gliding my hand around her waist to her stomach. “Anything here?” I slide my hand across her belly, then up further, to her breasts. A slight tremor runs through her at my touch. I cup one breast. “Nothing here. How about the other?” I tweak her nipple easily through the flimsy fabric of the dress before moving to the other side.

“I don’t have anything,” she finally says. I’m already gathering the skirt up into my fist to get better access between her thighs.

“You sure?” I say into her ear. “I’m happy to keep exploring.”

“I hate you.” She jerks her body to the side, barely away from my touch.

“You’ve told me that before.” The night I brought her and her mother to the airport and escorted them to the private jet waiting for them. She was only fifteen then. Grief stricken and angry, she’d raged at me. It changed nothing. The plane took off twenty minutes later, and I haven’t put my eyes on her since. Until the bar.

I drop her dress. “I’m going to let you turn around now. If you try to attack me again, I won’t go easy on you, Isolde.” It’s a warning I almost hope she disregards. “Understood?”

“Understood,” she answers immediately.

I release her and snatch the shoe from the floor before she can get a hold of it and make another try at my face. Flipping it over in my palm, I shake my head.

“Even if you stabbed me with this thing, you wouldn’t have killed me,” I say. Although I suppose it would be possible. The heel is impossibly tall. I’ll never understand why women walk on these damn stilts.

“I wasn’t trying to kill you.” She tugs at the skirt of the dress, straightening it back out so it lies perfectly over the curve of her hips, putting the slit right up the side of her thigh to her hip.

“Then what was the goal? Get my attention with that fucking dress then slice my face?” I move over to my desk and drop the shoe on top.

She looks away. Her eyes are glued to a framed photo on the wall. Opening night of Kraze. Three years ago, now.

“What are you here for, Isolde?” I break the silence.

Angry eyes swing back to me, but still, she remains quiet.

“Why did you come back?” I’m getting tired of the repetition.

“Craig is buried here.”

My chest tightens at the mention of her brother.

“I want to bury Mom’s ashes beside him and Dad. She deserves that much.” Her voice hitches as she says the words.

I keep my expression blank. If she’s looking to get a rise out of me, she’ll have to try harder. I’ve already grieved the loss of my friend.

“What is it then? You wanted to show me what a big, strong girl you are by showing up at my club and flaunting your return?” My palms itch to grab her and drag her to the first plane I find on the tarmac at O’Hare.

“I’m not a little girl anymore, Andrei. You can’t get under my skin so easily.” She puts a hand on her hip.

I take a long moment, letting my gaze drag over the swell of her breasts, the curves of her hips, and grin before I look back into her eyes.

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