Page 17 of Desperate Vows

She nodded as more tears streamed down her face. “My father wouldn’t let her volunteer. It was beneath us, and if it didn’t benefit us, there was no reason to do it. I loved her so much. When I’m here, it feels like she’s with me.” The last few words were breathy.

I knew the ache I felt when my mom died, and I could see that ache in Claire’s eyes. “I’m sorry you lost your mom.”

“At least you have siblings to lean on. I have no one. Your Aunt Helen is the only person who’s been nice to me since I lost her.”

“Why was your father strangling you?”

The little bit of fight she had was gone. Her body wilted against me, and I had to use my knee to hold her up. “He was angry that you left. He blamed me.”

“Is that all?”

“He was going to give me to Marco Moretti.”

Give her to… I was disgusted.

Dimitris’s information hit a little differently now that I knew this. It made me wonder what Franklin was up to. I had no doubt Claire wasn’t supposed to mention that to me.

My stomach twisted at the thought of Claire in that man’s hands. Of all the families, his was the most ruthless. There was honor among them, but just above being a Mexican cartel. They did things with women even the most debased families shied away from. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

I cupped her cheek and ran my thumb across it, wiping the salt that had started to dry on her face. She took my hand in both of hers and rested her cheek on the back of it. “Thank you.”

I’d experienced quite a few expressions of gratitude in my life, but this was the first one that had my mind going to places this small room couldn’t accommodate. When she looked at me again, she gave me a faint smile. “I should probably go back out there. I’m the only potato girl they’ve got.”

Then, she did something I never expected. She pressed her lips to mine. There was nothing erotic about it, and it was the hottest kiss I’d ever had. It tripped my brain, and my thoughts coalesced into one action.

There was no way I could leave this office without tasting her. I claimed her lips with mine. My tongue slipped past hers into the warmth of her mouth, and she gave a soft purr. I allowed myself a few more minutes to enjoy the feel of her and then broke away before I went any further.

Her cheeks were flushed, and her breath was labored. I let her slide down the wall until her feet touched the floor and pulled her phone from her back pocket. “Unlock it.”

She did as I asked, and I held my hand out for it.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you my number.”

“Oh.”

I finished and handed the phone back to her. “Thank you. Now, you can text me when the kitchen closes.”

Her lips lifted into a fraction of a smile. “Okay.”

One last thing. I pulled my mom’s ring from my pocket and held it up to her. “I want you to wear this so everyone knows you’re mine.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said as she offered her ring finger. “I didn’t expect a ring, but I love it.” Her hand splayed as she examined it on her finger. “Thank you.”

“I’ll see you later.”

“Later.”

I dropped my arm to let her leave, and as she reached the door, she paused. “I’m not disappointed that all your kisses are promised to me.” She smiled.

“Leave before I yank you back and lock the door.” My aunt would kill me, but with the lack of blood in my brain, I was struggling to think straight.

One last smile and I was left in the office alone. I swiped my hands down my face and groaned. Why was I looking at the librarian like she was a burlesque dancer? She was mousy and demur and not my type. Except she was because she had wormed her way into my heart and head.

This business arrangement was turning into a giant headache.

Chapter Seven

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