Page 14 of Vengeful Vows

“What the fuck did you do, Bree?” I huff, wiggling out of the rest of my dress and letting it fall to the floor. I’m nude, but it’s a little too late to be embarrassed about it. I feel a little sore, and I think I’ll have fingerprint bruises on my hips after that session.

I can’t believe I just did that. It’s not that I’ve been treated badly here. Just the opposite, especially since Paige untied me. And the sex was unbelievable.

But they are still the enemy, and I have to get the hell out of here.

I always thought that I’d get married for love, and now I’m married literally out of hate. It’s depressing, and the long day catches up with me and tears finally slip down my cheeks.

I slither under the covers, covering my face with the pillow and trying to keep my cries quiet. After a few moments, my tears dry up, and I think about my family.

My brother is gone. He left as soon as he could. Said he wanted nothing to do with the family business or anyone involved in it. He calls, occasionally, just to check that I’m okay, but he hardly ever talks to Dad.

Sometimes, I wish I had his courage. I don’t know that I could cut my father out of my life like that. He’s always given me everything I asked for and more. He’s always been a hard man, and he’s been a little distant, even more when it comes to anything emotional, but he’s always been there.

Especially since my mother left. She might have abandoned us, but he didn’t. Many nights I was up crying with him holding me as I did.

He’s my father.

And now I’m married to his enemy’s son. What will he think of me?

Finally, I close my eyes, and I’m sure that I won’t be able to sleep in such a strange place, but I drift off before I know it.

I wake up a few hours later, in an unfamiliar place, trembling. Everything crashes down on me, and I wonder if they’ve locked my door. I get up and walk to it, slowly opening it.

My heart starts to beat faster as the door opens easily.

The hallway seems empty, but I can’t be sure.

I step out, bare-footed, trying not to make any sound. I can’t stop looking around, my throat tight with fear, remembering Gray’s look of pure hatred, and Declan’s threats. From what he said, I’d assume men to be everywhere, guarding the estate, but at least upstairs, there’s no one.

I creep to the staircase and the murmur of voices reaches me, coming from the far door. I can’t quite make out what they’re saying, but I think I recognize Declan’s voice.

He’s close. I’ll have to be careful.

I slip down the stairs, silent as a mouse, heading toward the front door. As I’m about to reach it, Gray steps out of the shadows, the gold tints in his dark blond hair glinting in the light.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He has a twisted smirk, and I can’t help it, I squeak and turn, fleeing back up the stairs and into my prison, slamming the door behind me.

My heart is pounding so hard it almost hurts, and I rest against the door, chest heaving, for a long moment, afraid that he might come after me.

Declan said that I won’t be hurt, but I don’t trust any of the people here as far as I can throw them—which isn’t very far.

My eyes fill with fearful tears, and I climb back onto the bed as I let them fall. I certainly can’t cry in front of them.

My brother doesn’t know I’m here, or he’d be here by now, but my father will come for me. I know he will.

I still remember the night my life changed forever.

“Wean,” my father says hoarsely, waking me from my slumber.

He always calls me that. Child. One of the few Irish words I know.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes. “Daidí?”

“Your mother.” He shakes his head. “She’s gone.”

“Gone?” Panic settles in my throat. “What do you mean, she’s gone?”

At twelve years old, I was very close to my mother. She had always said we were twin souls. I didn’t have other friends, not really. Well, maybe Yolanda Ricci, the niece of the head of the Ricci family, but to be honest, she kind of got on my nerves.

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