Page 58 of Vengeful Vows

A family, a normal one, is something that I’ve always craved, and the Burkes are just that—a real, loving family. The thing I’ve always wanted.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Lara says quietly, and I glance at her, blinking.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I mumble, looking down into my drink.

“Let’s watch a movie!” Paige suggests, and twenty minutes later, Lara has made us popcorn, and we’re sitting with our feet up on one of the big couches, looking up at the giant screen. There are theater-style seats in front of the projector, but Paige insists these are the best seats in the house.

She turns out to be right. We squeal at all the scary parts of the slasher movie we put on, a part six of something. It’s cheesy but the gore is extreme, and Lara can’t stop laughing at Paige hiding her eyes.

I can’t keep the grin off my face. I’ve been having a wonderful time the past couple of weeks, probably more fun than I’ve had in years. Between the fun and the alcohol, I’m not even thinking about Declan or how confused I am by the Vegas trip.

By the time the movie is over, and we looked at a few house options for Paige, we’re all a little tipsy, and we decide to take a dip in the pool.

I’m floating, face-up, wearing one of my new bikinis, when Paige cannonballs into the pool, spraying water everywhere and knocking me off balance.

I sputter as I come up, but I’m laughing, and Lara helps me to the edge of the pool.

I look at the clock, and I’m shocked to see it’s nearly two in the morning.

“I should get to bed,” I announce, wrapping a towel around myself.

“Gotta get back to hubby,” Paige teases with a grin, treading water as Lara sits down on one of the lounge chairs.

I scoff, but my cheeks flush. It’s true. I do want to see Declan a bit before he falls asleep, and I may already be too late.

I say my goodbyes and thank them for the wonderful night, heading into the main house and walking upstairs to the bedroom.

When I open the door, Declan’s sitting on the bed in his boxer briefs, the sheets tangled around his legs and bare, tight abdomen. He leans back against the headboard, and he’s reading a book that he holds in one hand.

My breath catches in my throat as he looks up at me with a soft smile.

“I’m gonna grab a shower.” I pause with my hand on the doorknob of the bathroom. “You’ll be awake when I get out?”

“If that’s what you want, princess,” Declan croons, and I don’t know if he’s serious or if he’s teasing me, so I huff out a breath and go into the bathroom, turning on the water as hot as it will go.

I close my eyes as the spray hits my back.

Maybe part of me hopes that Declan will be asleep when I get out.

Then, I won’t have to deal with the complicated way I’m feeling about him.

15

DECLAN

Bree comes back from her girls’ night wearing a too-revealing bikini, and I can’t keep my eyes off her. She doesn’t seem to notice, though, heading for the shower, and if I hadn’t just showered myself an hour ago, I’d join her.

I missed her while she was gone, and I hate myself for it. I don’t know why I’ve been so attached to her recently. I suppose it’s just the time we’ve been forced to spend together. I’ve never spent every night in my own bed with a woman, and I have to think that’s the reason that something in me aches when she’s not around.

Because it can’t be anything else. I don’t have feelings for her.

Sure, I’ve never felt this way before, never longed to see someone after a hard day, never craved a woman’s touch the way I do hers, but this isn’t real. None of this is real.

I still want out of this marriage, don’t I?

She always says this place is like a prison, and in a way, this marriage is my prison. I can’t go falling for the warden.

I’m about decided to go into the shower and seduce her, fuck her rough and dirty, remind myself that the hot sex is the only real benefit I get out of this marriage, when Bree comes out.

---