Page 114 of Vengeful Vows

“I promise. Your new life will have it all.”

“I guess you’re right. I’m just nervous because it’s time for me to move out, and I’ll be really alone. I’ve never been by myself before, so…” She shrugs, looking at her hands.

“We are just a phone call away, and the doors here are always open for you.”

“Thank you.” She smiles, leaning up to kiss me on the cheek, and lies down on the bed.

I leave her room, shaking my head as I head down the stairs. I don’t know what precipitated that breakdown, but I’m grateful for the distraction.

Gray is downstairs, eating from a bowl of fruit, and I sit next to him, grabbing a couple of grapes and slices of apples. He grunts and pushes the bowl toward me.

It’s all the apology two brothers need, and we eat in silence for a few minutes.

“Marisol says I’ll spoil my lunch.” Gray chuckles.

“With fruit?” I scoff. “No way.”

The Burke boys eat like horses, and a little bowl of fruit between the two of us is barely a drop in the bucket.

“Did you talk to Da?” Gray looks at me sideways.

“I did.” I nod, hoping he’s not going to bring up Bree again.

He just nods, and my shoulders slump in relief.

Gray has a point—it's strange that Murphy targeted the warehouse that day, since we weren’t even getting a shipment—and he’s probably right. Bree probably did send her father a message. What I need to know is why.

“I’m glad Jimmy’s not the rat,” Gray comments. “I’d hate to kill him.”

I snort out a laugh. “Jimmy’s as loyal as the day is long.”

Gray looks at me for a long moment, as if he wants to ask me something, but then he looks away, sipping his tea. “There’s more in the pot if you want some,” he grumbles, and then gets up, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

At least Gray isn’t on my ass about Bree anymore.

That’s something.

Now, if I can just convince myself that she’s innocent, I’ll be on easy street.

But can I do that? Can I put my family at risk just because I’m in love with my wife?

27

BREE

As happy as I’ve been the past few days, I’m still losing my mind. Guilt is eating me up, knowing that Declan was hurt by what I did. In my defense, I hadn’t expected my father to go after him. I’d expected him to come rescue me, but knowing now who my father is, I should have expected things to go sideways.

And now, I don’t know what to do. It felt so good after Declan confessed that he loved me, but how can he love me if he doesn’t know what I’ve done?

I’m going crazy, like I don’t know which end is up.

I need to clear my head. It’s been a few days since Declan confessed, but he’s still acting strangely. He doesn’t talk to me unless we’re making love, and Gray and Patrick seem to be avoiding me. The only Burkes who aren’t acting weird are Paige and Lara.

I put on my swimsuit, just a one-piece this time, and go down to the pool house, wearing a pair of flip-flops that clack against my feet as I walk.

I’m hoping to get in a few laps by myself, hoping that it’ll help me decide what to do, but when I arrive, Lara is sunbathing out at the pool.

She’s so pale I assume she needs a high SPF, but she seems to be enjoying the sun. She looks at me over her sunglasses as I pad up to her.

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