Page 57 of Vengeful Vows

It’s like a movie theater. There’s a projector in the back, and a an actual cinema screen on the far wall. There’s also a bar, foosball tables, pool tables, and a couple of arcade games. It’s less ornate than the main house, more comfortable, almost like a den with lounge furniture that’s focused on comfort more than aesthetics.

“Wow. What is this place?” I look around in wonder.

“It’s Da’s den.” Paige bounces like a little puppy.

I can’t help but smile at her.

She touches everything as she goes by as if she is showing affection. “We haven’t been allowed in here since Kael and Declan nearly wrecked the place in high school.”

“Who’s Kael?” I can’t help myself from wanting to know more about Declan.

“Declan’s best friend,” Lara explains. “He’s been out of town for a while.”

Huh. I didn’t know Declan had a best friend. I’ve never seen him hang out with anyone but his family and his father’s men. I guess everyone has friends, but I never thought about a mafia boss having them. I assumed that Declan was too focused on work to socialize.

“What do we do first?” Paige wears a slight look of annoyance on her face, and I wonder what that’s about, but decide not to ask.

We’re having fun, and I don’t want to bring up anything that will stop that.

She heads over to the bar area, pulling out various bottles of liquor.

“Da usually has his own bartender.” Lara sounds almost disappointed.

“I can make drinks.” I walk behind the bar. “I do it all the time for my father and his friends.”

Paige raises an eyebrow. “Your father doesn’t have staff?”

I shrug. “A maid, a cook, things like that. But he doesn’t hire many people for that kind of thing. He likes to keep to himself.” I grin as I take out a martini shaker. “What’ll it be, ladies?”

“A dirty martini.” Lara smiles. “Extra olives.”

“A sex on the beach!” Paige claps her hands.

“Coming right up.”

I hum as I put the two fairly simple drinks together, shaking one in each shaker and pouring the sex on the beach over ice and the martini chilled in a martini glass.

I make myself a vodka tonic and then slide the drinks over to the sisters.

Lara takes a hesitant sip, and her eyes widen. “Paige, this is delicious!”

Paige gulps half of hers before gasping. “You’re so talented!”

I flush. “Not really. It’s just something I’ve been doing since I was about twelve.”

“I could never make a drink this well.” Paige pouts. “Da doesn’t even like the way I pour his scotch.”

I snort out a laugh. It’s pretty hard to mess up pouring scotch, but since Paige is so bubbly and a little scatter-brained, it makes sense. Usually, people like that annoy me, but not Paige. She’s just cute, like a little sister.

Like a sister-in-law, I remind myself. A forced sister-in-law, no less.

And if she moves out, it might be easier to remember that.

My smile wants to fade but I keep it on, not wanting the girls to know about the dark cloud that has descended over me. It’s easy to forget that these people, who’ve been so kind to me, also kidnapped me. It’s easy to forget that Declan isn’t my chosen husband, and this isn’t my chosen family.

To be honest, it kind of hurts to think about.

Ever since I was twelve, it’s just been me and my father. And he never gave me much affection or praise, just expected me to do well without much guidance.

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