Page 63 of Vengeful Vows

How can I want to be with a man that wants to harm my father?

He may not be the world’s best dad, but he’s been there for me, and since Rory moved out and distanced himself from my father and the business, it’s just been me and him. He needs me. And without my mom, and my estranged brother, he’s all I have.

Declan and his family talk about him like he’s some kind of terrible person, akin to a monster. But he loved my mother so deeply, and I believe that he loves me and Rory, too, in his own way. He can’t be a monster. Can he?

If I could just get a message to my father, I know that he’d come for me. That’d he’d save me from this place. And even though my feelings about the Burke clan have changed slightly, I still miss my family. Especially while Declan is away.

So, on Tuesday night, when Declan is finally home, it’s time to take the first step in my plan.

I arrive at dinner before everyone else, basically because I have nothing else to do. It’s not like I get to go out with my girlfriends or visit my brother or anything. I’m just stuck in this house. I spend most of my time either in the bedroom or at the pool. I’m developing a tan from swimming so much in the open air.

I stay mostly quiet at dinner, just forcing a smile when Patrick cracks a joke or Paige talks about the houses she visited that day. Apparently, she has narrowed her choices down to a couple already.

Declan keeps watching me, his brows furrowed.

I stand up before dessert. “I’m not feeling very well. May I be excused?”

I can feel Declan’s eyes on me, but it’s Patrick that I address.

He nods distractedly, deep in conversation with Gray, before looking up briefly at me. “Go on, sweetheart. I hope you feel better.”

Declan stands, too, not asking to be excused, just putting his hand on my lower back, leading me up the stairs.

“What’s wrong?” he asks close to my ear as we walk up to the bedroom, and I shake my head.

“Nothing.”

He frowns harder, his generous mouth turning down at the corners. “Don’t lie to me, Bree.”

I huff out a breath. “Why shouldn’t I? You lie to me all the time.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You say I’m not in a prison,” I whisper, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “You say that I’ll be well taken care of?—”

“And you are,” he interrupts. “But yet, you keep sulking.”

I bite my tongue at the sharp remark that comes to mind at his choice of words. I have to stay calm, or I’ll never be able to convince him to let me talk to my father.

“It’s my father’s birthday tomorrow.” I’m not actually lying. It’s true. My father turns fifty-eight tomorrow, and we usually have a big celebration. I wonder if Rory will show up this time, since I won’t be there. In fact, I wonder if Rory even knows or cares that I’m not home. Will he help my father save me? Or does he think I brought this upon myself when I refused to follow him out of this life?

I hope they are working together to bring me home.

Except for that pesky part of me that is an absolute fool for Declan Burke. I push that part down, deep inside me so that I can do this.

“Oh.” Declan blinks. “Is that all?”

I glare at him. “Well, it’s not like I can call him up and tell him happy birthday.”

“You can write him a letter, send a card or something.” Declan shrugs. “As long as I get to read it, and you don’t give out any information, we have no problem getting it to him in time.”

My eyes widen. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I was expecting maybe a quick phone call from a burner phone. This is so much better.

I throw my arms around him, hugging him tightly, and he chuckles, turning his head to kiss my cheek.

“If I had known a card makes you this happy, I’d have let you send him one a long time ago.”

I smile. “You’ll have it delivered on time?”

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