Page 73 of Vengeful Vows

“It’s not your fault, Bree,” she whimpers. “You didn’t know.”

“I’m a Murphy,” I almost spit my name, looking over at Declan with tears streaming down my face. “How difficult it must have been to marry me. How disgusted you must have been.”

Declan looks shocked, his eyebrows raised. He stands up, frowning. “No, princess. I’d never be disgusted by you.”

He tries to put his arms around me, but I wrench away, bolting for the stairs.

Declan follows, but I slam the bedroom door in his face, panting, trying to get air that doesn’t seem to be coming into my lungs.

“You know I can open the door,” he warns, but I brace my back against the closed door, squeezing my eyes shut against the burn of tears.

“Please don’t,” I whimper. “If you ever cared about me, don’t.”

“Bree,” he starts, and then he’s quiet for a moment. “I’ll be right outside when you need me.”

Something slides down the door.

Is he actually just sitting on the bedroom floor in front of the door?

It doesn’t matter. I can’t come out. If I could, I’d climb out one of these windows, and if I didn’t fall to my death I’d move far, far away. Away from Declan, who deserves better than the daughter of a monster. Away from the Burkes, who deserve better than such a stupid woman for their family member.

Away from my father, the monster himself.

Underage girls… sex trafficking… the death of a mother…

He’s responsible for all of it. And if I’m honest with myself, I know the sex trafficking is still going on. Ever since he bought that strip club, there’s been more money coming in than makes sense.

“Will you let Lara in?” Declan asks through the door, jolting me out of my thoughts. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Okay,” I sniffle in a small voice. “Just Lara.”

Paige would be too much right now, and Gray barely tolerates me. I can’t even look at Declan, knowing what my father has done to his mother.

That Rolls Royce hadn’t been traded like my father said. It had been covered with Burke blood.

My stomach churns, and I run for the toilet, retching, as Lara enters the room.

She rushes to me, holding back my hair as I throw up what’s left of my dinner.

“I’m so sorry you had to find out this way,” she murmurs. “Especially just after you wished him a happy birthday.”

I freeze.

God, I hadn’t even considered that. I’ve sicced my father on the Burkes, and they didn’t do anything wrong. Kidnapping me is the least they could do after what Niall did to them.

And considering who he is, the lies he hid from me, I think the Burkes actually saved me.

I’m having a hard time even thinking of him as my father anymore, and now I’m wondering what else he lied about.

Did my mom really leave? What made my sweet mother run from him and leave me and my brother behind? Could he have done something to scare her away?

Have I been living a lie my entire life?

I throw up once more before my belly is empty, and Lara cleans my face with a cold towel and helps me sit back against a wall.

“Just give me a sec," she says. "I'll deal with Declan to keep him away.”

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

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