Page 95 of Vengeful Vows

“Anyway, we’re going to let loose tonight.” Paige bounces into the shoe shop.

We browse among the shoes, and I think about Felicity Sullivan, how maybe things would have been easier if my father locked me away like a princess in a tower. Then I would have never been kidnapped, would have never learned what a monster he is. Never would have messed up the Burkes’ lives.

Shaking my head to get those thoughts out of my head, I walk over to look at the heels, picking out a pair of white stilettos. Lara goes with a pair of gold, strappy heels, and Paige gets a pair of hot-pink pumps to match her outfit.

We trail over to the makeup store and pick out a few things, and then we’re on our way home to get dressed.

Declan is locked in his office, and I swallow hard, wondering what’s going on in there. Did something happen? Does he know what I did?

But Lara and Paige are determined to keep my mind off things, and Paige disappears into the kitchen while Lara and I head upstairs to relax.

Paige returns with a pitcher of frozen margaritas, and we all sip as we chat.

“Have you met anyone new lately?” I ask Paige, and she snorts.

“That’s exactly why I wanted my own place. You’ve met my family. When would I meet someone?” she asks. “I never get out of the house unless Declan or Gray or one of my father’s men are with us.”

“We still get to go to dinner parties and events,” Lara points out.

“Yeah, but those are all the same guys in different clans,” Paige sulks. “I’ve met them all, and they’re all terrible. I can’t wait to move out. Almost.” She is squealing and doing a little happy dance.

I laugh. “You have discerning tastes.”

“Very," Lara agrees. “But I guess high standards are a good thing.”

“It is.” I sip more of my margarita. The alcohol is doing a good job at taking away my worries, or at least putting them away for a later date.

By the time we get ready, I’ve stuck to one margarita to Lara and Paige’s two, and I’m feeling a little anxious. I haven’t seen Declan since this morning, and I worry maybe he knows what happened and is just biding his time.

We head into the hallway, and Paige is giggly and tipsy, pulling my hand.

I freeze when I see Declan at the top of the stairs.

“Declan,” I greet in a hushed voice.

“Bree.” He looks me up and down with dark blue eyes.

I swallow hard, doing a little twirl and trying to keep my anxiety off my face.

“You like?”

“Love it,” he says. “Where are you three going?"

“We're going out.” Paige giggles, and Declan raises an eyebrow.

“Who’s going with you?”

“We rented Sphynx out,” Lara explains. “Jimmy is taking us.”

Declan’s face relaxes, if only slightly. “Have fun, ladies.”

He puts his hand on my hip, leaning forward to kiss me deeply, making my knees weak. He smiles at me softly before walking up the rest of the stairs.

“That was kind of intense,” Paige says, and Lara grabs her hand, leading her out to Jimmy’s car.

It was intense, and I’m not sure what it means. Is it that Declan doesn’t know? Or does he, and that was some kind of kiss of death?

I can’t be sure. I know the way the Irish clans work. They’ll smile in your face as they stab you in the back.

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