Page 51 of By His Vow

I sense someone stepping up beside me, but I don’t look back to see who it is. I can’t. I’m too desperate to know if she’s going to look up and find me.

Surely, if she has any suspicion that I’m the one causing her to search the crowded club, then she has to know to look up.

I might have spent my fair share of nights down in the thick of it in the past, but it’s been a while.

I don’t need to anymore.

The thrill of the chase ended a long time ago.

While I was at college, I still flew slightly under the radar. But the second I started at Callahan Enterprises, my name was suddenly everywhere. I couldn’t leave my apartment without women approaching me.

Obviously, I thought it was great, and I certainly made the most of the attention.

Hell, I still do. Although I’ve learned to be a little more selective about who I spend time with these days.

I’ve had more than enough crazy hookups to last me a lifetime.

“What’s got you so enthr—” Kian chuckles right as Tatum figures it out and looks up.

The second she does, her eyes lock on mine and something electric crackles between us. It doesn’t matter that there’s glass between us, or that she can’t see me.

We both know.

“Jesus. Think it’s time you fucked your future wife, Bro,” Kian mutters helpfully.

Silence falls between us as she winks, confirming what I already knew. She knows I’m here.

I guess the only question is…what’s she going to do about it?

“Although…” Kian mutters as she swallows two more shots and moves away from the bar, “it seems she might have another man in her sights.”

A growl of disapproval rumbles deep in my throat.

No one else would be able to hear it. Hell, I’m not even sure if Kian can hear it, but the fucker laughs as if this is the most amusing thing he’s ever seen.

Tatum leads the guy by the hand into the middle of the dance floor before slut dropping on him.

“Oh shit. Your wife has balls of steel, man.”

“And he’s about to fucking lose his,” I mutter darkly, my fists clenching as I imagine ripping them from his body for touching something that belongs to me.

“Ah, Kingston, there you are. Did you get my email today?” one of the board members asks.

My brow pinches as I try to force my brain to focus on anything but the woman downstairs with another man’s hands on her body.

“Apologies, Chris. It’s been a long day. Refresh my memory,” I ask.

He frowns momentarily. It’s unlike me not to have my finger right on the pulse, but the past twenty-four hours have done a number on me. Or should I say that Tatum Warner has?

I tell myself that it’s just because it’s the beginning. That once we’ve announced our engagement and she’s moved in with me, things will settle. My life will return to something akin to normal and I’ll be able to focus on what matters once more.

I fear it might be wishful thinking. Especially if she keeps playing this game with me.

Chris begins animatedly explaining the contents of his email. The second I discover it’s not work-related as such, but instead about his wife’s cousin’s experience at one of our resorts, I begin to zone out again.

How can he possibly expect me to focus on that bullshit when my soon-to-be wife is downstairs, being molested by a man who isn’t me?

“Thank you for that, Chris. We’ll certainly look into it,” Kian says, slapping me on the back and bringing me back into the conversation I fear I was meant to have contributed to.

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