Page 71 of Solemn Vow

“Let’s step outside.” He pulls me to one of the French doors that is propped open for the guests to walk out to the patio.

There are several couples and small groups of people standing close to the heating lamps warming the area, so he leads me down the steps and into the garden below.

“I’m not sure we should be out here.” I look back as the lights from the party are hidden behind bushes.

He brings me to a spot just behind a tall wall of bushes. It’s bright enough from the house lights that I can easily see hiswarm expression as he shucks out of his suit jacket and wraps it around my shoulders.

“We didn’t need to come all the way out here,” I laugh, pulling the lapels close and sliding my arms inside. The jacket is way too big for me, but it’s warm.

“Admit you were jealous at the idea of me having a girlfriend,” he demands, cupping my chin and pushing it back to look down into my eyes.

“I won’t.” I can’t. “Are you jealous of the men I’ve been with?” Am I teasing him? I think I am. My cheeks heat at the prospect.

“Give me the names of every man that’s ever touched you. I will find them and beat them until the memory of you is gone from their minds.”

I search his eyes. He has to be joking.

He’s not.

The sincerity is touching. The violence is a little unnerving, but the raw possession I see inside him awakens a part of me I’ve done everything I could do to keep closed.

“You can’t do that.” I lay my hands on his chest. He’s warm from our dance, and his heart is racing. “You’d go to prison.” I smile.

“For you, I’d risk it.” His mouth crashes down on mine in the next breath and I’m gone again. It’s not the physical touch of his lips against mine that steals my thoughts, but the chaos of emotion that passes through from him to me and back again.

“All right,” I sigh when he breaks the kiss. “I don’t like the idea of picturing you with another woman. Okay?”

His arrogant grin is back, but it’s short lived. His phone vibrates and he checks the screen, his brows knit together in response.

“I need to join Andrei and Sergei for another meeting.” He slides his phone back into his pocket.

“All right. I’ll just find Izzy and Billie to hang out with while you’re doing whatever it is you do in these secret meetings.” I give him back his jacket.

He eyes me cautiously. “Don’t get into any trouble tonight. You and Izzy aren’t always the best influence on each other.”

I laugh. “Just because we encourage each other doesn’t mean we’re bad influences.”

“You encourage bad behavior.” He squeezes my hand as we round the wall and step back onto the pebbled path that will take us to the patio.

“You’re just not as much fun as we are,” I tease, reaching up to my chest to check on the necklace.

It’s gone.

I freeze.

“What’s wrong?” He turns to me. I look down at the ground, then around me.

“I told you! I told you it would fall off and now I’ve lost twenty-five thousand dollars!” Panic grips me.

“The necklace?” He spins me around to see it’s gone from my neck. “Maybe the clasp caught on my jacket when you took it off. We’ll check.”

“No. No. I’ll check, you go. People are waiting on you. I’ll check and go back inside. If it’s not there, I have to retrace my steps.” I give him a shove, though it would be more effective if I shoved the brick wall of the house.

He frowns, but his phone goes off again.

“It’s fine. I’ll meet you.” I shoo him away.

“All right, but go back inside when you’re done. And take this back. It’s cold.” He hands me the suit jacket.

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