Page 25 of Deadly Don's Savage Vows

If I leave her to believe that - she would stay away from me and it would be better for her. But I can’t stand the idea of her thinking of me that way. I want to show her I’m not that person.

Leaning back in my office chair I drop the silver foundation pen on a pile of papers I am signing.

My head is aching. A stress headache that’s been threatening to get worse ever since last night when Bella stormed out of the gallery.

I am torn between wanting to talk to her to resolve the misunderstanding and the argument we had - and leaving her alone for good, ignoring the fact that we have such an incredible connection and treating her like any other employee.

I can’t do it. I know myself, because I don’t feel this way about any other person on the planet.

I have very few people in my life who I let close to me, in any way whatsoever.

My sister is one of them. She is family. She is the only family I’ve got left.

My parents were close to me before they died. They were loving and caring and thoughtful and everything you’d want a parent to be.

I was so young I didn’t how to deal with the loss of the people who were supposed to take care of me - so I did the best I could and the best I could meant learning how not to let people get close enough that I developed any kind of attachment to them.

In my world - if you have someone to lose it makes you weak. This world is not kind to those who love.

The pen is catching light, it’s silver body lying there like an accusation - I need to work. I can’t be distracted by Bella all morning.

The buyer for last night’s delivery is coming around today to collect his order. How am I going to stop Bella from getting involved in that - or asking too many questions? This is bad. I need her to be out of the office for about an hour. It won’t take that long, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. It’s not a long-term solution though. I can’t send Bella away from the gallery every time I receive an off-the-books delivery.

She wants to know everything. She can’t leave it be and it’s going to get her into trouble.

And there is no way I can fake these deliveries and collections to slip past her. I don’t want any record of them at all. That’s the whole point of the cover. The gallery hides what is really going on.

Bella sees everything.

The guy is coming through at eleven this morning. I wonder if I can send Bella out to get some coffee - it’s usually Killian whodoes that - but maybe I can ask her directly. It’s an easy enough request that doesn’t trigger too much suspicion.

But where is Bella this morning?

I pull my sleeve up and glance at my wrist. My watch tells me it’s already almost ten o’clock and Bella hasn’t arrived at work yet. That’s not like her at all. She’s often the first one here, unless she has some trouble with her baby.

I push away from my desk and walk through to the main gallery area.

“Killian, where is Bella?”

“I put a memo on your desk this morning, sir. She called in sick - early.”

“I didn’t see it.” I mumble to myself. “Sick?”

“Sir, she said she wasn’t well and needed the day off.”

I clench my jaw, rubbing my hand across the dark stubble on my chin. I didn’t shave this morning. Distracted from my usual routine.

Bella isn’t sick. Something else is going on with her - maybe she wanted to avoid me. Did I upset herthatmuch - to where she won’t even come in to work?

Why else would she lie about being sick? Unless she is sick? I feel bad for her if she is, and I want to take care of her.

I let out a heavy sigh and glance down at my watch again. I need to deal with this collection - I can figure out what to do about Bella.

“Killian, please handle the front of the gallery - I have some things to sort out in the back.”

“Yes, sir. I’ve got it covered. Don’t worry - Bella trained me well.” He laughs. “I won’t scare any of our customers away.”

I smile and walk away. Killian is quiet the character.

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