Page 52 of Vow of Silence

My fiancé merely sighs. He looks away from Papa, meeting my gaze before reaching out to take me by the hand. A gentle tug, the jerk of his head—he wants me to go with him.

“I need to get changed.” I gesture to my workout attire. “I don’t have my purse.”

He shakes his head and closes his eyes briefly, ignoring my seething father.You don’t need it.

“Where are we going?” He wants me sweaty and without anything but what I currently have on my person.

That goddamn hand to his chest again.

“Would you stop asking that?” I sigh. “The answer is yes. Always yes.”

The smile that splits Benito’s full lips is nothing short of stunning. I’ve made him happy, and that’s made me happy.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Papa tilts his head higher.

The lack of control in this situation must be maddening for him. I fucking love it.

“He wants me to go with him.”

“No.” Papa extends one arm and gestures for Ivan. “No fucking way.” He jerks his head to tell Ivan to hurry up. “I might have promised her to your family, but she’s not yours to pick up and play with when you goddamn please.”

Benito raises a single eyebrow as though to say,“Isn’t she?”

What the hell does my father think he’ll do once we’re married? The second I get that ring on my finger, Papa’s control over me vanishes.He’s scared.The goddamn jerk fears losing the one person he has left—I’d guarantee it.

The Iron Jawdoeshave feelings.

“I’ll be back tonight, Papa.” I glance at Benito. “Isn’t that right?”

My silent soldier exhales heavily, seemingly annoyed with the promise. He nods anyway.

“Fine. But Ivan goes with you.”

Benito drops my hand to wave his arms in a cross over himself.No way.

Papa grins. “Until you find her attackers, I need assurance she stays safe.”

Benito lifts a firm thumb straight to the center of his chest.I’ll protect her.

“And you think I’ll believe that you can?” Papa scoffs before his features grow unsettlingly hard. “I don’t trust you or your family,mudak.” He spits on the ground beside Benito’s feet.

I ready myself to intervene should this stand-off get physical.

I needn’t worry. A beat passes while Benito collects himself and then turns to face me. He runs his fingertips along myjawline and then drops the same hand to retake mine. I take two steps toward the Land Rover with him before Ivan intervenes.

The brute moves forward to cut us off at the passenger-side door.

I feel the twitch in Benito’s hold before I notice the stiffened set of his shoulders. With his free hand, he places a palm against thekachki’schest and fends off the approach. Ivan grips Benito by the wrist.

I release my grasp, expecting my fiancé to be on the ground in the next heartbeat. What I don’t see coming is how Benito manages to manipulate the bigger man to have Ivan shoved up against the side of the Defender. The vehicle rocks with a solid thud, Benito’s forearm to Ivan’s throat.

The men’s noses are a mere inch apart.

The tension in the air chokes the oxygen from my lungs. I stand in shock, mirroring my father’s reaction, waiting to see what happens next. I pray it doesn’t resort to guns.

I don’t need another death to deal with.

“I come too,” Ivan presses, thick and throaty.

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