Page 32 of Vow of Silence

If I could go back and fix one thing in my past, it wouldn’t be losing the ability to speak. It’d be to tellmyfirst love what she meant to me before I did.

The urge to whisper an apology leaves my lips tingling and my throat thick with regret. I run my nose along the shell of her ear instead, unsurprised when she stiffens slightly againstme. My cheek touches her head, and I lean into the contact. Affection: the only way I can convey my thoughts.

“I want so badly to say that I still hate you,” she utters against my chest, fingers flexing on the back of my shirt. “But I can’t.” Stas pulls back, the intensity of her gaze leaving me frozen in awe. “I hate myself, instead, for wanting to forgive you.”

Then don’t.I shake my head and frown. I don’t want her forgiveness.

I need her trust.

Bringing both hands up, I cradle her face and softly kiss her forehead. The road ahead will be a rocky one. We’re guaranteed arguments and betrayal, lies and inconveniences.

Our families will never rest, no matter what they say this union means.

I catch Stas’s eye, ducking my head slightly to level our gazes.You and me,I mouth slowly to ensure she catches every syllable.

“Against the world.” She huffs a disbelieving laugh.

Fingers pinched on her jaw, I frown and nod. She may laugh about it now, but there’ll be no humor left in those pretty eyes when I burn this house of lies to the fucking ground.

I told her once that her happiness is my life’s purpose.

It’s about time I showed her I goddam meant it.

FIFTEEN

Nastasya

“You saw him three days ago, and you’re just telling me now?” Lana chastises as she slides onto our sofa, her long legs extended to one side. “How is he? I bet he’s still hot as fuck.”

I level her with a hard stare, arms folded across my chest. “If you ever mention Benito to me again, I’ll take great pleasure in shaving your fucking head in your sleep.” No word of a lie—I’d film it for the sheer indulgence of reliving the moment over and over.

The bitch values her auburn locks far too highly.

“Get your panties out of a twist.” She blows me off with the flip of one hand. “I’m married now, Stasya.”

Like that’d stop her. “It wasn’t my idea to have you help with this.” It took four years of hard work before I could be in the same room as her without wanting to throttle the harlot. I’m starting to remember why I struggled against the temptation.

“Yeah, yeah. You told me that last time.” My cousin drops the pretenses and slides to the front of her seat to unpack the hefty catalogs from her tote. “Now, this woman is the one I used for my dress.” She pushes a gaudy pink book to the forefront.Notusing that one, then.“But a friend said this lady does excellent work.” She slides a pale blue portfolio beside the last.

I find what she said hard to believe. Not that the designer does excellent work, but that Lana would have a friend. People like her can’t help but repel others; it’s a gift she was born with.

“I sent Benito links to my two venue choices for him to discuss with their security.”

“See?” Lana lifts one perfectly drawn eyebrow. “It’s impossible not to mention him.”

I glare at her as I settle on the sofa opposite. “For me, sure. For you, his name is easy to avoid.”

“Seriously.” She scoffs, laying out fabric samples. “If you plan on going into this marriage with a jealous attitude, you’ll be miserable. He’s downright fuckable; women want him wherever he goes.”

“Snip, fucking snip,” I sass, making a scissor motion with my fingers.

She rolls her dusk-gray eyes. “Are you going with white? You know that traditionally, only virgins wear white, right? People might find that odd if you wear it.”

“Must be why you chose gold, huh?”

She narrows her gaze. Everyone in the family knows of Lana’s reputation. Most of us were surprised she managed to find a man who’d have her when she came with a goddamn phone book of conquests. In all fairness, the guy is one ‘roid short of a full kit. All muscle, no brains.

“Look.” Lana leans back, crossing her stick-like legs. “I’m here as a favor to Uncle. Neither of us are stupid enough to think this is anything other than him being a dick about the whole affair, right?”

---