Page 37 of Cruel Vows

I wait until her soft snores fill the room before sliding out of the bed and heading for the door.

It’s best to distance myself from her now, while there are still boundaries between us, and an attraction that we’re both still fighting.

She doesn’t want to let me take control and I’ll be damned if fighting tooth and nail with her isn’t the most fun I’ve ever had.

The moment she gives in to me is the moment everything changes.

After that, it’s only a matter of time until Noah tries to kill her.

10

ELLIE

It’s beena day since I woke up alone, and the fact that Sean walks into my bedroom carrying a large black box with a silver ribbon wrapped around it does nothing to ease that hurt.

Even though I was the one who said it meant nothing, I didn’t think he would crawl out of my bed without so much as a word.

Sean stops in front of me as I curl tighter into the armchair, a book in my hand, though I can’t remember the last several pages of what I’ve read.

He clears his throat, holding out the box. “You need to put this on. We have an event that we have to go to. And before you open your mouth and start to argue with me, just know that I’m not in the mood for it tonight.”

I fold down the corner of the page I’m on and set the book to the side. “I wasn’t going to argue with you.”

Dark eyes find mine, surprise shining in them. “Good. If you could start acting like this every day, our lives together would be a lot easier.”

“Not going to happen.” I stand up and take the box from him. It’s large but slim, the kind of box I’ve brought home from a dress store hundreds of times. “If you just learned to talk to melike another adult instead of the person you’re stuck babysitting, we might get somewhere.”

“Do I have to remind you that you were the one who took a fucking runner down to the dock yesterday?”

“Maybe I was just going for a jog.”

“Really? Because that’s not what it looked like when Kara went out last night and found the boat filled with supplies you hid around the edge of the property in a cove.”

My mouth goes dry as I reach for the ribbon on the box, pulling out the dress. The soft navy-blue silk falls in waves. The dress looks like it’s going to hug every inch of my body, only flaring out just above my knees.

Just like that damn wedding dress.

For a moment, I’m stupid enough to think that Sean paid attention that night and found something he knew I liked the shape of.

It was much more likely he asked one of my sisters to go shopping.

“Thank you.” I lay the dress out on the bed, not saying anything about the boat.

My escape attempt was stupid—and I know that—but I had to try.

And now I know that Kara is a good friend, but she can’t be trusted if I want to get the hell out of here.

The worst part is that I can’t be mad at her. Dad had her trained from the time she was seven to be my defender, even if that meant protecting me from myself.

Sean sighs. “We’re going to have to talk about it sooner or later.”

“And right now, I have to get ready for some event that requires a gown.”

“Fine, but you should know that the story your brother is spreading is that you and I were so in love we ran away togetherto get married. Now your brother is supposedly out for my blood.”

“Alright. Pretend to be in love with you. I can do that.”

Maybe.

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