Page 35 of The Vow

Why would he have this? Why would he keep this?It was like finding the crown of thorns in Judas’s bedroom.The frame clattered and fell as I tried to set it back.Shit.

“Signora…”

I bit back a curse, righting the stupid picture and quickly facing Nonna.

“For you, Signora.” She handed me the box, but the hint of a smile on her face told me she was just as shifty as her infuriating boss. Damon hadn’t told her to bring me in here; she’d come up with that all on her own. So that I’d see his room—so that I’d see all of this.Like it hadn’t made it worse.

“What’s this?” I stared at the large black box she’d deposited in my arms, holding it as though she’d handed me a live grenade.

“Signor Damon says for tonight. He will be back in an hour to get you.”

“To go where?”

Her mouth firmed, giving me an answer without even speaking. “He didn’t say.”

I took the box and swallowed the bitter pill. “Why would he?” I muttered as she left me there in his room, humming on her way back to the kitchen and her gnocchi.

Maybe Damon did save her and her daughter’s life. Maybe Nonna did owe him her loyalty and her love.

But I did not.

Chapter Ten

Robyn

An hour to the very minute later, there was a sharp rap on my door.

I stepped back from the mirror and took in the final product. The emerald silk dress clung to my body like a serpent’s second skin.

“It’s open.”

The door swung wide, revealing Damon as he filled its frame.

“Damn, Robber,” he rumbled like his vocal cords were made of cobblestones. “You look beautiful.”

Heat eroded hate for a brief moment, lingering with a trail of shivers left by his dark stare as it drank me in. And I did the same, roaming over his exquisite reflection in the mirror. His dark hair draped perfectly to one side, the slightest wave in the front begging the thread of fingers through its swell. His black tuxedo fit to perfection, a bow tie pillared the cleft prominence of his chin.

I forced myself to swallow.Did he have to look this good? Like sin in a suit?

One hand was casually slung into his pocket, though his expression was nothing short of feral, making me think his thought followed the vein of my own.

I didn’t know what was worse: to desire his possessive want or to want him in return. No, there was no worse. Both were lunacy.

I spun and asked, “Where are we going?”

His jaw flexed with his reluctance. “A Christmas party.”

“GrowTech’s Christmas gala?”

As soon as I opened the gift box, I suspected what was happening tonight—and why Nonna had been off. I’d kept detailed tabs on Belmont and the public goings-on of GrowTech. Every year, I watched all kinds of people lured to Belmont’s extravagant holiday party to mingle, awares and unawares, with the criminals he consorted with.

The party was tonight, but it was invite-only. It was nothing more than a gross display of wealth and the extravagance of excess, so I’d never considered going—or sneaking in. Belmont was too smart to keep anything incriminating that close with so many people around.

But apparently Damon believed otherwise.

“And if I say no?”

I frowned. “Then I’m taking off this dress.”

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