Page 10 of Vow to Hate You

The second I let her go, Damian’s arm went back around me, leading me down the sidewalk. Ana and Hayley muttered a goodbye while Char stared at me, guilt filling her face. Mystomach twisted painfully, wishing this hadn’t happened on her birthday. She deserved the best night, and this was going to ruin it.

My clutch was suddenly torn from my grip. I glared at Damian as he kept it in his other hand while still holding me.

“Give it back,” I snapped.

“Not yet,” he murmured, nodding at someone in front of us. “Not until I know you have no chance of running off again.”

My chest heaved as I looked ahead of me to see a man open the back door of an SUV for us. Damian’s hand left me, and I sat stiffly in the backseat, scooting over when he climbed in after me. He purposefully kept my purse out of reach as the driver got in the front, pulling onto the street.

“How does it feel to be home?” Damian asked, keeping his gaze out the window.

“Perfect,” I grated out, my eyes darting to the driver. I wasn’t sure if he was on Damian’s payroll or his father’s, and I really didn’t want to chance anything going back to the families.

But it didn’t mean I was going to stay here without a fight. My father had no idea I was here. All I needed was one chance to get away from Damian and get to the airport. I kept my eyes on my purse in his grip. The only issue was I couldn’t leave without my phone since it had everything I needed in my life. I’d have to get it back first, and grab my passport from Char’s apartment. Then I could keep up with the pretense of what I’d been doing overseas. No one except Damian would know I was ever here.

“Good,” he answered, turning to face me, then leaning down to talk in my ear. “Because you aren’t leaving again.”

“Whatever you say, husband.”

He chuckled. “I like that—you listening to me. Keep doing it, Natalia. It’ll make your life easier.”

Anger scorched my veins, both from his words and what he called me. It was an attempt to get under my skin even more, andI refused to give him the satisfaction. I shot him a wicked grin before settling in the seat, keeping my eyes straight ahead, trying to stay positive.

I had every intention of leaving the city tonight. I only needed a little distraction.

CHAPTER 5

damian

I snuck another look at Talie, her silence beginning to grate on me. She wasn’t the one who had the right to be angry. She’d been gone nearly five years, leaving me here to deal with the mess she’d left, all while pretending I was happily married while mywife was in school overseas. After she stole my entire fucking savings to fund her new life.

But she was back now, where she would stay.

She was sitting as far as she could from me, staying close to the window as my driver took us to my apartment. I couldn’t help but let my gaze rake all over her again. I nearly didn’t recognize her when she walked into the club tonight.

She’d always been gorgeous, but there was something different about her now. I knew she wasn’t at school for the last four years like everyone thought, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she’d been up to. She’d told the families about an internship to cover herself the last six months, but I was sure it was bullshit too.

I couldn’t deny the time away had changed her for the better. Her confidence was something she didn’t have as a child. The fire in her eyes when she was on the stage with me had mademy dick rock fucking hard. She’d found herself when she’d been gone. Too bad she did it on my damn dime.

Her colored hair was vibrant and fell in waves. It fit her better than the strict buns she wore when she was younger. Not that she had a choice back then. Her father dictated everything. He was always much stricter with Talie than Charlotte because when he saw the rebellion in his oldest daughter, it had scared him. It was never a secret about how he’d always wanted a son, but he had two daughters.

Right now, her posture was strict and controlled. There wasn’t an ounce of real emotion on her face as she stared out the window. I’d seen that mask my whole life. The only time she’d ever reveal her true self was when it was our circle of friends.

When the driver pulled in front of the apartment building, Talie perked up. She tilted her head, quickly glancing at her purse I still had in my hand. My lips tipped up in amusement. She was plotting. We both knew once our families found out she was home, there was no leaving for her again. Until then, she was a flight risk.

She wouldn’t be going anywhere. My dad had been on my ass about my missing wife. Her father was nearly as bad. Since she had been gone, it all fucking landed on me. I was done carrying the weight of the decision both of us made five years ago.

“Have a good night, Mr. Valentin,” my driver said from the front seat. He’d learned long ago I didn’t need him opening my door for me.

I nodded at him before climbing out, keeping Talie’s purse in my hand as I rounded the SUV to open her door. Her jaw was clenched, and she glared daggers at me while she slid out of the seat. Her quiet rage would explode once we were alone. The only reason I hadn’t seen it yet was because she wasn’t chancing anything getting back to her father.

I interlaced our fingers, leading her into the building after the doorman opened the glass door for us. This apartment building was one of the most expensive in the city. The inside was lavish and elegant with a white marble floor and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Her steps were hesitant, and I pulled her with me before pressing the button on the elevator.

“You live in the city?” she asked, speaking for the first time since we’d gotten in the car.

“On weekends,” I answered, looking at her out of the corner of my eye. She was acting perfectly amicable, making me suspicious as hell.

She pulled out of my hold to step into the elevator, and I was right behind her. I pressed the button for the fortieth floor. Elevator music was the only sound cutting through the tense silence between us. Her lips were pressed together as if she was waiting to scream everything she wanted. I was sure when we were in my apartment, she’d go off.

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