Page 22 of Vow to Hate You

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back later,” I said, not giving her the answer she wanted. “Oh, I took the liberty of ordering clothes for you. They should be hanging in the closet.”

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she backed away before heading toward the closet. I chuckled when she disappeared, knowing she wasn’t going to be happy with what I chose. But since she had my card, she could shop for whatever she wanted.

“Damian,” she screamed. “Lingerie is not clothes. You couldn’t have bought me a pair of damn underwear?”

“With how often you keep getting naked in front of me, I didn’t think you’d want any,” I said, loud enough for her to hear. “Plus, I like knowing you’re exposed just for me. My dick is still hard from that elevator ride.”

She let out a frustrated scream, but I didn’t have time to stay and argue with her. I was supposed to be at the club a half hour ago. Leaving a copy of the apartment key next to her credit card, I grabbed my wallet before heading out the door.

Nerves settled in my gut as I strode down the hall. She wouldn’t leave the city since her father put his foot down about her staying, but it didn’t mean she was going to make my life easy. I hoped my apartment was still intact when I came home.

“How’s your wife?” Ashton asked, raising an eyebrow the second I stepped into my office. He was sitting at my desk, his messy, dirty blond hair in his eyes until he brushed it back to look at me.

“How do you think?” Rhyett asked as he lounged on the small couch. “She’s probably already on a plane.”

“She’s not leaving. We already had lunch with her father.”

I bit my tongue when guilt weighed on my chest like it had been ever since the lunch with our parents earlier. Even with her stealing from me and leaving for nearly five years, I still felt bad. I shouldn’t. If I hadn’t gotten involved, her father would have dragged her home, which could have been much worse. While I couldn’t help but get under her skin and mess with her like she loved to do with me, I had no intention of actually making her life miserable.

“You look stressed,” Rhyett commented as I raised my eyes to look at him. “I told you that forcing her back wouldn’t make your life easier.”

“He wasn’t about to let her go back to her easy life after what she did to him,” Ash argued. “She married him, then fucked him—and not in the good way.”

Rhyett scoffed. “Did you expect anything less? Are we remembering the same girl? She made it perfectly clear this life was something sheneverwanted. She’s going to give Damian hell.”

“Can we not discuss my marriage?” I muttered. “She’s back, and that’s it.”

“Yeah, and now she knows about the club.” Ash stood from my chair, rounding the desk. “She could wreck this for us. For you.”

“She won’t,” I snapped. “I’ll make sure?—”

There was a knock on the office door before it swung open, revealing Percy Collins. The bastard always made my blood pressure rise, and tonight was no exception. He sauntered into my office before I could say a word while Ash and Rhyett straightened up.

Percy dropped in the chair in front of my desk, his grin shooting rage through me. His graying blond hair was slicked back; his thin nose and high cheekbones made him look like aslimy businessman. Which was exactly what he was. I fucking hated him but couldn’t do jack shit about him being in my club.

“Damian,” he greeted me, his nasally voice grating on me worse than usual. “I came last night to talk, but you left early.”

“What do you want, Percy?” I asked, not hiding my annoyance. “It’s not the end of the month, so what the hell are you doing here?”

His eyes flashed with anger, but he kept a tight smirk on his face. “Just checking on my business ventures.”

“You get your check every month,” Ash snapped. “Fucking asshole.”

I swiped my hand down my face, taking a deep breath. “I’ll meet you two later.”

Rhyett and Ash glared at Percy before they both strode out of my office, closing the door behind them. Percy crossed one leg over the other, leaning back as I reached down, taking a bottle of whiskey out of the bottom drawer of my desk. I only grabbed one glass and poured the liquor for myself, watching his jaw tick when I didn’t offer him any.

“What do you want?” I repeated after taking a long sip.

“I saw you dancing last night,” he said, tilting his head. “You usually don’t bring women to the stage.”

“This is my club,” I gritted out. “If I want to participate in theme nights, I will.”

“It’sourclub,” Percy reminded me with a smug ass grin. “Don’t forget it, Damian.”

My fingers tightened around the glass as we stared at each other. I wished I could go back and never make a business deal with him. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He was an investor, and once I made his money back, that was supposed to be it. But it didn’t work out as planned. Now he was blackmailing me to keep his hold over me and my fucking club.

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