Page 26 of Vow to Hate You

I barely managed to hide my shock, but he still chuckled at my muted reaction.

“Luckily, your union only strengthened our business,” he continued. “But you made that decision, and whether you want to stay with Damian or not, you do not have a choice. Your nuptials are until death do you part. Understand?”

I jerked a nod, not trusting myself to speak. He released me before stepping to the side.

“Keep this conversation to yourself.” His voice was filled with a dark threat. “Go back to the table.”

I scurried away, pushing open the door, my chest heaving from his words. While Christian had always been someone I avoided, he had never sought me out to talk to me privately. I would make sure it never fucking happened again.

“Everything okay?” Damian questioned as I sat back down next to him.

“It’s perfect,” I muttered bitterly.

My pulse was still racing as I took another sip of my drink. I could feel his stare on me, but I didn’t look at him as his mother told a story about her friends at the club she frequented. A few minutes later, Christian returned to the table with a fresh glass of scotch. He took control of the conversation, asking Damian something about work.

Lorenzo appeared, holding a plate. “Here you go.” He set the food down in front of me. “Creamy Carbonara.”

My heart stuttered. “Thank you.”

I glanced at Damian, but he was already digging into his lasagna, clearly intent on rushing this dinner. Something I was more than fine with. I picked up my fork, staring at my food.My stomach fluttered with something foreign as I snuck another look at my husband.

After five years, Damian still remembered my favorite meal.

CHAPTER 11

damian

My phone went off, and I pulled it out of my jacket pocket, frowning when I saw my father’s name on the screen.

Christian:

I need you to have dinner with the Kellers tonight. Bring your wife.

Another text popped up with a restaurant here in the city. I sighed, swiping out of the chat to text Talie. I was sure she was going to be just thrilled about me dictating her plans. The wife was the decision maker in the Keller family, which was why my father wanted Talie to come. Mrs. Keller enjoyed talking to other women and was part of the reason we hadn’t been able to land them as a client.

Talie didn’t respond, and I was positive she wouldn’t, which meant I’d have to leave the club early to make sure she was ready.

I glanced up, watching the guys rehearse on the stage for tonight. It was Saturday, late in the morning, and I had planned to drive home to Connecticut with Talie tonight, but it would have to wait until tomorrow now. My wife had barely spoken aword to me since dinner with my parents two nights ago. She was actually nowhere to be found when I left to go the club. Which was suspicious as hell since she’d pretty much stayed in my apartment the entire week.

Rhyett stepped up next to me. “Not dancing tonight?”

“Can’t,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “I have to go to a business dinner for Christian.”

“Fun.” Sarcasm was thick in his voice.

“I have to take Talie.”

He chuckled. “Oh, I’m sure she’s loving that. Has she been giving you hell?”

“She barely acknowledges me.”

He glanced at me. “That’s even worse. She’s planning something.”

“I know,” I grated out.

She hadn’t touched the credit card I gave her. Meaning she probably ordered her own new cards to use, making me wonder how much of my money she still had.

“There you are.”

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