Page 19 of Vow of Obsession

“You scared me. And it may have made me fall out of the window.” Marks bursts into laughter. “It’s okay. I’m fine.”

“Am I really your best friend if I don’t laugh?”

“Fair point.” I make myself get up, glancing around to make sure the coast is clear, but if I were busted, I’m sure it would havehappened during my roll out the window. "This was your idea," I remind her.

"You to your dock yet?"

"No, but I'm headed there." I trip over a stupid rock. The glasses that have lights on them don't sound so stupid anymore.

"Are you okay?" Marks lets out another laugh. "This might have been a bad idea."

"Oh, now that I'm out the window, you say that."

"We have to do something wild. Not as though we are having a bachelorette party."

"Did you want to go and see strippers?" I tease her. She makes a gagging sound.

"Don't you think that's cheating? I mean, you're engaged, and you let a person rub all over you?"

“Right? Just because the building is named ‘strip club’ or something similar doesn't mean you can touch others. It’s strange to me.” I admit I’m talking out of my ass. I’m in an arranged marriage.

“So it would bother you?” I stop walking. I can sense she is getting at something. I’m not sure why, because she has no clue about the Marino family. I have made sure to never say that name before.

“Are you getting at something here, Marks?” I ask her.

“It’s just—” She pauses for a long second. I keep on moving toward the dock because I would rather not have this conversation where anyone can hear. Which dawns on me that had been the plan from the start with Marks. That I should get out and we could talk. I thought maybe about sex or my soon-to-be husband and how I’m handling an arranged marriage. Or why he keeps ghosting me.

“Out with it. You’re killing me here.”

“I mean, do you really want to know? That’s another question? You have had a crush on this man forever, but this isarranged, and he’s a dick, so the rules could be different now.” My heart starts to race. Marks knows something. “It might be better to not know things.”

"But you know something?" It’s obvious she’s not telling me something, and now that she’s hinted at knowing, I’m not going to be able to think about anything else until she spills what it is.

"I know lots of things."

I walk faster until I'm at the dock, and I'm sure I'm alone. "Knowing lots of things can get you into trouble, Marks," I tell her.

"When have I ever been shy about trouble?" I think it might be easier to get into trouble behind a computer screen. It’s different when you’re face-to-face with it. The Marinos would track her down.

"This is different. You can't be poking around in my life."

"Because you don't want me to get hurt or you don't want me to know things?"

"Of course I want you to know things!" I wish I could tell her everything. That I could confide in her. That’s not the world I live in. Hence why my only friend is online.

"I know I shouldn't have poked, but you're set to marry this man. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't do some light stalking?"

"Light stalking." I snort a laugh. I didn't know there were levels. "So?" This anticipation is killing me.

"He went to a strip club that is also a known brothel." I close my eyes. I shouldn’t feel the sense of betrayal that I do, but I can’t help it. The way he kissed me the other day. It actually meant nothing.

"Bourbon Street?" I ask. I once heard about the place and that it's owned by the Marino family.

"Yes, and he was in there for a while."

"What's a while?"

"Hours." I swipe at the tear that escapes.

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