Page 115 of Savage Promises

Garrett leans into me, his breath on my neck. “Leave it up to me. I’ll make sure he cheats. Just sit back and collect the payout.”

“I get eighty percent,” Dad grumbles.

I bolt to my feet as a wave of nausea washes over me. “You’re disgusting. Even if Shane cheated, why would I giveyouany money?”

“For your sister. To ensure her future.” Dad rocks in that damn old chair that sounds ready to break and I hope it does. “You filled Shane’s head with nonsense all that time you spent together before the wedding. He broke off that engagement to Neve way too easily. You seduced him with promises that we both know you can’t keep.”

“My husband cheats onme, andNevegets eighty percent of my divorce settlement?” I spit, my voice shaking with fury. “You expect me to agree to that?”

Dad swings his feet off the desk. “You have a thriving nightclub that you got free and clear from your husband. You’re set. Your sister isn’t.”

“Sorry.” I shake my head. “I’m not playing whatever game this is.”

“Why are you so sure he won’t cheat?” Garrett asks, blocking the door so I can’t leave.

I open my mouth to say I know my husband and I trust him, but my lifelong knowledge of mafia men doesn’t square with my confidence. I hate that I’m tempted to see if Shane would take that kind of out to get rid of me.

Shane didn’t want to marry Neve, but he never tried to be with me until that deal soured. I came back toAstoria after college. I was right across the street from him for years. He agreed to marry Neve, then married me to save face. All to get the information my brother promised.

A promise that blew up in Shane’s face. Two strikes...

“Do whatever you want,” I say, emotionally checking out of the conversation. “Make a fool of yourself and risk getting the piss beat out of you. Shanewon’tcheat on me.”

I push Garrett aside, tempted to knee him in the balls.

They let me leave, they have to. Dorian is outside and will kill them if they try to abduct me.

I give Neve one last chance to eat her soup before I leave. When she just scrolls on her phone and ignores me, I bring it downstairs and put it in the fridge. The empty fridge.

A cleaning lady who will buy groceries is on my to-do list.

Ungrateful leeches. All of them.

I storm out the front door and my chest feels hollow.

“I want to go home,” I tell Dorian who opens the door for me.

Before getting inside, I glance across the street at Quinlan Manor glowing warmly against the night sky. It feels so far away, so unreachable even though I was just inside weeks ago.

I fight back the tears burning my eyes. My father’s unkind words echo inside my head, the seeds of doubt ready to take root.

I have my own money. I have my club. It’s in my name. Shane told me the prenup says we each keep what we owned before the marriage. Those are things. What about my heart?

Dorian zips through the city to bring me home, the lights of Astoria passing by. I feel like I’m days away from losing the one thing I’ve always wanted.

Shane’s love.

He’s been so distant. I know he knows I lied about the hospital, and instead of confronting me, he’s shut down. Does he even care anymore? I have too much baggage with my horrible family. He deserves better.

I guess I’ll find out soon enough just how much better he thinks he can do.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Shane - June

Three weeks. It’s been three agonizing weeks since Lennox and I started living like strangers under the same roof. The tension is suffocating, a noose tightening every time she walks into the room and doesn’t meet my eyes.

She paid back my credit card with money from her Echelon payment. I’ve replayed every conversation in my head where I dropped hints for her to talk to me. To open up to me. All I get is silence and the excuse that she’s tired.

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