Page 16 of The Vow Thief
I was in. The air smelled clean like detergent.
I still heard footsteps above me and voices that told me the kids are home. I pulled my pepper spray close and walked by a gym area. This explained why Matt had that hot as fuck body.
I didn't come down here the last time I was here. I slowly climbed the steps, just a glimpse, I kept telling myself.
The door at the top of the steps had a glow around it, which told me it wasn't closed all the way.
I took each step with slow, deliberate foot placement. I didn't want to pepper-spray someone, but I would if necessary. The thrill I felt inside was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.
When I reached the top of the steps, I heard Sarah on the other side of the door talking to one of her kids. I pulled the pepper-spray up, ready to blast her if she opened the door. She was right there. A piece of wood separated us. I could touch her if the door wasn't there.
Then I heard him. Matt. He must have come home while I was breaking into his house. He was playing with one of his kids. His voice was so loving and rich with affection. I knew that voice. I'd heard it while his mouth was pressed against my skin.
The moment I heard his voice was the moment I knew I couldn't go any further. My knees weakened along with my bravery.
I turned and headed back down the stairs quietly. I slipped out the back door just as the door at the top of the steps swung open, and Sarah walked down the stairs with a towel around her neck, wearing workout clothes, hair up in a tight ponytail.
I watched her until she walked out of my sight. Lucky girl. If that had been just seconds earlier...
Chapter 8 - Mr. Holloway
The table was staged more like a gallery piece than a meal. Filet mignon gleamed under a lacquer of butter and herbs, potatoes sat like golden coins in their dish, and the wine was already breathing in cut-crystal glasses. Khruangbin drifted through the background, soft and unhurried. Sarah had taken her time with this one. Every detail meticulously chosen and every corner in order. Tonight had to feel steady.
Jim Holloway arrived exactly on time, suit jacket slung over one arm, smile easy but watchful.“I have to say, this is a first. In all my years, I’ve ever had dinner at one of my team members’homes.”
“Then we’ll try not to disappoint,” Sarah said warmly. She’d dressed in a simple cream sweater, no jewelry but her wedding ring. There was a calm light in her eyes that Matt had been clinging to all day.
The first part of dinner stayed safe. They talked about the kids at their grandparents’house watching Up, Jim’s wife’s trip to Europe, the recent deal at work, and the insane week leading up to it. It was as if the three of them had been close friends for years.
After the plates were cleared, Sarah returned from the kitchen carrying dessert. She set it down, took her seat, and drew in a slow breath.
“Mr. Holloway...”
“Sarah,” he interrupted with a small smile,“I’m sitting at your dinner table. Please call me Jim.”
She smiled back but shook her head lightly.“Sorry. Jim…there’s something we need to speak with you about.”
Holloway leaned back in his chair, patient.“I gathered as much.”
Sarah glanced once at Matt before continuing.“You know about the restraining order and that Lily broke into our home."
Jim’s fork rested on his plate, untouched now. He didn’t interrupt, didn’t move. His silence was measured, the kind that made Matt squirm in his seat.
Jim's gaze shifted to Matt, who nodded. "She also cornered me at work, still convinced we’re some kind of star-crossed lovers.”
Jim's brows lifted, though his tone stayed even.“Next time, allow security to handle it? I want you both to understand something,”
His voice was cool.“If these incidents continue and you do not involve the police, it undermines everything. It makes you both complicit. The firm cannot shield either of you from the consequences if you allow her to push this without official action.”
Sarah inclined her head, calm but firm.“I understand. I don’t want to live my life calling the police every time she breathes in my direction, but I hear you. Next time, I won’t hesitate.”
“That is the right answer,” Jim said. His eyes moved back to Matt.“You already know that for now, I want you working from home. Let this cool off. It keeps you on the job but out of the circus. Consider it a temporary reset.”
Matt’s stomach dropped, but he forced a nod.“Yes, sir.”
Jim studied him a moment longer.“I'm glad to see the two of you are reconciling.”
Sarah didn’t correct him. For a moment, Matt let himself imagine it was true, that they were reconciling, and the thought cut deeper than the truth.
