Page 13 of Devious Vows

Remy is waiting for me in the front lobby when we get there, and he nods at the man behind me before motioning to follow him out the door. Once in the car, he catches me off guard, reaching over to gently grab my face, tilting it to the side so he can see the tattoo. His thumb lightly traces over the plastic covering before he drops his hand and starts the car.

Clearing my throat at the sudden tightness in my chest, I lean against my door as I watch Remy back out of the lot. “What’d you get?”

I almost don’t think he’s going to answer, his eyes running along my skin before he opens his mouth. “Same as you.” He’s smiling at whatever look must cross my face, teeth glittering in the passing streetlights.

My mouth drops open. “Excuse me?”

His tongue runs along his lower lip, dimples on display once again.“Mi hai sentito, futura moglie.” You heard me, wife-to-be.He laughs at the look on my face, stopping at a red light. His hand reaches out lightly, tugging the end of my hair in the same way he used to do when we were younger. “Till death do us part, baby.”

Death do us part.

I smack his hand away, shifting even farther away in my seat. Just when I get a moment where I forget that I’m engaged to Remy, he finds a way to remind me. “I should be more mad, but I’ve come to expect this kind of shit from you,” I say to try and hide the tightening of my throat. He just quietly chuckles, clearly pleased with himself. I look over at him. “Where did you get yours?”

He raises his wrist and I reach out for him, pulling his arm closer so that I can see the tiny feather to match my own filling a gap between two of his other tattoos. His skin is warm below my fingers, muscles flexing as I trace the edge of the plastic covering it.

He really got the same tattoo.

I drop his arm, letting him pull it away before it felt too intimate. If he noticed the way my breathing has quickened or the way my palms have heated, he doesn’t say anything. Trying to ignore the way my heart beats in my chest, I rest my head against the window, letting the silence stretch between us.

After a beat I notice my breath fogging up the window and lean closer to fog it even more, writing ‘u suck’ into the condensation. “Remy.” I watch his eyes go from my face to the window, smiling at the roll of his eyes. Tension broken I feel comfortable asking, “What’re we doing now?”

Remy says nothing but makes a turn off the main road, pulling off toward what looks like a park. “It’s your prom night, isn’t it?”

He comes to a stop, and I frown at him as he starts to get out. “Yes?” I watch him walk around the front of his car, frown deepening as he looks at me through the window. He just taps on the glass and motions for me to get out before he starts walking away.

Watching his retreating back for a moment my eyes scan the dark lot before exiting the car. In any normal situation I might be wary to be out here, but there’s not a whole lot in this city that would risk the wrath of Remy Luciano.

Doesn’t make it not feel creepy.

My heels click as I speed walk to Remy’s side, glaring at him when I catch up. “You almost left me alone and it’s creepy as shit.”

He returns my frown, his smirk softening it. “Nothing is out here and I’m pretty sure if there were, you could handle it.”

I ignore the smile that wants to come out at his small compliment. “What does this place have to do with prom?”

Almost as soon as I say it, I hear the low hum of music in the distance. Looking up at Remy, he isn’t paying attention, stepping onto a gravel path I wouldn’t have seen on my own. It’s only another few minutes before we get to an outdoor amphitheater, a live band playing while hundreds of people dance, sing, and wander around.

The smell of cigarettes and beer cling to the air, the music from the speakers thundering through me as I look around in awe. “How’d you know this was here?”

“Andrea is here.” Remy jumps down the edge of a slight wall, turning with his arms up for me to do the same. “Jump, Beverly.”

Using a hand to keep my dress down, I reach out and grab onto one of his while he grabs my waist with the other. “Don’t let me flash anyone,” I mumble, swallowing as his hand leaves mine to wrap around the other side of my waist.

“If they look, I’ll cut their eyes out.” The seriousness in his tone shouldn’t make me laugh, but it does, and he easily lifts me, setting me onto the grass in front of him.

I just miss his smile as he turns away, starting through the crowd. With a hard thump behind my ribs, I latch onto his hand before he gets too far ahead of me, his eyes finding mine over his shoulder. “I don’t want to get lost.”

He doesn’t say anything, just pulls me in front of him by our linked fingers. His lips brush along the shell of my ear, just above my new feather tattoo. “I’d never lose you.”

Chapter FOur

BEVERLY | 18 YEARS OLD

My heart roars in my ears at his soft words, butterflies swirling in my gut as he guides me through the surrounding people, his front pressed to my back. His fingers stay curled around mine as he shifts us, lightly tugging me toward a group of guys I can only vaguely recognize in the dim light.

“Hey, you made it!” Donatello yells over the noise, reaching out to clap Remy on the back. His eyes fall to me, noticing me tucked into Remy’s side. “AndBev?” His eyes flick between us, a lopsided grin splitting his cheeks. “Skipping prom, are we?”

I return his smile, giving a small wave at Andrea who nods at me in acknowledgment behind Donatello. “How did you know?”

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