Page 9 of Devious Vows

“I want Beverly to start going with you.” My eyes briefly wander back to Beverly. “If she’s going to be my wife, she needs to know how to protect herself.”

“That’s not typically the type of woman men around here want,” Andrea comments, his amusement bleeding into the sentence.

“Ha! As if anything about Remy is typical.” Donatello laughs. “But yeah, I can bring her.”

“Does she know she’s going?” Andrea asks. “And that it’ll be with thisbastardo?”

I shake my head, spotting Gavino making his way toward Beverly. “It doesn’t matter. She’ll go because I want her to.”

Andrea follows my gaze. “Gavino back for the summer already?”

“He came back last week, didn’t he? I heard he was at that bookstore on Elm Street with Bev last Friday,” Donatello says, making both mine and Andrea’s eyes narrow on him. His hands rise. “Maybe he wasn’t, though. I didn’t see it.”

My feet are moving toward Gavino in the next breath, Andrea scolding Donatello, “Why are you always starting shit?”

I don’t hear Donatello’s reply because Delaney jumps in front of me, abruptly stopping my forward progression. “Can I go to Aubrey’s house later?”

Gavino’s already gotten to Beverly, his hand resting close enough to hers that their pinkies touch on the table. My jaw works, pure unbridled rage tearing its way through my chest.

“Remy? Can I go to Aubrey’s?!” Delaney repeats, momentarily drawing my attention back to her.

“Yeah, go. Ask Andrea to take you,” I say, trying not to let my annoyance seep into my words as I lightly push past her.

“Thanks, Ollie!”

I barely register her thanks, eyes zeroed in on Gavino. He should know by now how much I despise his relationship with Beverly. He should also know by now that touching is absolutely off-limits. I almost forgot about how I caught him so close to her earlier, distracted by Beverly. But now all that irritation is coming back full force, rising to the crest and ready to unleash on Gavino like a tidal wave.

Someone above must be watching out for him, because my father stops me next, his voice quiet and strong. “Leave it, Remy. Sit with me for a moment.”

Shit.

I hadn’t even noticed I was passing his table.

My heart thumps angrily below my ribs, hands fisting at my sides as I unwillingly follow my father’s orders. Dropping into the chair opposite of him, I can still see Beverly and Gavino, and I bite my cheek to fight the urge to storm over there.

“Your brother is just getting in for the summer,” he says casually, lifting his drink to take a sip. It clunks loudly back onto the table when he’s finished. “I don’t need you hospitalizing him because you’re jealous of his friendship with Beverly.”

I bite back my retort, knowing it would get me nothing but punishment from him.

Downing his drink, he stands and rounds the table toward me, lightly tapping me on the shoulder as he passes. “Some fights aren’t worth fighting. Let this one rest.”

Sitting there, I do as my father says, but only because I don’t have any other choice, a single thought running through my brain.

If Gavino makes even one wrong move, I’ll be puttinghimto rest.

Chapter Three

BEVERLY | 18 YEARS OLD

I pick at the soft black velvet of my dress, watching Julian get ready. He’s currently trying to adjust the ridiculous aquamarine bow tie he purchased to match his date’s dress around his neck. “Bev, I love you and you’re gorgeous… being my twin and all… but you’re giving off some real Morticia Addams vibes right now.”

I raise a brow in his direction, watching him continue to struggle to secure the tie. “And?” I run my hands over the snug fabric, smoothing out the wrinkles over my thighs. It’s just a simple dress with a V-neck and spaghetti straps that hits mid-thigh, but it’s classically pretty. Paired with my straightened dark hair, I can see where he’s coming from. It’s not my usual vibe, but I like it.

“Oh, that’s what you were going for?” He shrugs, head turning sideways as he nods with approval at his crooked tie. “Never mind then. You’re killing it.”

“Your tie is crooked.”

His eyes find mine in the mirror. “Not when I do this.” He proceeds to turn his head sideways and I laugh. “You sure you want to go tonight?”

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