Page 4 of Dirty Little Vow

“Call me Oliver,” he urges.

“Oliver,” I repeat. “It doesn’t suit you.”

He doesn’t bite on my effort to get him talking, replying as if I had not spoken. “I want you to pull out your cellphone and hand it to me.”

Not yet, I think. “And if I don’t?” I challenge.

“Again, this is in the best interest of Tyler.”

My lips press together, and my heart thunders in my chest.I don’t need my phone, I remind myself. I have a sweet little Smith and Wesson tucked away in my bag. Almost as if he’s read my mind, he says, “It’s also in your best interest to leave your weapon in your purse. I don’t need you to hand it to me, but I do need you to be smart enough to stay alive. If I die, the people I work for will stop playing nice. And believe me, I’m the nicest this gets, Bella.”

Acid burns the back of my throat, and I decide his version of nice is likely the promise to kill you but make it fast and clean. After all, he wouldn’t want to bloody up his expensive suit.

I reach into my purse and offer him my phone. He doesn’t reach for it. Instead, he commands, “Unlock it.”

My jaw clenches. “Why?”

“Unlock it,” he repeats, his tone low but taut as a rubber band about to pop you right in the face.

I have no idea what he’s about to do, but it can’t be good. I unlock the phone and fight the urge to rebelliously text Dash, right here in front of him, everything inside me warns against it. I’m trembling inside when he motions for me to hand over my cell, but somehow my hand is steady when I drop it in his palm. He snaps a photo of me, and then starts typing. He dramatically taps a button, clearly wanting me to know he’s sent a message, before he removes my SIM card, and sets my phone face down at elbow length to himself.

My fingers curl on my knee beneath the table. “What did you just do?”

“I let Tyler know you’ll be late.”

I scream in my head.

No. No. No.

And yet, it’s done. Tyler is about thirty seconds from losing his mind.

The waitress appears and sets chips and waters down in front of us. “Drinks coming right up,” she says and walks away.

“Oliver” drops my SIM card in the water and then laces his fingers in front of him. “Now we won’t be rushed. You can enjoy your drink.”

I tamp down on my emotions and with good reason. Everything about his demeanor is calculated and I must meet that energy with my own. “What is this game you’re playing?”

“One where you walk out of here alive with a new friend who might be an asset one day, should you need me.”

“Because kidnapping me is how you make friends?” I challenge.

“I let you keep your weapon for a reason. I’d like this conversation to feel it's on even ground, a mutual meeting of the minds, meaningfulin his content. Alternatively, this chat of ourscan turn dark and nasty and do so in a blink of an eye. I don’t think you’re stupid enough to let that happen though, now, are you?”

The waitress reappears and our drinks are set in front of us, as is the dip. After a brief exchange between her and Oliver, we’re left alone. He wants to play this game, and I decide doing so works for me. He talks. I find out things.

“Where are you from?” I ask. “England? Australia?”

“England. Home of James Bond. You know he isn’t big on killing people. It’s a necessity of his job at times. Call it the English way. Let’s talk about why Tyler Hawk has been asking the wrong questions about the wrong people.”

Chapter Two

Tyler

“We’d like to talk about your father’s will.”

This from the dweeb who dared pull me into the conference room with the idea of ambushing me with a room full of partners. He’s a fool for forgetting one very important detail. I’m at the front of the room and head of the table for a reason. Not one of the thirty people in this room is in charge, but I am.

“Yes,” I say, “let’s talk about my father’s will.” I cut my gaze and speak to the room. “I am the principal and that will not change. But to be transparent, one of the terms of my inheritance was that I marry. Of course, we all know I’m good enough to beat that in court, but no, I’m not fighting it. Let me be clear. I’m not just engaged to Bella, I’m in love with Bella. She makes me a better person. She makes me a better leader. Would she marry me today if I ask her to? Yes. But I won’t. We’re going to plan one hell of a wedding because it’s what she deserves. Any questions?”

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