Page 57 of The Vow

He didn’t even blink, he didn’t seem at all perturbed by her reaction to him. He simply nodded again to the bar. Her eyes flicked to his name on his cut, ‘Phantom’, and back to the bar again. To the barman, now watching their exchange expectantly.

“A… drink?” She rushed to apologize. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t quite… are you asking if I’d like a drink?”

He blinked, slowly, and inclined his head ever so slightly to the floor. The smallest nod she’d ever seen.

“Er… yes, please, thank you, I’d… love a drink, er… could you make me a martini please?” she said slightly recklessly. It was mid afternoon but this whole day had been one of reckless spontaneity, so why stop now, she thought to herself.

He blinked slowly again, raised his hand to the seating area, and turned to the bar.

How he was going to get the barman to make her a martini, she didn’t know. She faced the rest of the bar area, the leather sofas, and chose one in the center, around a low, large footstool. She tried to sink into it, casually, like she belonged, like she’d been there a thousand times and she would be there again a thousand more.

She wasn’t sure she pulled it off.

The bar area of the clubhouse wasn’t what she’d expected. The whole thing wasn’t what she’d expected. She’d imagined pulling up to a grimy little dive of a tumbledown motel. Instead they’d pulled into the parking lot of what looked like a trendy boutique hotel. Painted black with brass doors, it was smart. The bar itself was polished concrete floor, a sort of shabby chic industrial vibe going on. It even smelled good. There was a high end candle burning behind the bar and the whole thing smelled of sandalwood and bergamot. Classy.

Phantom was suddenly, silently, at her side. An elegant martini glass in one hand, perfectly chilled, a happy little olive on a stick in the clear liquid inside it.

She sighed with relief. “Thank you,” she said, taking it from him and immediately taking a sip. And another. And another.

He simply stood and watched, impassively.

She bit her lip and took another sip of the deliciously dry concoction. Today was turning into quite a day. Carmelo, very much off-duty, guard down. Half naked, working out, his beautiful dog keeping him company. His lonely, bare apartment. Trying hard, trying to be disciplined, trying not to seem out of his depth. Not the put together, smug, proud, holier-than-thou police officer. She’d seen another side to him today. The side of him that cuddled a glossy-coated, rescued police dog. That brought her a glass of ice-water and took her to a brunch spot that she loved, and ordered her avocado on toast then smiled easily and walked with her through the park… it wasn’t what she had expected, she was pleasantly surprised.

She took another sip and the strong alcohol burned her throat with that reassuring, familiar heat. The man guarding her blinked, then stood and stalked off for a moment, which was both a relief and yet terrifying at the same time. But he came back shortly with a little black cat in his arms.

“Aww.” She immediately relaxed. He popped the cat down on the sofa next to her. The cat meowed and peered at her, interested and calm, but when it tried to slink over to her, she noticed the little thing didn’t have any back legs.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, blinking. She looked up at Phantom, and he simply stared down at her. Almost daring her to react further, daring her to comment or recoil or shun the cat in some way. It felt like a test.

She looked back at the cat and scooped him up onto her lap. “Hello little one,” she cooed, and flashed him a look back that said, ‘Ha’.

He seemed satisfied and sunk himself onto a leather seat to the side of the sofa.

“Hey, aren’t you a cutie?” The cat purred and nuzzled his head into her hand, chasing her nails with closed, relaxed eyes. “You’re a little dear thing, aren’t you, what’s your name?” she said, more to herself, trying to find a collar with a name tag on it.

“Shadow,” a rough voice came from beside her.

She looked up and over at Phantom. But no it wasn’t him who had spoken, Phantom didn’t turn to look at where the voice was coming from. He was taking his job of ‘keeping an eye on her’ very seriously.

A man with dark blond, messy hair loped over and took a seat opposite her on the parallel sofa, leaning across to speak to her. She gulped but smiled gracefully.

“Hi, I’m Lena,” she said.

The blond guy was curious. She flashed her gaze to his cut. ‘Sully’ was his name. He was handsome, tall, green eyes and an easy smile.

“Lena Zakarian,” she said, regaining her self composure.

She saw something flit across his face when she said her surname. He had a good poker face, she thought. Good but not water tight. She saw a change. He leaned away from her a little on the sofa.

“Well nice to meet you, Lena,” he said softly, studying her face, reading her life from every little detail he took in. Before she could reply, they were joined by a woman.

The woman smiled at Lena as she sat down on the opposite sofa, she had strawberry blond hair, curvy, well-dressed in a shirt, jewelry and make up. She didn’t quite look as though she belonged at the MC clubhouse, Lena had to be honest.

But then, another man swept in and sunk down gently next to her. And he was all biker. He leaned in for a kiss and suddenly Penny looked like she was exactly where she belonged. The guy had long, dark hair, he looked a little older. Lyle, VP. His jacket said. Lena found herself sitting up a bit straighter, just in case.

But then her apprehension melted away when she saw what he was holding. “A baby!” Lena cooed. “What a little cutie!”

The woman smiled, giving the infant a stroke on the face while Lyle held him gently. “Thanks so much! I’m Penny, you are Carmelo’s new fiancée?” Penny said with a flick of her eyebrow and a smile.

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