Page 101 of Lethal Vows

Honey’s light laugh flutters through the air while a pang of guilt twists in my stomach. Who is making her laugh like that? Is it Crue? Does he make her laugh because of all the provocative things he might say to her, like he did with me? A pang of jealousy and remorse stirs in my stomach, but I push it back down.

I brace myself. And when I turn the corner into the white marble kitchen with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the vineyard my family owns, I find Honey and Dawson.

Dawson smiles at her, encouraging her to try a piece of the cake. I don’t know what he said, but whatever it was, she’s holding her stomach and laughing. That ring on her finger is like a shiny beacon to my current misery.

Dawson is all smiles until his gaze slips over to me. “Rya?” he says, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

I click my tongue. “Yeah, tell me about it. I could ask you the same.”

Honey is quiet momentarily before saying, “So I assume you two know each other?”

“Does she know?” he asks me and then looks at Honey.

“About your best friend’s dick move? Yeah, she knows. Well, sort of.”

“I know enough,” Honey adds, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

I raise an eyebrow at her obvious nervousness around Dawson. He’s hot, and I don’t blame her, but I didn’t expect her to act so coy. I haven’t seen my sister for fourteen years, but this much is apparent—we aren’t kids anymore.

“Dawson, can you give us a few minutes, please?”

He looks between us warily but leaves the room. Dawson lingers at the door and looks at me. “It’s good to see you, Rya.”

I give him a small smile. “You too, Dawson.”

“He’s apparently here to help organize things, and he’s my fiancé’s best man.”

The way she says fiancé twists knots in my stomach. I don’t even have a ring on my finger to fidget with, but I find myself wringing my hands anyway. So much time came between us as sisters, but to be reunited under these circumstances is horrible.

“Maria, can you please bring out some snacks and wine,” Honey instructs a nearby servant.

“Lots of wine,” I add. “Please, Maria.”

She nods courteously, and I follow my sister to the garden courtyard. The view from my family home is beautiful, and a wave of relief washes over me. I’d forgotten how at ease this view put me. It’s so different from the hustle and bustle of New York.

I sit across from her, and she watches me expectantly.

“Crue is a dangerous man,” I tell her.

She lets out a sharp breath. “You think I don’t know that? I don’t really care about Crue Monti right now.” I stare at her, somewhat surprised. She seemed like such a ‘good girl’ yesterday, like the perfect soon-to-be wife. “What I want to know is how deep this goes between the two of you. I willnotbe anyone’s second pick. But you really haven’t given me a choice.”

“What?”

“You were the one contracted for this marriage. Not me. Do you think I don’t know what type of man Crue Monti is? What he expects in a woman? Which is clearly the opposite of you.”

“Ouch,” I say, affronted.Has Honey always been like this?

“At least I’m better at hiding my reluctance.”

I nod in agreement. I suppose that much hasn’t changed since we were children. But what Honey wanted, she always got. Is this the first time she hasn’t? Or does she want this?

“So, explain to me why I should be reconsidering my engagement to one of the most powerful and wealthiest men in all of Italy.”

Maria places a tray of freshly made sandwiches on the table, vegetarian options included, and a bottle of red wine.

“No one is telling you that you have to reconsider your marriage.”

She pushes out another uppity breath and pours my glass of wine before her own. “The throwing water in my fiancé’s face and him losing his shit wildly over my sister tells me otherwise. Did you guys hook up?”

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