Page 13 of The Broken Vows

I watch as the text bubbles appear and disappear, a slow smirk tugging at the edges of my lips. God, I still love making her flustered. I wish I could see her right now, watching that curiosity flicker in her eyes.

Celestial

It really is a matter of perspective, isn’t it? In this scenario, I’d argue that I should reward myself for deleting your number, Zane.

I bite my lip, all the while wishing it were her lips I was touching. She drives me mental.

Zane

I’d be impressed that you figured out who I am so quickly, but then again, your intellect was always unmatched. You haven’t answered my question though, my sweet Celestial. Will you reward me if I’m good to you?

I watch as the text bubbles appear and disappear, my nerves frayed as one minute after another passes, only for it to stop altogether. Is she ignoring me? Fuck.

Zane

I put your friend on the team that’ll be in charge of Bellevue. She’ll be in great hands, and she’ll learn a lot. No harm will come to her while she works for me, I promise.

My heart pretty much stops for a moment when the text bubbles reappear, indicating that she’s typing.

Celestial

Name your price.

I lean back in my desk chair, oddly giddy, despite the fact she’s misunderstanding my messages entirely. I didn’t text her because I want her to repay me for the favor, especially not after what she did for me by walking away from Chateau Chiara — but I’m not foolish enough to waste an opportunity like this one. With her, I’ll take every chance I’ve got.

ChapterTen

Celeste

I’m filled with apprehension as the large gates of the Windsor mansion loom ahead. Part of me is convinced that this is all an elaborate ruse that Zane came up with to humiliate me — it wouldn’t be the first time. The closer my car gets, the more certain I become that I’ll be denied entry.

I can just imagine the way he’d laugh and mock me. God, I can already see the headline The Herald will come up with:Celeste Harrison unsuccessfully attempts to break into the Windsor Estate.

What was I thinking, agreeing to have dinner with him at his house as repayment for hiring Lily? The moment he brought it up, I should’ve known something was off. Just as my nerves get the best of me and I’ve convinced myself to turn around, the gates swing open, and someone walks out toward me.

My heart nearly leaps out of my chest when Zane opens the passenger door and invites himself into my car. “Celeste,” he says as he buckles himself in, his tone lacking that spiteful lilt it used to have. Instead, he sounds oddly pleasant.

“I… what are you doing?”

He leans back in his seat and tilts his head, a relaxed smile on his face. My heart begins to beat a little faster, and I involuntarily run my eyes over his body. He’s in jeans and a black t-shirt tonight, and somehow, he’s even more handsome than he is in his expensive suits. The way his arms look with that cotton stretched over it has me averting my gaze, my cheeks heating.

“The Windsor Estate is large,” he tells me. “I was worried you wouldn’t be able to find my house.”

I bite my lip, nerves dancing across my skin. “If it’s dinner you wanted, we could’ve done that anywhere. Why did you ask me to come here, of all places?”

I can’t shake the feeling I’m being misled. Despite our past, Zane has never made me feel unsafe around him, but a more rational part of me still tends toward caution. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, because I didn’t know how I’d explain it. Was that a mistake?

“Turn right at the end of the road,” Zane says instead of answering my question, his voice soft, different now. I glance at him to find his expression tinged with frustration. He catches me looking and averts his face, glancing out the window instead.

My eyes widen when a familiar glass structure comes into view.The greenhouse,if it can even be called that. It’s more of a glass palace, except all its rooms are entwined with elaborate indoor botanical gardens. In front of it stands a white mansion that wasn’t there years ago, yet it doesn’t look out of place.

“Park there,” Zane says, pointing to a row of supercars in front of his house. “I saved you a spot right by the front door so you wouldn’t have to walk far.”

I do as he asks, my hands trembling as I turn off the ignition. By the time I’ve grabbed my handbag, Zane has already walked around the car and opened my door for me, his expression unreadable.

I gasp as my heels sink into the gravel a little, and he wraps his hand around my shoulder, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. I look up at him, relieved to find him relaxed again. Though I’m uncertain why he looked so lost in the car, I can’t help but feel like I was to blame. I hadn’t considered that he now has more leverage than ever before — if I upset him, there’s every chance he’ll take it out on Lily.

“You’re still so clumsy, Celeste,” he murmurs, snapping me out of my daze.

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