– "A Vow

V:

t me to was far too q

d the hem of my dress. My cheeks were still damp from the tears I had forced out moments ag

ing marrie

ull, over and over again,

ask permission, like he already owned every part of me. And I let h

rent now. And my on

t stop my finger

intact, lips slightly parted like I'd just gasped. But inside? I was cracke

My heels tapped against the marble floor lik

I'd become

o Damien. One ste

ad a role to

near the bar, shirt sleeves rolled up, a crystal glass of whiskey in his hand. His jaw flexed on

ed with you," he

plied, soft, stepping

f his drink. "Y

I've never been propos

l," he said coldly.

Ares Valen didn't ask. He to

at made

ectly in front of him, placing my hand gently on

I tilted my head and kissed the underside of his jaw. Didn't stop me

wen

sn't just a weapon.

t like he wanted to bruise it, and kissed me with the kind

isn't

is

out from under the sheets and wrapped the silk robe around my bo

de his walk-in closet, hidden behind a panel in the

loset, my bare feet

as fingerp

ure of habit. He used his

d his wrist while he slept, and pressed h

ea

f money... and a black leather fol

eye was a small env

and the air

as a pho

bro

stretched from ear to ear. A time before the blood. Before the sirens. Before our mother's b

y brother's photo d

my head at once. Did he know? Was he

ontents quickly and slipped

omething else-files marked with initials. One

r's maid

kno

the safe logs from the internal panel to co

turned to

e man whose bloodlin

pered to

n't fa

you're th

SHB

year

e last time I saw

ce was soft, but there was tension behind it that I didn't

e was in

y was sprawled on the floor, lifeless. My older brother pulled me out o

Vanished. Some said he died. O

ed looking. Never

ed blaming

heir backs. Damien had enemies in every corner of t

the moment I decided

nt marrying th

ed exactly like the wom

ins. When he leaned in to touch my knee under the table, I let him. When he

brought

s also deepe

ng else now-Ares w

nnected t

o know how dee

gain. This time, to his childhood bedroom. He told me the house

ieved

it was like walking into

g. Sketches on the wall of a yo

sk drawer that he

t of me. Not of

my br

r. Seventeen, maybe. Wit

had a name scrib

n La

nearly

k

never t

in my veins-and Ares

hing

ion unr

harp as

sked, "have you