Page 14 of Virtuous Vows
“Dawson, are we going to fuck or not?” Daphne asks.
I step to the side. “You can leave.”
She giggles. “Okay. But you’re not fooling me, Dawson. You’ve got a hot little number under your skin”—she leans in and presses a kiss on my cheek, and I feel her smile—“and I hope she gives you hell.”
CHAPTER 9
Honey
“Dawson owns the shop I work at,” I tell Rya the following week as I’m kneading dough in her kitchen. All I’ve been able to do is cook since finding out that tidbit of information. I haven’t seen her due to her crazy work schedule, and when she’s free, I’m usually at work, so this is the first opportunity I’ve had to talk to discuss it with her.
She’s casually reading paperwork, but I’ve caught her attention and she lifts her head. “Come again?” she asks. “Crue!” She screams for her husband.
Marco stands behind me, almost bemused, as we hear Crue grumble down the hallway before he comes out dressed in a towel. I avert my eyes as she turns to him. “Did you know Dawson owns Peche?”
“Yes. He owns that and many other businesses,” Crue says matter-of-factly as he picks up Rya’s coffee and sips. He glances at Marco but doesn’t say anything. He’smade it clear he’s offended my bodyguard thinks I’m not safe in his home. But Marco’s always been diligent in his role, perhaps too much at times, but I get it, so I say nothing.
“What else does he own?” Rya asks.
“You said no business talk at home.” He raises a brow at her.
Rya puts her hand on her hip.
I don’t think it’s such a big deal that I’m working at Dawson’s store, but I’m too curious for the answer to stop her questioning Crue.
“Dawson owns multiple businesses, both legal and illegal, including escort companies, lingerie stores… fuck, he even auctions off virgins. And that’s just a small part of his reach.” He takes one of the cookies I baked from the tray and walks away.
“Did he just sayvirgins?” I ask, baffled. She looks away, and I ask her again. “Rya, did he just say Dawson auctions off virgins?”
Well shit! Who is Dawson, really?
I knew being connected with Crue, Dawson must have been some type of trouble. The suits and his aura scream danger, power, and mystery.But auctioning virgins?
I absentmindedly offer Marco a cookie as I stare down my sister. I know he’ll decline; he always does. I always make far too much, and back home, I offered them to the servants to take to their families. At least then, I knew they were being enjoyed.
“Crue doesn’t lie,” Rya states, and I can tell there’s a hint of concern in her tone as she looks back at her papers.
“How much?” I ask.
“What?” She looks up at me.
“What does a virgin go for?”
“I don’t know, Honey! But don’t you even think for a second about doing that.”
I continue kneading the dough and shrug. “I wasn’t. I’m just curious. Seems pretty crazy, huh?”
Rya huffs out a laugh. “Tell me about it. I married one of the crazies.” And I know Crue is dangerous, but I’ve never had the guts to ask how bad. If I can just accept him as my brother-in-law, I’m fine with that. It’s enough that I know my dad is one of the “bad guys.” But never to us, not his girls. I understand I was sheltered from that part of our life.
Rya is different in the way she pursued her job and wouldn’t back down from anyone.
And I envy her for that.
I wonder if I could ever be that strong.
Or if I’ll only ever be a coddled woman.
That is, after all, what I was raised to be—the perfect daughter and housewife.