Page 123 of By His Vow

Briefly, I glance at his date.

She’s exactly the kind of woman I would usually bring to these kinds of events. She comes from money, is used to being around these kinds of people and events, and is happy to go along with anything provided it helps her climb the social ladder.

Kian’s date is the same. Beautiful, sure. But something tells me it’s only skin deep.

It’s only tonight that I’ve discovered how fake and unfulfilling that kind of date is.

Sure, it’s going to lead to a pleasurable night for both of them. But is that really enough?

That thought gives me whiplash.

Of course it’s enough.

That’s all I want.

Surface-level pleasure.

Fuck anything deeper. That’s not?—

My eyes turn toward the now-closed doors that Tatum ran through.

Or is it?

“But what if she doesn’t want me to,” I argue like a fucking pussy.

“And what if she does?”

His words linger in my mind for a few seconds before I take off in pursuit of my girl.

My girl…

More than a few people try to stop me to catch up and congratulate Callahan Enterprises on our success tonight, but I manage to dodge all of them.

Pushing through the double doors, I look left and then right, trying to decide which way she went.

The bathrooms are left, but the exit is right.

It takes me another second to decide, and I follow my gut.

She was lying to me.

I take off, my wide stride eating up the space between the event and the exit, and the second I storm through the doors and into the night, I discover that I was right.

“Tatum,” I shout when her gold gown catches in the hotel lights as she rushes toward where a taxi loiters by the curb.

She doesn’t look back or stop, but her steps do falter.

I take off running, refusing to give her a chance to escape. Or get farther, anyway.

She’s about to reach for the back door of the car when I get to her. Wrapping my fingers around her upper arm, I manage to drag her back before she makes contact with the handle.

“Tatum,” I growl.

“Let go,” she says, refusing to look up at me.

“No. I’m not letting you run from me,” I argue, pulling her into my body and wrapping my arms around her. “What’s going on, baby?” I ask, my voice softening as my heart rate begins to slow.

I want to say it’s racing because I chased her, but I fear it might be for another reason.