Page 43 of By His Vow
Fuck. I need to drink him out of my system.
How is it possible that he’s managed to get under my skin quite so quickly after that announcement yesterday?
I lift my glass and swallow it down in one go, loving the way it burns all the way down my throat.
I haven’t had anywhere near enough to eat today to be doing shots, but fuck it.
There doesn’t seem to be much in my life I can control right now, but this…this I can.
“Start talking,” Lori demands as I refill our glasses before hopping up on the counter.
Griz saunters over and begins nuzzling me for more Doritos.
Leaning over, I reach for the half-empty bag and offer it up for her.
In a flash, she has her head in the bag and is chomping away on her cheesy obsession.
“Dad…” I hang my head, unable to believe I’m actually about to say these words out loud. “He stated in his will that if I want the cottage, I’ve got to spend the next year as Kingston’s wife.”
“Why? Why the fuck would he demand that?”
I shrug. “To control me? To stop me from catching the first flight to England and never looking back? Sorry,” I add when hurt washes over her features.
“That’s some bullshit, Tate.”
“It is what it is,” I mutter, swallowing my second shot.
“You don’t have to agree, you know that, right?”
“I’ll lose everything if I say no. My job, my life. This place,” I say, letting her know that this affects her as well.
“So, you’d get another job. You’re Tatum Warner. Anyone would be lucky to have you.”
“Lor.” I sigh, appreciating her positive thinking but totally unable to believe it. “He wouldn’t have made it that easy. He’s probably blacklisted me with every marketing company in the country.”
She grimaces, unable to argue.
“We can get another apartment. We can?—”
“Lor,” I beg.
“Do you want the cottage that badly?” she asks, silently urging me to just let it go.
I nod. “I do. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted.”
She hangs her head. This isn’t news to her. Since the moment we met at college, I’ve told her about my dream place in England, about my plans to relocate when the time is right.
She doesn’t understand, and I get why. But it’s important to me. That cottage is the only place I’ve ever truly felt at home. It’s where my heart is.
“This is fucked up. What does he get out of it?”
“Aside from the obvious?” I ask, throwing my hair over my shoulder and sticking my tits out.
“Yeah, aside from stealing my best friend from me,” she says sadly.
“They’re merging Callahan Enterprises and Warner Group. Kingston stands to gain quite a bit. Miles, too, if they play it right.”
“But what about you?” she argues.