Vows of Vengeance: The Blackwoods Bargain

e click of keyboard keys in a sunlit coworking space. This new lif

nthouse. Designer labels still in plastic. Shoes in red-bottomed boxes

ck like blood. Heels m

meone who could ru

rms folded. He didn't loo

e someone who

came at

assistant called. "

ed. "Fo

ur first public appearance. Bl

cou

and diamond-cut vendettas. Everyone who mattered would be there. Inclu

e had more t

And that's

inside the ballroom of the Blackwood Plaza Hotel. A crystal ch

red his arm

ras turn

hronized breath. His touch was steady, warm at the crook of m

s like laser sights. W

hat Len

upposed to m

t Damien

thers-fighting ov

near the bottom step

Are you and Ms.

signature half-smirk.

me and kiss

fire where hi

th

toward his, slow

we make it real

e kis

lite, st

er of somet

e hand on my waist. One at the nape of my neck. Lik

've pull

, I lea

ed him

history, too much him-but it left me bre

tic applause. Paparazzi snapped the moment from

Debuts New Love-D

rf

amien navigated the crowd like a panther in a cage he owned. He introduced me t

gain and again. "She'll be headi

ed here. Like I hadn't been crying over a

I saw

ni

ike an accessory he hadn't read the instructions for. Her eyes widened w

locke

n't b

in. "Say somet

ha

"Daniel's watching. Giv

e nearest reporter, a sharp-dres

mien," I said sweetly. "Some m

ned. "Are you in

t wait for m

g my brother nev

k that curled my lips. Daniel'

accomp

den where the music couldn't re

d beside me wi

are shaking,

out with the man who offered to weaponiz

ed me a

brillian

as b

. "And he took it. You s

nk. "He's not go

ot supp

g gently at my curls, the city glitt

tion that had been di

ns when thi

ked over.

ound c

unless I've ri

studied the man b

lly take everyt

take it. Father gave it to

at

way. "Does

oes t

the skyline. His vo

mething that cost lives. I was disowned. C

el got a

verything

hard. "Why t

," Damien said, turning back to me. "This i

d between us-thi

id, "You kissed me

ook a sl

it to be b

s i

dn't

n't look a