Page 36 of Vow

Probably not.

Not with these goddamn flowers staring back at her. Wasn’t it bad enough that she still hadn’t gotten rid of the ones on her table even though they were actually starting to wilt a bit? Wasn’t it bad enough that the first note had now migrated from her kitchen table to the stand beside her bed?

And now she had more … more to look at and ponder and over-fucking-think because Andino couldn’t seem to let her go.

She didn’t have time for the games this man wanted to play with her. She wasn’t strong enough to fight back, and she didn’t know where to start even if she actually did want to fight back. Although, she didn’t.

Like he’s giving you a choice, girl.

Her mind was extra punishing today.

Haven waited until Pink had slipped inside his car, and was driving down the road before she walked up to her house. She juggled her bag, and the flowers in order to be able to unlock the front door. Once she was safely inside her house—as empty as it fucking was—she felt a slight bit better.

No one to see her confusion.

No one to watch her cry.

Just her.

Alone.

What a place that was.

Haven glowered at the flowers and the note all the way to the kitchen. She set the bouquet on the island, and wished her gaze alone was enough to make the damn things disappear. She couldn’t be so fucking lucky.

Before she could think too hard about it, Haven grabbed the flowers, and dumped them into the open garbage can next to the island. She loved flowers. All kinds of flowers, really. She didn’t like them, however, when they felt like a bid to entice or tease her by a man that she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to see his face ever again.

What a complex that was.

She loved him.

And she hated him.

With the flowers in the garbage, Haven tried to go about doing anything else. She made herself a coffee, and even pulled out a few items from the fridge to make something to eat. And still, her mind continued to travel back to the flowers in the trash can. She couldn’t even stop herself from looking back that way, either.

Although … mostly at the note.

So weak.

Before Haven could talk herself out of it, she snatched the note out from the top of the flowers, but left the rest right where they sat.

She’d keep the note.

Fuck his flowers, though.

SEVEN

“You learn how to be a diplomat over time,” Dante said as he and Andino crossed the street. “Because this business doesn’t give you a choice. You’re not muscle—not the enforcers on the street who threaten and use their fists to get things done. You are the boss. And you must talk like one. You’re expected to talk all the time to get what you want, and to make sure things get done properly. You learn how to do that over time.”

Andino gave his uncle a nod, but he wasn’t really sure what Dante wanted him to say. Well, he did know, actually. Dante wanted him to stay quiet, and learn something. He wasn’t looking for an actual response.

“Are you ready?” Dante asked as they neared the entrance of a restaurant.

Andino shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “As ready as I will ever be.”

“Good. This is a long time coming. It’s time to put an end to it. Remember that. It’s every reason why we’re here.”

He gave his boss a look, but said nothing. Again, that wasn’t what Dante wanted. He pulled open the door to the business, and let his uncle go in first. It took Andino’s vision a moment to adjust to the change in light. The quiet restaurant was nothing to get excited about, but one couldn’t scoff at it, either. There were no patrons enjoying breakfast at the place—apparently, it was one of those that didn’t open until noon, anyway.