Misguided Vows: Chapter 44

The space is stunning. I might say this every time, but I think it might be my best work yet. I’m taking final photos and videos for my social media and portfolio. The bar space is my favorite part, with the greenery that pops beside the mural painted by the street artist.

Each lingerie section is themed with appropriate toys, and I especially appreciate the BDSM section, considering I had a taste of what the ropes and handcuffs can do and how much fun that element of control can be.

A nauseating swirl churns in my stomach as I immediately think of Will. We haven’t spoken since the weekend, and a small part of me almost expects to see him popping up whenever he pleases. Surprisingly, he’s kept his distance. I don’t know why I’m surprised, though. It is what I requested.

I burp, and my hand presses to my stomach when I realize that it isn’t just gas. I run to the freshly painted bathroom and vomit into the toilet bowl. Are you kidding me?

I groan as my head hangs over the toilet. I haven’t felt well since being at my mother’s, and I’m certain I got mild food poisoning from that pulled pork taco. Not that I’d admit it to my mother.

I’m just grateful it’s not until tomorrow that the staff come in for training and the construction workers are done. It’s just me here today, so I don’t have to be humiliated by my run to the toilet.

I hear the door open and close, and groan as I rise to a standing position. When I step out onto the shop floor, a man in a flannel shirt is standing there with his back to me.

“We’re not open yet, and the owner isn’t in at the moment, if that’s what—” My mouth snaps shut, and a shiver runs down my spine as he turns.

His smile stretches wide. “I finally found you,” he all but purrs.

Memories come back of the man I’d stolen and ran away from. He’s blocking my exit, but I could make a break for the back room.

“I wouldn’t try that if I were you. I have a few friends with me, and you don’t want to piss me off any more than you already have, do you?” Jack Percy asks.

“How did you find me?” I grit out. There’s nowhere for me to run.

He laughs as he casually strides toward me, and that’s when I notice two men standing outside the front door as if guarding it and blocking us in. Dawson’s assistant might notice the security footage, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be here quickly enough if something happens. And there’s a good chance something will happen if Jack’s involved. Especially with the way he’s staring at me with dilated pupils.

“It cost me a lot of money, actually. Some tracker ripped me off, telling me you were in London, even after he promised me he’d bring you back here.”

A tracker? Surely not… Will, because wouldn’t that mean… slow realization dawns on me. He was always around. From London to even now. No, it has to be a coincidence.

Jack continues. “But then I was lucky enough for one of my women to spot an interesting article about some big-shot designer with a big-shot name in New York. You weren’t posing for the photo, but you were in the background, so I got to digging.”

A shudder runs over me again as I recall the day the journalist was here taking photos of Dawson. Fuck. I’d been reckless.

He’s standing in front of me now and reaches out to touch a lock of my hair. I slap it away, and he grabs my throat. I grapple with him, panic pumping through me with adrenaline.

“I remember when you used to put up less of a fight.”

I spit in his face, and he laughs like a madman. “You took something of mine.”

“I don’t have it.” I wince under his grip. I’d always stolen things. This was now the only time there’d been a consequence of being caught. As if only now noticing, he releases me and pushes me into a stack of shelves. Boxes of toys go flying, and I barely catch myself on the shelf, cutting my arm.

He waves his finger back and forth. “Maybe then we have to come to some compromise, and you can give me its worth. Your company looks to be making a lot of money.”

It was never the jewelry I’d stolen that he was attached to, but its value. At first, I thought I’d pawn it and deposit the money into my own bank account. But instead, I gave it to his younger sister to help her flee from the crowd he was surrounding them with.

“Does Tilly know you’re here?” I ask. I’d been attracted to his charisma once, the bad boy charm, until it wasn’t just a charm, and his addictions and debt turned him into a monster. Now, it’s had years to fester. He hasn’t changed much at all, but at the same time, he has. He looks crueler. Scarier than the young man I’d been attracted to those many years ago.

“Tilly?” he asks, and there’s a clipped edge to his tone. “She killed herself five years ago.”

Everything comes to a stop, and my heart sinks. “She what?” My eyebrows furrow. I fought so hard to get her out of there. I thought the jewelry would help. I thought the money would get her out.

He snarls, “You always did take her under your wing, didn’t you? You always thought you were better than me, huh? You tried to turn my own baby sister against me!” he snaps, and there’s something that’s switched in him. I immediately back up as I see the unhinged monster come to the surface.

The first time he hit me was when I left. But not before taking something precious. He’s been fixated ever since. I thought he’d forget, but right now, it’s not even me he’s seeing.

“What do you want from me?” I shout back, praying that security has already been alerted, but I’m certain it’s already too late.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll break that body of yours first. Maybe I’ll burn down this project you’re so proud of. Or maybe I’ll burn you alive inside of it.” He walks over to my bag. “Of course, not until you deposit all of your money into my account,” he says with a deranged expression.

Money. It’s always been about money with this lunatic, and I’m about to pay the price for being young and reckless and stealing from him once. I’d hoped it’d give his sister a second chance. But instead, it’ll be my ruin.