Promise to Keep (Vow To Protect 2)

Just their blood.

26

ADRIAN

No matter what I say or do, I can’t convince Valentina to run off and lay low either. She is determined to see things to the end with me. While I’m tempted to throw her on a plane and force her away, I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me if I did. And if by some miracle we make it out of this thing alive, I plan to live a very long and happy life with my wife. Which will be made easier by the fact she doesn’t hate me.

Right now, I’m trying to figure out how to ensure her safety because the council will no doubt try to use her against me. At the very least, they will threaten her safety to ensure my compliance—more like my confession, if they have their way.

It’s been two weeks since the summons, and the day is approaching quickly. I sit in my office, leaning back in the chair, my feet propped on the edge of the desk. My life is an aching hole right now without my people around me, and I worry about everyone’s safety. Feasibly, I can only worry about my own and Valentina’s, but it’s hard not to keep adding people to the mix the closer and closer they get to me.

Val walks into the office in a pair of jeans and a crisp white T-shirt. Like something out of a cleaning ad on TV. I drop my feet and give her a quick sweep with my eyes. “How are you feeling? Okay?”

She sits on the edge of the chair even as I ache to have her walk around and fold herself into my arms. “Nervous, I think. Not sick, though, if you’re asking about the baby.” Her hand automatically goes to her belly as if she can feel him growing there already.

I keep scanning her body from her head to her toes, looking for differences, but she looks the same. Her hair is still a beautiful riot of curls inviting my fingers to touch. Her body is still perfectly curved to fit my own.

“There is one thing we should talk about?” she says, drawing me away from my thoughts.

“Oh?”

“They are going to demand my presence at some point, right? At the very least to threaten you with. I feel like we need to update my wardrobe, make sure I fit in with you guys and look the part. Most of what I’ve stocked in the closet is soccer mom chic. Comfortable, but doesn’t exactly scream sophistication.”

“Do you think it will help?”

She shrugs, tugging on the edge of her T-shirt. “I don’t know. At the very least, it might help me play the part I’m supposed to play. Might help me tap into the feral creature I heard Kai call me the other day.” She laughs, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“He wasn’t insulting you or else…”

She waves my concern away. “No, that’s not what I’m upset about. I just worry about you, and I don’t know what to expect. Things are starting to be okay again, and of course something has to come along and ruin it. I’m starting to think I’m not built for happy endings.”

I heave out of the chair, skirt my desk, and hold out my hand for her to take. “Let’s go shopping, Angel.”

As we leave the penthouse and head to the car, Kai following close behind, I think she’s relieved to be outside. While I fear exposing her to the opportunity for kidnapping or worse…she seems to need this.

It only takes a few minutes to maneuver the traffic and pull up outside a little boutique I’ve frequented many times. On the way, I texted to ask them to clear the place out and close for us. The privacy will make us both feel better.

I leave Kai in the car and we both head into the shop, locking the glass door behind as we enter.

Tricia, the shop owner, melts out of the decorative curtained alcoves to lead us back to the dressing room salon area she sets up for her VIP clients.

I don’t bother waiting for her to ask what we want but launch right in with orders. “Coffee and tea for us please. And bring us everything you have in her size. Then leave us to choose.”

As if she’s accustomed to strange shopping habits, she gives us a little nod and heads out to her inventory with her assistants.

“This is so weird,” Valentina whispers beside me, her hand tucked tight into my own.

I lead her to a long gray couch against the far wall, unbutton my suit jacket, and sit. “It might be weird, but it definitely adds a bit of fun to something that can be very boring.”

Her forehead wrinkles in that cute way I love when she’s thinking hard. “I never really got to go shopping a lot. My father only really splurged on new clothes when they were going to be seen by important people.”