Page 35 of Sacred Vow

“You weren’t,” I say, cutting him off with a stern tone.

“I’m not going to argue hypotheticals with you.

I know you, Son. You had a sexual relationship with her and a friendship.

That is all. Neither of you were emotionally involved, and that was clear.

You were not exclusive, but if you had been, I would have respected that. ”

“That’s not the point. You shouldn’t have touched her.”

“Whoa,” Tilly says, turning in my arms to meet Zephyr’s stare. “I’m not a possession that either of you gets to claim. I love you, Zeph, you’re a great friend, but you don’t get to dictate who I can or can not sleep with.”

“I know that,” he says. “That’s not what I was trying to do. It’s just principle that your father doesn’t fuck the girl you’re currently sleeping with. It’s a low blow.”

Tilly nods. “Yeah, okay. I get that.”

Zeph lets out a sigh. “I . . . I’m gonna take off. Don’t wait up for me.”

He stalks out of the kitchen and whips his keys off the edge of the hallway table as Tilly pulls further out of my arms, looking after Zeph as though she’s somehow to blame for all of this. “Wait, Zeph. Don’t go. You’re not even wearing a—”

“Let him go,” I tell her. “He’ll be okay. He just needs a little time to cool off.”

“But—”

“He’s not angry with you, hellcat. He’s angry with me.”

She lets out a heavy sigh, inching closer toward me again, and I take her hips, lifting her right back onto the counter where she’d been earlier. As my hands come down on either side of her thighs, caging her in, I can’t help but notice that same unease in her eyes that I’d seen earlier.

“What’s wrong?”

Her brows furrow, and she shakes her head just slightly. “I just don’t want him hating me.”

“No, I don’t mean Zeph. He’ll be fine. I mean, what’s wrong with you? Something else is on your mind.”

Tilly’s eyes widen just a fraction, and the slightest hint of fear creeps over her face. She begins to squirm under my stare, and the longer the silence grows between us, the more obvious it becomes that I’m right.

“It’s nothing that you need to worry about,” she finally says, trying to play it off. “Just . . . personal stuff.”

“Right,” I say, noticing the way the pulse at the base of her neck thrums, a clear indicator of her heart rate spiking, clearly having just lied, but I’m not about to push her on it.

It’s already been a rough night, and I don’t want her feeling awkward.

Instead of pushing for details, I drop my gaze to Zeph’s shirt that covers her slender body. “How did you end up in this?”

A small smile pulls at the corner of her lips. “Nothing happened,” Tilly admits. “I was fully dressed when we heard the garage door opening. Zeph just wanted to mess with you. I think he wanted to see how you would react to the insinuation that we had been together, or to see if you’d get jealous.”

I shake my head. “Zeph should know better. I don’t get jealous.”

“Really?” Tilly questions. “Because the way you’re looking at me in your son’s shirt suggests otherwise.”

“Am I not the one who suggested that you keep fucking him? Believe me, hellcat. When I say that I am not the jealous type, I mean it.”

Tilly nods. However, that strange uneasiness from earlier never leaves her stare, and it has me agitated. Whatever it is, it has her questioning a little too much. Her lips press into a hard line, her brows pinching, and I prepare myself for whatever’s about to come next.

“What are we doing here?”

“What do you mean?”

“Me and you. It’s still just sex, right? That’s all?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “That’s all it’s ever been.

Just a little bit of fun, some wild nights of exploration at Vixen, and apparently an emotional outburst from my son.

But nothing more. I don’t do relationships, and I have my reasons for why.

Not to mention, you’re young enough to be my daughter. ”

“Just sex?” she confirms with a nod.

“That’s right. However, if you can’t handle it, or if you feel that’s not enough for you, then you need to let me know, and we’ll put an end to it.

Because if that’s the case and you need more, then you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

I didn’t enter this with the intention to hurt you, Tilly. That’s not what I want.”

She nods again. “It’s okay. I know the rules, and they can’t be broken. We made a vow. It’s just . . . I guess I’m wondering how you would feel if I started screwing around with someone other than Zephyr?”

My gaze narrows, and I feel something tighten in my chest. That isn’t jealousy, is it?

No, that’s not possible. Especially after making such a point about not getting jealous.

“Are you not sexually satisfied with me?” I ask, feeling somewhat panicked at the thought of her looking for comfort outside of me.

“Is there someone else you’re interested in? ”

“Don’t answer my question with another question. I asked first.”

My lips pull into a hard line. “Then no. I would be curious as to who you were spending your time with and what you thought you could possibly get from him that you couldn’t get from me. However, we are not exclusive, and if you feel the desire to roam, then that’s your business.”

Her gaze falls to my chest, her stare somehow more uneasy than before, but that doesn’t make sense.

I gave her the answer she was looking for.

She should be thrilled that I wouldn’t stand in her way if she wanted to look for another man to fulfill those raging needs of hers.

Yet the hollowness in her stare leaves me baffled.

I’ve spent a long time reading people, studying their every movement, learning their desires, and the look in her eye has me completely at a loss.

“What’s the time?” she asks.

My gaze shifts above her head to the clock on the wall behind her, and I immediately drop my stare back to her, trying to get a better read. “Almost eight.”

“Shit,” Tilly murmurs. “I have to go. I have plans with Chloe.”

She’s lying again. She just wants an escape, and I immediately take her hips and lift her off the counter before settling her on her feet and making sure she’s balanced. “Are you sure everything is okay?” I ask. “Nothing’s really on your mind?”

Tilly forces a smile, and as she looks up at me, I can’t help but feel that this is some fucked-up version of goodbye.

“Everything’s great,” she tells me, pushing up on her tippy toes and pressing a kiss to my cheek.

“It’s just been a weird night, but I’ll talk to you later.

Let me know when you want to head down to Vixen next, and I’ll be there. ”

With that, Tilly starts to sashay away, heading for the stairs to get her clothes, and as she leaves, a strange desperation pulses through my veins, and I find myself frantically trying to clutch onto something that wasn’t mine to start with.

All I can do is stare after her, not understanding what the hell is going on. She stops at the bottom of the stairs and glances back at me with the deepest curiosity in her bright green stare. “Hey, remember the other night at Vixen when we saw that woman with the three men down in the VIP room?”

“Yes,” I say, feeling an unwelcome tightening in the pit of my stomach.

Something sparks in her eyes, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s some kind of challenge. Then, as a wicked smile stretches across her face, those bright eyes flash with mystery. “Set it up.” And with that, she’s gone.