By His Vow: Chapter 30

It doesn’t matter how long I sit here or how many people I talk to, how many condolences on the loss of my father or congratulations on my new relationship with Kingston I receive, my unease over what tonight holds never leaves me.

Every time Kingston moves suddenly, my stomach turns over, thinking that this is the moment he’s going to successfully turn all eyes on us—on me.

The welcome drinks go down a little too easy, and long before the meal arrives, I’m feeling a buzz thanks to the minimal food I’ve eaten all day. I couldn’t; I was both still too mad at Kingston and nervous about what the evening was going to hold.

There was a reason he wanted me to look my best, and it’s more than just wanting me to make him look good by being on his arm, I’m sure of it.

Miles keeps one eye on me all night, as if he’s expecting me to bolt any minute or possibly lose my shit like I did yesterday.

Both Kian and Liam are here, and every time their eyes turn on me, my cheeks heat with embarrassment. I shouldn’t have done that yesterday. It was unprofessional of me. But the red haze descended, and I couldn’t stop myself.

I want to say that it was a one-time reaction, but Kingston drives me so crazy that I’d probably be lying.

Dessert plates are cleared away, and still, nothing happens as we wait for the award ceremony segment of the night to begin.

Callahan Enterprises will win; they always do. It was one of the things that used to drive Dad crazy being the best friend of the man who owned and ran the most successful hospitality company in America. But the truth is, Callahan Enterprises has always, and will always be bigger than Warner Group. Well, maybe that’s no longer true, now they’re one and the same.

Warner Group’s ethos was always to keep things smaller and more personalized for our clients. Callahan Enterprises has bigger ambitions. It’s why they now have resorts on every continent and are growing that number on a weekly basis.

They’re bigger than I think they ever expected. But it works for them. And other than nights like these, Dad was always proud of his friend’s achievements.

The master of ceremonies starts with the smaller awards. While most of the room falls quiet, our table seems to continue their conversations, as if what is happening on stage right now is below them.

It annoys me that Michael ensures our attention is on him as he tells some bullshit, chauvinistic story. All the while, the woman—Martha—sitting beside him smiles up at him like he’s just hung the moon. Clearly, she only cares about the size of his wallet—or something else, gross—or she’s just plain stupid, because if Kingston or Miles were telling a story even close to the one he is right now, then I’d have long ago stabbed them with the knife the server forget to collect on his last pass.

I respect Michael as a businessman, every now and then as a father, but right now, as a human being, and a man, he’s fallen very short of the mark.

Turning my attention to the stage, I listen as someone gives a thank-you speech. It’s not exactly exciting and the man isn’t going to win any awards for public speaking any time soon, but he’s obviously proud of his achievement and his joy brings a smile to my lips.

“Do you know him?” Kingston whispers in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Nope. Would rather listen to him than your father right now, though,” I whisper back.

“My father and alcohol don’t mix very well.”

“So I see.” It’s not the first time I’ve experienced Michael under the influence, but usually, I have the pleasure of being at a distance.

“As soon as we can get out of here, we will,” Kingston promises, making me sit up a little straighter.

“I can’t wait,” I murmur.

“Here you go,” Kian says, appearing beside me with Miles next him, their hands full of drinks.

“Thank you,” I say when Kian hands me a new glass of champagne before handing one to his date. She’s…exactly the kind of woman that the Callahan brothers usually entertain. She looks good on his arm and is done up to the nines, trying way too hard with nothing of any interest to talk about. Safe to say, the two of us won’t be building a friendship anytime soon—not that I suspect I’d get the chance, even if she wanted to. She’ll be out of favor come morning, I’ve no doubt. It’s how they roll. New day, new woman.

“Having fun?” Miles asks with a knowing wink.

“Best night of my life,” I deadpan.

“Who’d have thought a life with KC would be so thrilling, huh?”

“Hey, I know how to give out thrills,” Kingston argues.

“And the less said about that when it involves my sister the better.”

“Aw,” Kingston muses, nuzzling my neck right in front of my brother. “She loves my thrills, isn’t that right, baby?”

Miles’s jaw pops with irritation as he watches his best friend manhandle me.

“There isn’t enough scotch here tonight for this.”

“What?” Kingston laughs. “You started it.”

“And on to our last award for the evening,” the master of ceremonies says.

Proving that they all are half listening, a hush falls around our table.

“The prestigious Hospitality Industry Leader is…” He goes on to explain just how competitive the award is and how so many of the businesses in attendance tonight deserve it, but the moment he begins noting the successes of the winning business, it’s more than obvious who it’s going to. Again.

“Once again, I am proud to award this prestigious achievement to…” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Callahan Enterprises.”

The room erupts into applause as a spotlight illuminates our table, ensuring every single set of eyes turns our way.

Michael preens in his achievement, but he doesn’t get up to accept his award like I’m expecting him to. Instead, it’s Kingston who moves.

But he doesn’t stand, oh no. He shifts his chair back a little and reaches for me. My heart jumps into my throat.

Oh god, no. Please do not do this now.

My body temperature soars, and I swear a trickle of sweat runs down my spine.

But when he moves again, thankfully, he doesn’t drop to one knee or pull out a ring. Instead, he leans in.

My heart skips a beat.

So many times over the past few days I’ve thought he was going to kiss me. Despite my better judgment, I’ve been desperate for it.

This was not how I thought it was going to go.

One second he’s got his hand wrapped around my neck and is staring into my eyes as if I’m something special, and the next, his lips are on mine.

My entire body locks up in surprise. I stop breathing despite the fact my heart is beating at a million miles a second.

No sooner has it started is it over.

It’s a chaste kiss. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel it all the way down to my toes.

When I open my eyes, I have to blink twice, because the person I was expecting to see before me isn’t there.

The attention of everyone around our table burns into me, but I ignore them in favor of searching for the man who just tilted my entire world on its axis.

I find him striding toward the stage like a man on a mission.

Desire pools below my waist just watching how he confidently moves across the stage and shakes hands with the master of ceremonies.

He hands Kingston the microphone and goosebumps race across my skin in anticipation of hearing his voice filling the entire room.

A weird sense of pride washes through me as he steps up to the podium and prepares to speak.

Before he says a word, he finds me in the crowd.

Our eyes lock and a strong wave of desire floods my system.

Right now, he’s in full arrogant businessman mode. He’s everything I hate about the world we were born into. But that’s the last thing on my mind.

All I can think about is the way his lips felt against mine. How every single one of his touches, innocent or not, makes me burn up inside.

The second his deep voice hits my ears, every single hair on my body lifts and tingles erupt. The reaction is so strong, so visceral, I don’t even get a chance to question it.

“Thank you. As always, this award means the world to us. We give our lives to⁠—”

“You’re good for him, you know.”

Shocked by the words spoken quietly in my ear, I rip my eyes away from Kingston as he continues with what is quite clearly a well-practiced acceptance speech.

I want to watch him, soak up everything that is the confident CEO, but his brother apparently has something important to say.

I look into a set of green eyes that are just a shade darker than Kingston’s and wait for him to continue.

“I know you might not believe me, but since this…” he says gesturing to me, “started, he’s… different.”

“More pissed off, you mean?”

Kian laughs. “Well, aside from that. He’s lighter. There’s a twinkle in his eye that I didn’t realize was missing until recently.”

“Pretty sure that’s just his level of irritation hitting max.”

He laughs again. “You could have a point there. But I think it’s more than that.”

The crowd around us erupts in another round of applause and I look up just in time to see Kingston lift the award and stalk across the stage.

No sooner has he turned to walk down the stairs than he finds me again.

My breath catches, and without thinking, I lift my fingers to my lips, remembering how he felt pressed against them.

Regret sits heavy in my chest that I missed his speech.

Our eye contact holds as he makes his way back to our table, but someone steps in front of him, congratulating him on his win, and severs it.

“See,” Kian muses. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look at a woman like that.”

“Stop,” I breathe, unable to believe that this is anything but business.

It’s not.

He’s said it time and time again.

This is a business deal.

That is all this is to him. A way to ensure that he gets to receive that award, and many, many others, in the coming year.

It’s just a business deal…

I’m still repeating those words over and over in my head when Kingston finally rejoins our table and slams the award down, and everyone around me erupts in excitement.

I want to say it’s infectious, but I struggle to find my enthusiasm.

“I’m sorry. Excuse me,” I say before pushing my chair back, grabbing my clutch and trying to escape.

“Tatum?” Kingston asks, catching my fingers in his before I manage to run.

“I just need to use the bathroom,” I lie.

I make the stupid mistake of looking up before I bolt. The sight of the confused frown on his face makes the emotion bubbling up within me so much worse.

“I’m sorry,” I say again before rushing away, my gown billowing around my legs as I go like some kind of golden Cinderella.

If only I had a carriage outside, ready to take me away from all of this…