By His Vow: Chapter 66

The warmth of Tatum’s palm on my thigh spreads through my entire body.

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” she says softly.

We’re sitting outside the home my mom shares with her husband and their children.

It’s a place I’ve been to countless times, but it never gets any easier.

This is the home where she raised her daughters with her husband. The place she made memories with her…family.

They’ve always made every effort to let me know that I’m always welcome here, but I can’t help but feel that they’re empty words said out of obligation more than anything.

Mom left us. We were only young kids, but she turned her back and left in favor of a new life with a new man. She started a whole new family.

Kian and Kieran embraced it. They were younger; they didn’t see the ugly side of it all that I did. A side that I was never able to get past.

The heated arguments. The smashed plates. The slamming doors.

The tears. The pain. The heartache.

Dad loved her. He loved her more than I think she ever realized. Or at least, that’s what I’ve been led to believe, seeing as she was the unfaithful one.

She’s explained to me time and time again that she never wanted to hurt Dad, but that she was unhappy in her marriage. Dad worked too much, and she was exhausted, lonely, and a whole host of other things.

I got it. Even at a young age, I could see that all the things she was saying were true. Dad was never at home, and they’d had us very close together. I could see it. But that didn’t mean that she needed to turn her back on us and replace us with another family.

“It’s just dinner,” I reason.

I try to accept her invitation twice a year. It’s enough to satisfy my mind that I’m making an effort. In reality, it’s bullshit. I should want to spend time with her—with them. But I don’t. The only thing I feel when I’m here is rejection and not being good enough. And neither of those are things that I need in my life.

“We’ll eat and be gone in under two hours.”

I kill the engine before a pained sigh spills from my lips.

“King,” Tatum whispers.

I glance over, immediately hating the pity I see in her eyes.

“No,” I warn. “Don’t do that.”

“What? I’m not doing anything,” she argues.

“Let’s just go,” I say, throwing the door open and climbing out.

I crack my neck and roll my shoulders back.

Kian and Kieran are already here. I swear, they’re the only reason these events are bearable.

I’ve barely taken a step forward when Tatum’s warm hand slips into mine and squeezes in support.

It’s…nice. Having her here with me right now is a lot more comforting than I expected it to be.

Before we climb the steps to the front door, I glance down at her. She’s wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a simple blue sweater. It’s just a touch lighter than her eyes, and it makes them sparkle in the most incredible way. Her dark hair has been braided and rests over one shoulder, exposing her slender neck and the very faint mark I left behind last night.

I bite down on my bottom lip as I remember the way we moved together on the couch after Kian left.

Thankfully, Griz passed out in a Chinese takeout-induced coma, and I was able to have my way with my wife without being skinned alive by the fluffball.

My cock twitches as I vividly remember her sinking down on it. She was so wet and ready for me.

“You’re staring,” she points out as I navigate the stairs blindly, unable to take my eyes off her.

“You’re beautiful.”

“Careful, King. Keep saying things like that and I’ll start to get ideas.”

“Get as many as you like. I’m obsessed with every single thing about my wife.”

Her cheeks heat at my words and she averts her gaze, unable to hold my eyes when I say something so heavy. I’ve noticed her do that a lot in the past few days, as if she can’t deal with the reality of what is happening here between us.

“What are you doing?” she asks when I stop at the front door and reach for the bell.

It’s stupid. I know that I can just walk in, but for some reason, it just seems wrong. I don’t belong here. I’m a guest, so I ring the bell like anyone else would.

I shrug, letting her answer her own question. Thankfully—or not, I’m not entirely sure—the door opens before us to reveal my beaming mother.

I haven’t seen her in at least four months, but as always, absolutely nothing has changed about her.

Her blonde hair is styled to perfection, her makeup is flawless, her eyes twinkle with life, and her smile is genuine.

I should feel some kind of warmth and comfort from her reaction to seeing me—her firstborn child—but no matter how excited she is, all I feel is empty.

“Kingston,” she breathes, her eyes running down the length of me as if she’s looking for the differences in me like I did her. “It’s so good to see you.” She steps forward and holds her arms open before wrapping me in a hug. “I missed you so much. I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there last weekend. We⁠—”

“It’s okay, Mom,” I say before I’m forced to listen to her excuse. It doesn’t matter what it was; the damage has been caused already.

“And Tatum, oh my goodness, look at you,” she says, turning to my wife and taking her hands. “So beautiful. And so happy. Married life looks like it suits you.”

My heart pounds, hearing Mom say those words. I want to believe that she’s seeing the truth, but Tatum is faking it just as well as I am right now.

She might not be miserable at the moment, but I also wouldn’t describe her as happy. Terrified, maybe.

“Well, we are only a week in, so…”

“Ah, the honeymoon period. Say no more,” Mom says with a wince, making me cringe. “Come on in. Dinner is almost ready. Everyone but your sisters are in the dining room. I’m yet to drag them from their pits.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, gripping Tatum’s hand tighter and stepping inside.

The scent of their house mixed with Mom’s home cooking wafts through my nose, but it doesn’t settle me at all.

“Is there anything you need help with, Elizabeth?” Tatum offers politely.

“Please, call me Liz, sweetheart. I’d love a hand; it’ll save me from trying to drag Neil away from talking football with Kieran. That’s if Kingston doesn’t mind, of course.”

“How badly are you going to interrogate her?” I ask, torn between letting Tatum go and refusing to let her out of my sight.

“Oh, I would never. I know Tate well enough to know that she’s strong enough to put up with you.”

“Lovely,” I mutter as I tug Tatum into my side and lower my lips to her ears. “Please,” I beg. “Be good.”

She laughs quietly. “Haven’t you heard, KC? I’m an angel,” she mocks.

“Angels don’t suck dick the way you do, baby.”

She gasps, but something tells me that it’s more from a rush of desire than it is shock.

“Go and play with your brothers. I’ll be there soon.”

Before she gets to escape, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and drop my lips to hers.

“I’ll just be in the kitchen,” Mom says, excusing herself.

“I’m right here, King. All you’ve got to do is say the word and we’re out of that door,” she promises once I’ve released her in favor of staring her in the eyes.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“Anytime. Now, go talk boy stuff.”

She spins away from me, and I stand there frozen as I watch her disappear.

No sooner has she disappeared around the corner do I hear giggles from above me.

Hiding my expression, I glare up at the banister and find exactly what I was expecting. Two dark shadows that belong to my half-sisters.

“Karma is a bitch, you know. She’ll come back and bite you in the ass.”

“We weren’t listening,” Mackenzie argues as they both step into the light.

“Of course you weren’t. I do remember being your age, you know.”

“Pfft,” Matilda scoffs. “I doubt it. You’re like…ancient.”

As they descend the stairs, I have to do a double take. With every day that passes, I’m sure they look more and more like Mom. It’s unnerving. I’m not sure Neil had any input on their DNA.

“Devil child,” I mutter before pulling them both into a hug. Honestly, despite being a royal pain in my ass, they are the best thing about this house.

“Where’s Tate? We want to see the photos,” Matilda says excitedly, staring up at me with her huge blue eyes.

“Oh, I see how it is,” I tease. “She’s in the kitchen.” They both take off running. “Be nice,” I call, but it’s too late. They’re gone. “Good luck, baby,” I mutter under my breath as I make my way to the dining room.

Deep voices rumble long before I get to the door, and they pause the second I step into the room.

“Kingston,” Neil says, the same shock he has on his face he does every time I turn up here.

He’s not a bad man, the opposite actually. But I’m not sure I’ll ever get over the fact that Mom betrayed Dad with him. That he and his daughters have lived the family life we should have had.

“Afternoon,” I greet, looking him in the eyes before glancing at my brothers.

“Here,” Neil says, offering up a beer before continuing his conversation with Kieran. He’s a massive Chicago Chiefs fan, and Kieran never hears the end of it.

“Hey,” Kian says, his eyes darting to the door as I drop into the chair beside him. “Tatum not with you?”

“She’s with Mom.”

“That was brave,” he teases.

“It’s fine,” I lie before taking a pull on my beer. “There isn’t anything she can say that will make any of this worse.”

He stares at me as if to ask, “Really?” but he doesn’t say a word.

As far as Mom knows, Tatum and I had a whirlwind romance followed by a shotgun wedding. Knowing her, she’s probably expecting some big pregnancy announcement in the coming weeks to help explain it. Thankfully, she’s going to be disappointed. Life is complicated enough right now.

“So, Kingston,” Neil asks, having finished his conversation with Kieran. “How’s it feel being a married man?”

“Yeah,” I say. “It’s great. Right, you know?” I add, aware that he’ll agree.

“How did Miles take it? I bet he didn’t see that coming.”

“He wasn’t the only one,” Kieran scoffs like an asshole.

“He…uh…made his feelings known.”

“KC had the bruises to prove it, too,” Kian adds.

Neil chuckles. “I remember the first guy my little sister dated,” he says getting a far-off look in his eyes as he thinks back. “He was a jerk.”

“Didn’t she marry her high school sweetheart?” Kian asks. Fucker literally remembers everything.

“Yep. Still think he’s a jerk,” Neil jokes. “So, I guess it’s your turn next then,” he says, looking pointedly at Kian.

“I don’t have time for that. Too much going on at work.”

“Isn’t stopping Kingston,” Kieran points out.

“And I’m happy for him. But that doesn’t mean we all want the same. What about you, little brother? Any of your jersey chasers wife material?”

Kieran scoffs. “You know damn well they’re not. I’m not marrying someone who’s scored more touchdowns than I have.”

I sit back and listen as the three of them banter back and forth. I love seeing my brothers happy, but it’s not enough to banish the unease of being here.

It’s not long until soft female voices fill the air, and only seconds later, the four of them all appear carrying plates full of food. But while Kian and Kieran comment on the food, my attention is stolen by the woman carrying the potatoes.

Her eyes are alight with happiness and there’s a full, beaming smile on her lips, which only grows when she finds me.

“You okay?” she mouths.

My heart seizes in my chest at the sight of her here, and the truth comes tumbling out before I can catch it. “I am now.”