Page 5 of Vow

“We’re not going to Haven’s club,” Andino muttered.

The light was still red.

Snaps still looked out the window, and when Andino refused to give his dog any attention, he actually put his paws up and dragged them against the window.

“Snaps!”

The dog just did it again.

Jesus.

“We’ve got no reason to go down there. The place isn’t even open right now. Who knows if she’s there? We’re not going.”

Andino wasn’t sure if he was telling his dog these things, or himself. Seemed there was a part of him that needed those little details played on repeat, too. Like his goddamn heart.

Life truly was a bitch.

A mean one.

Snaps whined loudly when the light turned green. Andino fully intended to just drive straight, but his body was suddenly on autopilot. He was cutting the wheel to the right, and cutting off the guy next to him before he could think better of it. He was a good few car lengths down the street that Haven’s club was on before he even realized what he was doing.

He wouldn’t stop.

He wasn’t going to see her.

He’d made his choice—he’d done what was asked of him because he didn’t have a choice, and this was what had needed to happen. And really, keeping her out of his life … away from the mess that had become his fucking life, was the better choice. This was better for her.

Even if it fucking sucked for him.

That’s what mattered.

That didn’t mean she never crossed his mind. Because she did. Every single fucking day, and every night before he laid his head down on the pillow to go to bed. Haven was the first and last thing on his mind, no matter what he tried to do not to think about her.

It was like he couldn’t control it, or something.

It was just as much torture to him as it was bliss. He still loved her—that was never going to change, regardless of the rest.

Of that, he was most sure.

Too bad it didn’t make a difference.

Andino slowed to a crawl on the quiet street as he neared Haven’s club. This road wasn’t as busy as the main road, and he barely even noticed the cars passing him on the other side as he drove by Safe Haven.

The club was quiet—dark windows, and signs turned off. There were a few cars in the parking lot closest to the building. Likely the managers, but not Haven’s car that she rarely ever used anyway. She had always seemed to prefer cabs, anyway.

A big part of him wanted to stop.

Just to see.

Just to check.

He had to force himself to keep driving. She wouldn’t be happy if he showed up there, anyway. Andino had no doubt of that, and he didn’t want to shove his way back into her life just to fucking hurt her again.

Hadn’t he hurt her enough?

Andino figured so.

Snaps all but clambered over the seats like he was a puppy on new legs again. He landed in Andino’s lap with a heavy thud, and stuck his nose against the glass. That only made Andino feel even worse because the dog didn’t understand. He couldn’t explain it in a way that Snaps would comprehend that … Haven was gone.