Page 91 of Devil’s Promise

Promise wrinkles her nose.

I reach over and tuck her hair behind her ear. “Promise has a lot more in common with us than you might think.”

Knox jerks his chin in response. “In fighting, it looks like a short game. You step into the ring, you try and kick the shit out of another guy. But it’s actually a long game. You strategize for months. Try to learn the other man’s weaknesses… Hit him where it hurts when the opportunity presents itself.”

Promise lifts her head, cocking it to the side as she studies Knox. “Interesting.”

He sits back in his seat. “Keep your eye open for your chance.”

We fall quiet again, Promise’s cheek falling back to my shoulder. I lean down and kiss the top of her head, just breathing her in.

I’m not sure I’ll ever get enough of her.

We fly into the night, the darkening sky casting the interior of the plane into near darkness.

Candy lies down across the seats behind us. I glance back at her. Promise isn’t going to like this, but I think I’m going to have to cut Candy loose.

She’s a liability with her new connection to Sver, and if we’re honest, she could have been Vinnie’s opportunity to wreak havoc on my operation.

My guess…that’s why he was dating her in the first place.

But that is a tomorrow problem.

I feel the moment Promise falls asleep, her body pressing deeper into mine. Closing my eyes, I place a hand over her heart, just feeling it beat under my palm.

My wedding ring catches the light out on the wing, glinting in the darkness.

I’m a guy who prides himself on keeping his word. But yesterday, I didn’t just make promises, I said vows.

Deep words that ring through me. I will love and honor her for better and for worse.

I’m glad her father reneged on our deal. It frees me from any obligation to him, though I’ve known from almost the beginning that I was never hurting Promise.

I close my eyes, repeating the plan in my head. I’m so close…

My ears pop, and I know the plane is close to landing. I check Promise’s seat belt and then pull on my own as she wakes next to me.

I lace my fingers through hers as the plane touches down.

“Axel parked your car at the airport this afternoon,” Knox volunteers. “He sent me the location.”

“Good,” I answer. It’s three in the morning here in New York. I’m taking my wife home and tucking her in bed. “Can you bring Candy back to the club?”

“Angel,” Candy says from her seat. “I…” She stops, looking away. She knows what’s coming.

“Get some sleep,” I say to her. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

I see the worry in her eyes and Promise’s questioning gaze. But tonight is not for Candy. Helping Promise down the set of stairs, we load into Knox’s waiting SUV, and he drives us to my waiting car.

I help Promise into the passenger’s seat and then we’re off. At this time of night, we should make it to my loft in fifteen or twenty minutes.

I press the gas, eager to have Promise naked in my bed.

But I haven’t been driving for five minutes when my phone rings. Axel’s name flashes on the console screen. I press a button on the dash to answer the phone. “Hey Axel, thanks for dropping the car.”

“No problem,” he answers in a rush of air. “Am I on speaker?”

“Yes. Why?”