By His Vow: A Billionaire Arranged Marriage Romance

“At fucking last,” Lori cries down the phone. “I’ve called you, like, a million times today.”

My heart aches. “I know, I’m sorry. It’s been nonstop since I walked into the office this morning.”

“Yeah, about that. Aren’t you still meant to be on leave?”

“Yeah, well, I decided it was time to return,” I lie.

“You’ve barely had any time off. You’ve been in that building every day, sorting out the shit your mother should be doing,” she chastises.

“I know,” I mutter. “Someone has to do it.”

“Yeah, she should. It’s time for her to step up.”

“Lor, she can barely stand up,” I point out.

“That isn’t—” She sighs, cutting herself off.

She often forgets that just because she has pretty much nothing to do with her own mother, doesn’t mean other people don’t have obligations to theirs.

My mom isn’t a bad person. She’s always been there for me. Even if it was from a distance while I was away at school. Sure, she wasn’t a hands-on mom, and our relationship could be a lot better, but still. She’s a hell of a lot better than Dad ever was. At least she had some time for me.

“So anyway, what the hell was up with Kingston this morning? And why the fuck was he in our apartment?”

“You busy tonight?” I ask on a sigh.

“I was going to wash my hair, but⁠—”

“Put it in an updo,” I say, rolling my eyes at her insane hair routine. “We’re going out. There are things I need to tell you.”

“Did you fuck him?” she screeches loudly as I step into a full elevator.

Every single person turns to look at me, ensuring my cheeks blaze bright red.

“Lori,” I whisper.

“Well, did you?” My lips part to tell her no, but she continues nonetheless. “I know I would have. He looked fucking delicious. Although, his hair needed messing up a little.”

“I thought your date went well,” I say in an attempt to change the subject.

The longer I can keep the details about me and Kingston out of the gossiping mouths of this office, the better.

“Oh, it did. He was incredible. Didn’t fill out a suit in the way Kingston Callahan does, though.”

“Lori, will you—” My words are cut off as the elevator stops on the second floor where the on-site gym is located and almost everyone piles out.

The second the doors begin to close, my skin erupts in goosebumps.

Dragging in a deep breath, I keep my eyes focused forward as heat begins to burn down my back.

“I know you hate him, but you can’t tell me you didn’t appreciate the sight this morning.”

Warm breath rushes across my neck, making all my hairs stand on end.

“I’m going to check on Mom on the way home. Be ready to go in two hours?” I ask.

“You got it. Girls’ night or⁠—”

“Invite Cory. I’ve missed him,” I confess, before a large hand clamps down on my hip.

“Okay. You got it. See you soon, yeah?”

“Yep,” I agree, my voice coming out a little squeakier than I intended.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Lori asks, able to tell from just that one word that I’m not.

“Yeah, great. See you soon.”

I hang up before she can say anything else I don’t want Kingston overhearing.

“You lied to her,” he growls in my ear, sending a shiver racing down my spine.

I buck against him in an attempt to get his hot paw off me, but all I manage to achieve is to rub my ass against his crotch.

“No, I didn’t. Will you let go of me?” I demand, still unsuccessfully trying to extract myself from his grasp.

I shiver when he reaches out and pulls my hair from my shoulder, fully exposing my neck.

“Yes, you did,” he states, the heat of his proximity burning down my neck. “Don’t think I missed how you looked at me this morning.”

“With potent disdain?” I counter.

He chuckles and fuck if it doesn’t make my nipples pucker with interest.

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that.”

I seethe silently as his grip on my hip tightens. I want to hate it.

I really fucking do.

Thankfully, before I get a chance to think about just how much I do like his possessive grip on my body, the elevator comes to a stop on the ground floor and the doors open.

Kingston might remove his hand from my hip, but I don’t lose his touch. Instead, his palm finds a home on the small of my back again.

“You’re not going out with another man tonight,” he says casually as if we’re discussing the weather.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware that you’d taken charge of my entire life.”

“Tatum,” he growls.

“Mr. Callahan,” I counter with a smirk. “I’m not sure how many times I need to say this to ensure it gets through that big, egotistical head of yours, but I am not yours to order around. You want to play boss, go back to your own office and bark orders at your poor, suffering employees.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re mistaken, Miss Warner. I have just left my office, and I am ordering around one of my employees.” When I don’t immediately come up with a response, he continues, “You should come and visit my office next week. That way, I can give you the orders I really want to behind closed doors. Something tells me that you don’t want your colleagues to see you sucking off the boss.”

My chin drops in shock.

“Lewis, Miss Warner would like to go and visit her mother before returning home,” he tells his driver while my Uber idles behind his fancy-ass car.

“I can make my own way home, thank you,” I say, taking off toward my waiting car.

I think he’s going to let me go before his hand grips mine and I’m pulled back toward him.

But he doesn’t stop me at a sensible, normal-person distance. Instead, he continues pulling me until I’m pressed up against him.

“Kingst—” My voice falters when he reaches out and grazes his knuckles across my cheek before tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “W-what are you doing?”

“Following orders,” he whispers, staring me right in the eyes.

To anyone watching us—and I’ve no doubt there are plenty—I’m sure it looks hella intimate, and not at all like I’m two seconds from kneeing him in the balls for this very public display of ownership.

“One of us has to.” He leans forward and my heart stops beating.

Surely he’s not going to…

I breathe a sigh of relief when his lips press against my forehead.

Gritting my teeth, I refuse to allow myself to think about how warm and soft they feel against my skin. Instead, I try to remember all the reasons I’ve always hated him.

It’s an easy thing to do. The man is infuriating as fuck.

“Get in the car, Tatum.”

The need to defy him is so strong it burns through me like wildfire, but in the end, I choose the route of least resistance.

Plus, if we’re doing this, I need to start toeing the line in public. Doesn’t mean I have any intention of doing the same in private, though…

I smile up at him. To everyone around us, I’m sure it appears genuine. But I’ve no doubt that Kingston can see the defiance and need for retribution burning bright in my eyes.

“Thank you, sir.” His eyes blaze and his jaw locks as I breathe that final word.

What a surprise—being reminded of just how powerful he is turns him on. Didn’t see that coming.

I climb in the back of the car, half expecting him to follow me, but when I look back, he’s still on the sidewalk.

“Aren’t you coming to ruin more of my day?” I call, making Lewis smile as he moves to close the door behind me.

“Sadly, I have other plans. But you do make it sound very tempting,” Kingston states before the door closes, cutting us off from each other.

Aware that I’ve been gifted privacy in the form of the blacked-out windows, I gaze out, shamelessly watching as Kingston gives Lewis some more demands.

He talks much more animatedly than I was expecting. Clearly, despite being boss and employee, Kingston and Lewis have bonded during their commutes together.

My eyes focus on his lips for a few seconds and my forehead tingles as I remember how they felt pressed against me.

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t imagined what it might be like to kiss him, and maybe a little more, over the years. He might have been the biggest irritant in my life for as long as I can remember, but he’s also one of the hottest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of looking at.

Dark stubble covers his sharp jawline, and I can’t help but wonder if he forgot about shaving this morning so he could get to me faster. That thought makes me happier than it should. His hair is a disheveled mess, evidence of how many times he’s run his fingers through it during the day. Was he thinking about me as he did? His suit fits him just as perfectly as it did when he stepped into my apartment this morning. His shoulders are broad, his waist slim, and I know from the small amount of physical contact I’ve had with him that his muscles beneath the fabric are ripped. I can only imagine how he’d look without his armor. It’s been a lot of years since I’ve seen him running around with Miles without a shirt on, and I can only imagine that very good things have happened.

It’s not until I’ve done a whole pass of his body that I finally look elsewhere, and when I do, I shouldn’t be surprised by the level of attention on him. But I am.

Men and women alike watch him as if he’s some kind of celebrity. I guess in some ways he is.

Men worldwide want to be him, and women want to be beneath him.

He’s an enigma. All the Callahan men are.

It’s like they’re born these mysterious creatures that everyone wants to try and unravel, whether it be in the boardroom or the bedroom.

Women whisper to their friends, a few shamelessly pointing in Kingston’s direction.

Something uncomfortable bubbles in my stomach as I watch them strip him naked with their eyes.

Mine.

My eyes widen.

What the actual fuck?

No. He is not mine.

We might be connected in a way for the next year of our lives. But he is no more mine than I am his.

Irritation surges through me. Only, it’s different from what I’ve felt previously today because it’s aimed at myself, not at him.

I shake my head, forcing my brain to go down a different train of thought.

I wonder how many of these women he’s already slept with.

I’m not naive. I’m more than aware that I’m not about to be married to a virgin. Kingston and Miles have been fucking their way around the city for years.

They may as well replace their front doors with revolving ones just to make life easier.

I shudder at the thought.

I’m so lost in my thoughts that I startle when Lewis finally joins me.

“Ready to hit the road, Miss Warner?” he asks, watching me in the rearview mirror with mischief twinkling in his eyes.

It becomes immediately clear that he’s nothing like Leo, my father’s driver.

“Please, call me Tate. And just so we know, this is a very rare show of obedience where Kingston’s orders are concerned.”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

His eyes crinkle as he smirks.

“Noted. Thanks for the heads up. To your mother’s, yes?”

“Please. I won’t stay long,” I explain.

“Stay as long as you wish, Miss—” I narrow my eyes. “Miss Tate,” he corrects.

“Trust me, however long I stay will be too long right now.”

“Please give her my commiserations,” he says kindly.

“I will, thank you.”

“I know it’s cliche, but time really is a healer. Things will get better.”

I sigh, gazing out at the city as is passes by.

“Yeah,” I muse. “In about a year’s time, everything will be a lot better.”