All Chapters of These Reckless Vows: The Billionaire's Bride: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Leonel ~~~ My sister peers at us with a look that the others may construe as impassive, but I know that glimmer in her grey eyes is excitement. She likes this; having some control over something. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the brotherly tree. “The plan is simple,” she starts, looking at our little mismatched group like she’s going to bend us into something beautiful. “Rather than wait for the ex to come to us, we’re going to fish him out. According to Ava, he has three identifiable features: ash-brown hair, deep brown eyes, and a lanky frame. Right, Ava?” Ava nods at all of us, but I can still feel the guilt radiating off her over what is happening to Oliver. My heart hurts for them both, and I don’t know how else to convince her that it’s not her fault. “So… what? Are we going to go around the hall and fish out every ash-brown-haired man until Ava points out the right one?” Oliver asks, sounding unsure. Bella tilts her head his way in disbelief. “No, we’re n

Leonel ~~~ Fuck. I forgot about Stacy. Last night she’d called me, telling me she got some information on Ava’s ex. When I asked her to tell me, of course she set a price, and that price was being allowed to attend the Soirée. The woman gets on my nerves, but there’s no denying her ambition. I agreed, and with my money, I see she spared no expense making herself look good in a green Versace piece I know is yet to be released, and her blue hair with added extensions is pulled into a tight ponytail. I may not have minded her being here so much if not for Ava, looking absolutely horrified. “Ava, mi Valienta, we have to go inside,” I whisper to her, making it look like I’ve planted a kiss on her temple as I realize the cameras are now on us. For the rest of the evening, our every move is recorded. Ava fixes up fairly quickly, maybe because as horrible as The Madame was, she never really posed any major threat to Ava, and her beautiful green eyes flicker away from Stacy,

Leonel ~~~ James. Ava’s ex’s name is James. I’d waited for the day she’d trust me enough to tell me. But for all my imagining, I never thought it would happen like this: in front of a crowd of some of the most famous people alive, all of them blinking at her as she stares at them, drained of color. They furrow their eyes at her, whispering amongst themselves, and as much as I want to do something, I freeze. I need to follow after the bastard, but now we have to come up with an appropriate excuse as to why she called some random man’s name. I turn to her, my heart creased with worry, but rather than catch her shell-shocked eyes, I lock eyes with Nicco Moretti, whose hold on her is the only thing that keeps her from collapsing off stage. I don’t have time to be jealous, not when I worry she’s going to faint in front of all these people. Somehow, Moretti seems to understand something is at stake from the look in my eye, and before I can blink, he snatches the micr

Leonel ~~~ We drag James down to the underground car park, his protests muffled in Kenzo’s palm as we go. There, I’m able to unlock my secret cell, the same cell Riggs is currently the only resident of. When we pull James into the dank room, I immediately hear Riggs rattle against his cell, no longer tied from the ceiling, just like Ava requested. The same way James will not die today, just like Ava requested . My men kick James at his knees, causing him to buckle and kneel before me. He cries out, his kneecaps slamming into the hard, graveled floor. “Sorry I didn’t put a carpet for you, James. I’m not in the habit of giving comforts to men who stalk and torment my fiancée.” Kenzo finally removes his palm from James’ mouth, restraining his the asshole’s hands instead. “What the fuck are you on, Sinclair?” James spits at me, his anger nearly as loud as his fear. “You know damn well, James.” I bite back, not touching him, not yet. “Mon-ter,” Riggs mumbles, no longer able to s

Leonel ~~~ What have I done? What have I done? What have I done? “Sir!” one of my men yells as his grip on James slackens. I watch the ash-haired man’s mouth fall open and his eyes roll back as he slips out of my bodyguard’s grip. James crumples to the floor in a spreading pool of red. He does not get back up. I toss my gun aside as I hear Riggs’ awful screams. He rattles against the bars of his cage until Kenzo steps toward him in two determined strides. There’s a thud I know means that Kenzo knocked Riggs out, and then the dungeon falls eerily silent. Too. Fucking. Silent. The lack of noise means I can hear Ava’s fierce voice in my head ten times as loud as I usually do, telling me not to harm her ex, at least just for now. My heart tightens as I look at the asshole, immobile on the ground. Alaric is the first to move, kneeling before James and placing two fingers to his pulse. We all hold our breath, waiting for the verdict that stands between Ava’s forgiveness