HIDDEN VOWS

Chapter 14

It was the ring of Miles' phone that stirred him awake. He made to roll over to pick up the disturbing piece of technology only to find himself pinned in bed by another body.

Dragging his palm across his face to get the sleep off, Miles peered down to find the culprit wrapped around him like a blanket. She was sound asleep, the gentle rise and fall of her chest moving against his erratic heartbeats.

He can't be this lucky. He smiled from ear to ear as he stared at the sight before him. He could wake up to this every day. But he wasn't that lucky because his phone rang again, ruining the moment.

Miles cursed the caller under his breath as he stretched over to grab the phone on the nightstand. Rolling her gently onto her side of the bed, Miles pulled the duvet over her and picked up the call without bothering to even check the caller ID.

‘Where are you?’

Miles straightened at his mother's clipped tone. Damnit. Knowing how dramatic his mother could be—like the good actress she once was, he jutted out of bed and shuffled out of the room for privacy.

“Má… cómo estás?” Miles acknowledged as he strode over to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

‘I was fine.’ She replied in English. That was bad.

Wait. Was? Miles sighed knowing what was coming. “Mà-”

“I was fine until I heard you've rolled back into the spotlight with your biggest scandal yet! Maybe one of these days I'll get an actual heart attack and die to appease you Miles!’

“Mom.” Miles called out sternly. “I can't do this right now.” He mounted the bottle on the counter and took a deep breath.

‘¿Por qué? Cause you're on a honeymoon trip in the Bahamas?’

If Miles's vertebrae could break out of rigidity, it would have done so the very moment his mother uttered those words. Was it possible that the news of his engagement had already reached Manhattan?

‘You got engaged?’

Miles could actually hear the hurt in his mom's voice. Shit. “Mà—”

‘How can you keep something like this from me? From your own family?’

There were fits of cough followed by ruffling sounds until a sterner voice came on the line. Great. He just had to be back in the states when he needed him far away as he always was until this was over.

‘Whatever game you're playing this time, think of your mother's health.’ His father's grim voice ended the call.

Miles leaned against the marble island for support. He let the breath he was holding out—still marveled at how fast news of their time in the Bahamas had reached Manhattan. Much worse, Clifford Hills.

Fuck Chanel Preston.

“Is everything OK?” Emery's quiet voice from the doorway pried his tight hold off the island.

“Hey.” Miles took another sip of his water. “Yeah.”

Tying the string of her nightgown properly, Emery walked into the kitchen. “Sure?” She took the stool opposite him.

“I'm fine, Em.” He offered her a smile. “How are you?”

Emery raised a brow at the question. More like how he said it. She knew what he meant. For some reason, she had been able to sleep through the night —two days in a row.

“I'm good. Really.” She said with a soft smile.

At least someone finds being in his presence for a night peaceful. Miles mused.