A Vow of Deception, A Vow of Revenge novel Chapter 88

Perhaps it was the darkness of the night, but his voice seemed unusually gentle.

Winona stepped in front of him, cutting him off before he could speak. "Mr. Rogers, I'm sorry—I truly didn't mean to pry into your private life. But if you have a girlfriend, I think we should keep our distance."

Her words were quiet, but there was a firmness to them that couldn't be missed.

For a moment, something rare flickered in Elvis's eyes—confusion.

"Girlfriend?"

He quickly composed himself and replied, "I don't have a girlfriend."

Winona's fingers tightened around the hem of her coat, the fabric cool against her palm.

She had braced herself for Elvis to be annoyed that she'd brought up something so personal.

But instead, that single, softly spoken "Girlfriend?" was so genuinely startled, it rippled through his deep gaze like a stone tossed into a still lake.

So, he didn't have a girlfriend.

The rumor was wrong.

But even with that revelation, Winona felt no relief—no secret joy. Only a dull clarity.

So what if he didn't have a girlfriend?

She was about to be engaged to Jonah. No matter what, she and Elvis still needed to keep their distance.

Elvis's hand, hanging at his side, flexed slightly, his knuckles stark in the dim light.

He stepped half a pace closer, a rush of air stirring the loose strands over Winona's forehead, his presence suddenly so near it made her breath catch.

"Miss Thorne, where did you hear that rumor?" His voice was even lower now, the question lingering in the air, edged with something probing.

"I… just overheard it, that's all," Winona dodged, her answer vague.

"It's not your fault," Elvis replied with a gentle smile. "It's mine—I should've handled things better. I'm sorry for causing you any confusion."

Has she been wrestling with the idea of our engagement all this time? he wondered. Did she think she'd have to call it off if I already had someone else?

Fortunately, he'd managed to clear things up in time.

"So," he said, his eyes brightening with a hint of teasing, "does that mean you can stop being so formal with me now, Miss Thorne?"

He took another step closer.

Winona instinctively retreated, her lips trembling slightly even as her voice remained steady. "No. We still need to keep our distance."

"Why?" Elvis frowned.

Didn't he understand? Winona stared at him, about to explain, when suddenly his phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID and turned to her. "Sorry, I need to take this."