Page 48 of Pretty Broken Promises

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“Mr. Sinclair,we have your private dining room set up in the back.” The maître d’ fusses about trying to hurry us through the restaurant. At first, I think he’s impressed by the amount of zeroes in Sin and Raven’s joint bank account and trying to give us prompt service, but the nervous sweat forming on the man’s forehead makes me think it’s fear that has him jumping to get us away from the rest of the clientele.

“I’m pretty sure that man thinks you kill puppies for fun,” Ford whispers to Sin as we’re led toward the back room.

Sin chuckles. He strolls into the dark wood-paneled room and sits down on the wide bench seat. He drapes his arms across the back as if he doesn’t care in the slightest that he terrifies the waitstaff at the club he’s been gifted a membership at. He probably doesn’t.

“I think he knows I used to kill people professionally and got away with it. That tends to make people jumpy. The sane ones at least.”

A waitress saunters in with a bottle of wine and four glasses. The moment she sees Ford and Sin she’s practically salivating. She leans forward, presses her arms together and tries her best to thrust her cleavage in their faces while trying to offer them anything on the menu, or off the menu. “Is there anything I can offer you, Mr. Sinclair?”

Sin doesn’t even bother to pick up a menu, and turns to us. “Everyone okay with one of those charcuterie platters to go with the wine?”

We nod. I didn’t really think we were planning on having a full meal at six o’clock at night.

“Of course, Mr. Sinclair. I’ll get that put in for you.” She twirls her hair around her finger and blushes when she shifts her focus onto Ford. “You’re Ford Shaw, right? I went to Playa Community last year and saw you play the winning championship game.”

She licks her lips, and her eyes dart back and forth between both of them. “Anything either of you wants, I’m your girl.”

Raven snaps her fingers in her face. “I know you’re not flirting with my husband and her fiancé right in front of our faces. Because if you were I’d have to say something to your boss, and I’m pretty sure he’s terrified of me just a little bit more than my husband. Probably because of my fascination with fire.”

“I think it’s your deadly accuracy throwing knives personally,” I add. Then I look at the waitress and see the kind of girl I went to school with. The kind who doesn’t care if a man is taken if she thinks she can take him away.

“I know your type, so it’s only fair if you know mine. I trust my man, but if you even try to make a move on him I’ll rip your hair out and bitch slap you. Tell me you understand me,” I demand.

She doesn’t respond, only looks at me wide-eyed and shaking.

Ford pulls me down onto his lap. “Easy, Vixen. I’m not going anywhere. You don’t need to threaten her.”

Sin guides Raven to straddle his lap. “Speak for yourself, Shaw. I love it when my wife threatens violence on my behalf. It’s our love language.”

“You really need to quit confusing true crime with self-help books, dude. I think you’re out ofGet Out of Jail Freepasses,” Ford jokes.

No one notices or cares when the waitress all but runs out of the room. I’m starting to understand why the service staff is afraid of them.

Conversation flows between us while we wait for the charcuterie tray to arrive. It feels a lot like the get-togethers I used to have at my house when Ford and I were first getting together. The lights are low, and sultry music strums through the speakers. It sets the mood, and the four of us are swept up in it.

It starts out innocently enough. Sin and Raven are obviously more comfortable with being casually affectionate. A simple kiss, then another that lingers a bit longer. Ford and I are a bit more inhibited. He casually touches my hand, and lets his hand brush against my leg.

Our eyes meet and hold. His fingers lightly touch my chin and tilt my head. His breath hits my mouth and my lips part, anticipating the touch of his against them. I feel the slightest ghost of a touch when there’s a tap at the sliding door, and he backs away with a groan.

Sin wasn’t joking when he said he likes when Raven threatens violence on his behalf. One of his hands slides up her thighs and disappears under her dress, while he wraps her hair around the other one until he has enough control to use it to tilt her head back and give him access to her neck. Raven yields to every move he makes like they are in the middle of a perfectly choreographed erotic dance.

Ford clears his throat, but Sin only moves his hand low enough not to appear to be actively fingering his wife, but it’s still more than clear he either was or will be as soon as the waiter leaves.

A different server sweeps into the room, and without any conversation sets the elegantly laid out platter down in the middle of the table. “Will that be all?” he asks.

Sin pulls a fifty-dollar bill out of his wallet and hands it to him. “This will be everything. I’ll pay the bill on the way out. Please make sure that no one disturbs us.”

“Absolutely, sir. Please enjoy your—meal.”

The waiter’s interruption manages to cool things down. Conversation picks back up for a while as we pick at the various items in front of us. Sin uncorks the wine and pours just a bit in each glass. Enough to take the edge off of the nerves, but not so much that any of us would be impaired.

I feel my blood heat, and I don’t think it’s because of the alcohol, but rather the gorgeous man beneath me. I lean back against Ford’s chest and I can feel his heart thumping against my back. It makes me feel powerful knowing I can affect him as much as he does me.

His heart isn’t the only pulsing I feel. The ache between my legs is nearly unbearable, and I start rocking against his thigh to seek some relief. Ford’s hands flex on either side of his legs, and I feel guilty that he’s fighting his instincts for my peace of mind. It’s incredibly sweet, and I love him for it, but I hate that he’s always going to be on edge to try and help me relax. It’s sweet, but a useless effort, because as long as I give into this trigger, I’m never going to be at peace.

Raven’s head is tipped back, lost in the sensations Sin is bringing out in her, but while she is in a world of her own, he pays attention to the two of us. “Look at you, so hungry for something right there in front of you, but you’re torturing yourself by not letting yourself have it. It’s time to let go,” he tells me.

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