Page 54 of Illicit Temptation

That green dress catches my eye again, and I have to ask Erin to find me something in that color.

But Balor’s woman just entered the dancefloor with another man. “Uh oh...”

My brother glances that way, and without a goodbye, he’s off, stomping his big feet to claim his woman.

Jealousy. I assume she’s playing a game. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t appreciate a woman toying with my brother, but Balor can handle himself. He’s been stubbornly resisting her.

She had no choice.

I take a breather and scan the room to find Trace’s eyes on me. It’s not the longing look of a man with nothing at stake. It’s his bodyguard face.

“Shea O’Rourke?” a woman pops into my vision out of nowhere.

I step back, alarm coursing through me. Only because I worry there’s something my brothers aren’t telling me if they insist I keep a full-time guard. “Yes?”

“I’m Celeste Marin, a coordinator with Lagerfeld Events.”

My spine snaps to attention. “How is Mrs. Lagerfeld?”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but she’s...”

I heard Rina Lagerfeld is retiring and will be looking for a top event planner with a following to take over her 5-star wedding planning business.

“Is it true that she’s looking to retire?” I say the words as a competitor so Celeste won’t be seen as divulging confidential information.

“There’s been speculation. Your name has come up a few times.”

“M... My name? For what?”

“To take over. Buy the business from her.”

My mind ticks through what I know about Rina Lagerfeld. She’s a widow with two sons who are lawyers, I think.

“Is she talking to anyone else?” I ask, knowing that’s cheating.

“A few have shown interest.” Celeste smooths her hair. “If she sells, it will be in the tens of millions. I don’t know any other party planner who can afford that.”

My eyes flutter closed. Rina Lagerfeld must know I come from money. Mafia money. Although, I don’t care to be a foregone conclusion, which means I’ll pay top dollar.

“I would have to look at her books.” I.e. Eoghan would look at her books for me. “That’s standard for anyone wanting to buy a business.”

“Of course. I just wanted to introduce myself, and I’m a big admirer of yours. I did summer jobs in the Hamptons for caterers and a few country clubs. I hope if you work something out with Mrs. Lagerfeld, you’ll keep me on.”

My East Hampton business is thriving, but taking over Lagerfeld Events would mean full-time attention in Manhattan. Larke’s come into her own and can manage my Hamptons business.

“I’ll put a call into Mrs. Lagerfeld this week for an appointment.” I shake Celeste’s hand. “Thank for you the heads-up.”

When Celeste leaves, I see Balor dancing with his assistant. My other brothers hover with their wives nearby. I feel so damn alone in a room full of people. It’s choking.

Every eye on me feels judgy.

East Hampton might be a world away from Astoria, the kind of city my brothers run. Gritty with blue-collar workers, and small businesses, but to me, East Hampton and Manhattan are identical twins separated at birth. They may look differently with casual clothes, sipping summer cocktails on the weekend, but they are the same ruthless sharks in three-piece suits and tight dresses with stilettos slamming back single-malt scotches and dirty martinis during the week.

I’m not sure when this happened. It feels like just yesterday I was a cool thirty-year-old in killer dresses, and designer shoes driving a great car, with plenty of datingprospects. I settled for Archer.Stupid!

Then Trace and I met up in Vegas. I remember that day, that evening, the fun and flirty banter, before I drank too much. And I swear it clicked. He clicked for me. But he was a security agent working for the Irish government in Dublin. Hardly relationship material.

Didn’t stop him from marrying me. Or...consummating that marriage. I wish I could remember.

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