Page 91 of Illicit Temptation

Shea steps out from under The Orchid’s portico to meet me near the entrance to the parking lot. “What happened? Why did the car leave?”

“I paid him to leave.” I tuck my phone into my suit jacket.

“That’s what you wanted to show me?”

Smiling, I say, “No. I called my car service. Someone who won’t snitch on me and where I go. Wherewego.”

She blinks up at me, her eyes shining with an infectious smile on her lips. “Where are we going?”

“Manhattan. Better for your meeting tomorrow if we don’t have to battle expressway traffic, aye?”

“Really?” she chirps, then frowns. “Is it wise for us to check into a hotel?”

“We’re not staying in a hotel, princess.” I grip the sides of her face. “I’m taking you to my new apartment.”

APPROACHING THE MIDTOWNTunnel, the entire city skyline lights up in front of us. “God, it’s beautiful,” she purrs.

“It sure is,” I say, kissing her knuckles.

She cocks her head. “So what do you have? One of those studio apartments? I can do cozy.”

I bark a laugh. “Nota studio apartment.”

Cutting north, the car weaves through narrow side streets, navigating around trucks making late deliveries, cabs, pedestrians, bikes, and dog owners taking their pets on the last walk of the evening.

Rian pulls up outside the impressive skyscraper with the wraparound luxury apartment Griffin’s new lawyer, Kai Powers, signed over to me.I’mfar from a billionaire right now, but the Keller holdings are staggering. Griffin and his new consigliere are working out the ownership details and how the monthly earnings will be divided. I might be rich in a couple of years.

“The Lancaster?” Shea looks up. “You have an apartment here?”

I smile, loving her excitement. “Aye. I do now.”

“Not a studio, no shit.” She continues to stare into the sky.

After flashing my ID, I strut into the lobby, holding Shea’s hand with my head held high. I’m in a suit, dressed like her bodyguard, but right now, I’m a husband showing my wife an apartment that one day I want to share with her.

We ride the elevator, the whir of flying up so many floors a gentle hum.

“How many apartments per floor?” Shea asks.

“One.” I pin her against the wall. “Scream as loud as you want while I’m fucking you. Only people in helicopters flying by will hear you.”

On my floor, there’s a small foyer and a steel-reinforced door. I use my key, and a secondary electronic code to enter. It’s dark, except for the lights shining in from floor-to-ceiling windows.

Shea gasps and skips toward the wall of windows. Fucking skips like a schoolgirl. It’s hard to impress a billionaire mob princess. But I just did.

“This...” She goes breathless. “Why were you keeping this a secret?”

“I finalized the papers in February and had movers bring over what little I did have in my apartment here. I never even spent the night here yet.” I kiss her hand. “I was needed in East Hampton.”

“What else are you not telling me?”

You have no idea...

“I’ve told you everything as far as how I feel and what I want.”

I worried Kieran told her about the deal with Scava earlier, but I know my princess. She’d have been livid and would have said something to me. At the same time, I’m sick with the guilt from not telling her myself. She’s still not convinced we have a future.

I’m focused on getting approval from her father. Permission and acceptance are a heartbeat away.

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