Page 55 of Her Dark Salvation

“Yes, Mr. Moretti, that’s right. Nice to see you again.”

“It’s Luca. And same. Although, I do wonder about the company you’re keeping.”

Siobhán’s head snapped up with a scowl.

He met the fierceness in her eyes with an intensity all his own, his pouty lips bending into a smile meant for pure seduction. Siobhán’s steely glare and cool comportment melted in its aftermath. He leaned closer and with his free hand trailed a gloved finger from the top of her shoulder down the length of her arm. “Did you miss me?” he asked just above a whisper.

Siobhán shivered, and her eyes fluttered closed. I grabbed my necklace, uncomfortable and wanting to excuse myself, but they didn’t seem to even notice I was still sitting there.

“Hm?” he prompted and leaned closer. “I missed you.” He brushed an errant curl of her hair away with the tip of his nose. “Lucky for me you’re still taking advantage of Marco’s generosity, huh, Shamrock?” The words slowly took on a mocking edge, and when he saidShamrock, it had a derisive bite.

Siobhán’s eyes snapped open. She pushed him away with her shoulder and flayed him with an angry glare. “I told you not to call me that,” she said through gritted teeth.

“But that’s what you are, right? Irish and Lucky?” He leaned in until their faces were an inch apart. “No matter how hard you try and change that accent.”

“Asshole,” she muttered under her breath and turned away, picking up her wine.

I shifted uncomfortably on my stool.

He chuckled and stepped back. “Have a nice night, ladies,” he said and continued past us.

I followed his retreating form over my shoulder. “What just happened?”

Luca whispered something to one of Marco’s sunglassed security guards. The man unclasped the red velvet rope hanging in front of the entrance to the narrow, spiral staircase at the far end of the club.

“And where is he going?” I turned back to Siobhán, and she was seething.

“Andthat”—she pointed to where Luca climbed the spiral staircase—“is why you don’t get involved with those types of men! That man lives to vex me. Vex!” She downed the rest of her wine with a wince, and I decided it was not the time for any more questions about her and Luca. “And he’s heading up to…” Her forehead wrinkled. “The other half of Vesuvio.”

I craned my neck. “The other half of Vesuvio?”

“You signed one of Marco’s NDAs, right?”

“Yes.”

“Themembers onlyportion of the club.”

I shook my head. “I didn’t know Vesuvio had a private club.”

“No one does. Well, except the members. And Marco’s crew. It’s not exactly advertised. Most people assume it’s offices, which I suppose it kinda is during the day.”

“Oh,” I replied, completely lost. I sipped my wine hoping to cover up my naïveté.

Siobhán sighed and touched my hand. She filled her voice with a message I was supposed to understand by the slow articulation of her words. “The members like to play cards. Watch sports and horse racing. Enjoy half-naked waitresses who sometimes dance.”

“Ohhh.” My pulse quickened, the conflict of worry and excitement resurfacing in a rush. “I see.”

An illegal gambling club right over my head. Another piece of evidence Marco DeVita was a closet mafioso. How was Siobhán so blasé about the whole thing? None of this seemed to faze her.

“Last call, ladies.” The bartender’s smooth voice interrupted my racing thoughts.

“We’re good. Thanks, Eric,” Siobhán said.

He nodded and walked out from behind the bar to the main floor.

“You okay?”

I forced a smile, not wanting her to think I was going to freak out and run to the cops or something. “I’m fine. Just surprised, that’s all.”

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