Page List

Font Size:

Such a long damn time.

I’m so tempted to masturbate, but for some reason I don’t. The beat of excitement moves through me, the thrill of disobedience and what that punishment might entail, but I also need to be careful.

This is a game, and a dangerous one at that.

Besides… dinner? I’ve been locked in here for hours and I’m starving.

Another reason to hate him. I like keeping score of his crimes against me.

When I’m done, I dry my hair and do my eyes, and then I look at the ugly ring on my finger.

There are some who might find it beautiful, but not me. It’s like screaming you’re rich, that you’re owned, that you do nothing all day but look good for your man.

I liked the small ring, the pretty pink one. But, of course, that’s not for me. That’s for a woman in love, a woman who’s loved.

And there’s no place in my world for love.

Especially with Seamus.

When I walk out of the bathroom, my mouth waters at him in a suit with a slate-gray shirt and a charcoal tie. He’s putting rings on, and there’s something so utterly hot about it, I almost jump him.

Seamus turns. I’m naked and I hold up my hand. “Just for you.”

His gaze burns over me. “Later.” But his eyes linger on my exposed pussy and heat flares. “Get dressed. The reservation is in forty minutes.”

The shoes are silver sandals with an elegant ankle strap, and the dress is fitted and also a silvery color. It falls just below the knee and is absolutely stunning. I look around for underwear.

And he just smiles. “Get. Dressed.”

Hate, I remind myself. And I cling to it harder.

It’s all I think I can do to survive.

FIFTEEN

seamus

“Areyou sure this isn’t an excuse to get in some dirty times in public with your bombshell wife?” Dec asks as he drags the usually perfectly behaved Arnold into the living room. “Emphasis on the bomb.”

The cat’s yowling in his carrier.

“Maybe you should worry about your furry friends and walk them more before concerning yourself with my sex life,” I say as he unclips Arnold and puts Clawzilla’s carrier down before letting him out.

The animals race to the door, barking and hissing like banshees until Cal’s thundering “Enough” makes them stop. Dec drags them off to Torin’s office, closes the door behind them, then dusts off his hands.

“Got a dinner reservation soon, Cal,” I say.

On the sofa, Torin sips his whiskey, checking his phone. “And I need to pick up Harry.”

“You two don’t think I want to see my Lucie Joy?” Callahan lights a cigarette, looks at it, swears, and puts it out. He picks up his whiskey instead. “Dec?”

My brother hurries over. “What?”

“The guy you spoke to at the altercation, the one who called in the problem?” Cal asks. “Two things. Do you trust him? And is he coming with that photo anytime soon?”

“Who, Mitchell?” Declan asks as he helps himself to the Redbreast. “Always pays on time, never causes any trouble, and he’s given me the heads-up on small issues he’s seen. Passed along info here and there. I give it to you when it’s worthy. He said he’d be here with the photo of Lev. I believe him.”

“Why does he have a photo of Lev?” Cal asks, leaning over to grab the bottle and refill his glass. “It seems too handy. Too coincidental.”