I take another sip, then place the flute in the glass holder.
“That gift was so thoughtful,” I murmur. “I haven’t played the violin in so long.”
“You sound like you miss it,” he says huskily. “The fervor in your voice… it’s really something.”
“I do miss it,” I agree. “But sometimes, I guess you have to grow up.”
“You’re too young to talk like that.”
“I don’t feel young.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “Twenty-five is a baby in terms of your whole life.”
“You’re thirty-three. That’s not much older. What does that make you?”
He smirks self-deprecatingly. “A slightly older baby.”
I laugh, my cheeks heating up. Another sip of champagne, and it’s like the rest of the world, the high stakes, and the betrayal, really slips effortlessly into the night.
“How is your grandmother doing?” he asks, then frowns. “Sorry, I just realized that could be too heavy.”
“You’re sweet. No, it’s fine. She had one of her good days today. I swung by after work. She beat me at Scrabble. Well, I let her win, but she was so happy. The worst part about this disease is knowing there’s no cure.”
“The world can be a cruel place,” he says darkly. I know he’s thinking about his parents. “If you ever need help with her care, a second opinion, anything like that, let me know.”
“You’ve already done so much,” I whisper, but my mind is surging with possibilities.
If he’s serious about helping me, perhaps I can tell him the truth. Maybe—But what if Aaron isn’t bluffing about hurting her? Everyone has heard whispers that Aaron Pike has criminal connections.
The whispers don’t come from any one place. It’s like they’re in the air anytime you’re near my uncle. People give him looks; men arrive to drop off or pick up packages. Once, I saw him in his office, meeting with two men covered in what looked like Russian tattoos. I’m guessing it’s the reason Dom doesn’t want to deal with him.
“Are you okay?” Dom asks, gently squeezing my leg.
Even now, there’s a sharp, hot spear of lust, a reminder that any second we could stop stressing and just give in to the lust thatstarted to burn in his office. Or maybe even the first time I laid eyes on him on the cover of a magazine.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur. “I just want to enjoy tonight. But my mind keeps wandering.”
“To your grandmother?” he asks, squeezing my leg.
I swallow a lump of emotion, looking out the window. I don’t want to keep lying to him.
When his cell phone rings, he sighs and leans back. “I have to take this. Apologies, beautiful.”
I smile and shake my head. It’s not a problem, I tell him. And it’s the truth. It gives me some time to fix my face, my thoughts, and my heart.
CHAPTER 14
DOMINIC
“He doesn’t want to work with us,” Ethan says.
“I heard that,” I snap, trying to keep my voice level for Izzy’s benefit. She looks smoking hot, sitting across from me in a form-hugging black dress, tempting lace across her cleavage, showing me her curviness with a casual sexuality that drives me wilder than any big statement could.
“He said he’s passionate about the project,” Ethan goes on.
“McLaughlin is our key to expansion,” I hiss. “And he’s not just saying he’s passionate. I’ve met the man countless times. Heispassionate. If I’m wrong, then I need to find a new profession.”
Izzy looks up at me, chewing her lip. I wonder if she’s annoyed, I’m spending our date on the phone. I can’t blame her. This was supposed to be something just for us.
